Ecclesiastes 3:15That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. Solomon observes the cyclical nature of history and God's eternal perspective on time...
The emotion here: mystified by time's circular nature
The original word
bāqash (בָּקַשׁ) — to seek earnestly, pursue with intention and care
Why it matters
Solomon had access to historical records going back 500 years to Moses
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 3:15
God 'seeks again' suggests He values and retrieves what seems lost to time
Common misconceptionThis sounds like fatalism or reincarnation, but Solomon is marveling that God actively 'seeks again' - He's involved in recurring patterns, not absent from them.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 3:15
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 3:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 3:15 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include time, divine sovereignty. Notable phrases: God seeks again; that which is passed away.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 3:15 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "seeking"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.