Ecclesiastes 3:2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
The setting
Jerusalem, ~935 BC. King Solomon, having experienced everything wealth could buy, reflects on life's rhythms in his palace. Modern Israel.
The emotion here: weary wisdom after experiencing everything
The original word
mowled (מוֹלֶדֶת) — birthing time, the appointed moment of emergence
Why it matters
Solomon wrote this after ruling 40 years and seeing three generations of his dynasty
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 3:2
This isn't about death being sad — it's about TIMING being everything
Common misconceptionPeople think this minimizes the pain of death, but Solomon is actually saying every birth and death has divine timing — your grief and joy are both appropriate.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 3:2
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 3:2 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 3:2 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include life cycles, timing. Notable phrases: time to be born; time to die; time to plant.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 3:2 mean to you, today?
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