A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

ECCLESIASTES 3:2KJV
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Ecclesiastes 3:2 (KJV)

What does Ecclesiastes 3:2 mean?

Ecclesiastes 3:2 says that there are set times for important events in life, like being born and dying, planting and harvesting. The verse highlights that life has different seasons, and each has its own appointed moment that people cannot fully control.

In Ecclesiastes, the Teacher (often called Qoheleth) is reflecting on the rhythms and limits of human life, speaking to a general audience about the realities everyone faces. This verse is part of a longer list showing that both joyful and difficult experiences have their proper place and timing in the world.

The Hebrew behind Ecclesiastes 3:2

  • The word עֵת (ʿet, H6256) is used repeatedly and means "appointed time" or "season." Its repetition stresses that every event in life has a specific, fitting moment.
  • The verb יָלַד (yalad, H3205) means "to be born," and מוּת (mut, H4191) means "to die." These words frame the whole span of human life, showing the range of experiences under consideration.
  • The verb נָטַע (nataʿ, H5193) means "to plant," and עָקוֹר (ʿaqar, H6131) means "to uproot" or "pluck up." This pairing uses farming language to illustrate the natural cycle of beginnings and endings.

Why Ecclesiastes 3:2 matters

  • Ecclesiastes 3:2 clears up the idea that people can control every aspect of their lives; it emphasizes that some things are simply part of the order of the world.
  • The verse sets the tone for the famous "a time for everything" poem, helping readers see that both positive and negative experiences are natural and inevitable.
  • By pairing birth with death and planting with uprooting, the verse reminds readers that change and transition are constant features of life, not exceptions.

Where else these words appear

“up” Hebrew H6131 · used in 7 verses

  • Genesis 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
  • Joshua 11:9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
  • 1 Chronicles 18:4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.

“plant” Hebrew H5193 · used in 55 verses

  • Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
  • Psalms 94:9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
  • Jeremiah 12:2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.