Bible Strands
Ecclesiastes 3:15
What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The speaker addresses the reader after affirming God’s unchangeable work and before observing moral corruption in judicial and righteous spheres.
The words — kevar (already) and haya (is/has been) structurally bind present reality and future events to fixed prior states.
The thread — The same assertion of unchanging patterns appears in Ecclesiastes 1:9 and Ecclesiastes 6:10.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that events are fixed repetitions and requires readiness for divine accountability rather than attempts to alter what has already been established.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
Cross-references
- Ecclesiastes 1:9 What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.