Ecclesiastes 9:4

There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The teacher addresses readers weighing the certainty of death, speaking immediately after noting that all people share one fate and eventually join the dead.

The words — כִּי־ (ki) means "for," and יְחֻבַּר (yiḥubber) means "he is united," linking the living to ongoing possibility rather than finality.

The thread — The contrast between present life and postmortem silence runs through Job 14:7, Isaiah 38:18, and Luke 16:26.

Why it lands — The text states that living presence holds practical advantage over dead status, commanding readers to prioritize action while breath remains.

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

כִּי־ki-for מִי֙miwho?אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher[is [the] one] who יְחֻבַּ֔רyi.ba.cherhe is united אֶ֥ל'elto כָּל־kol-all הַחַיִּ֖יםha./chai.Yimthe/ living יֵ֣שׁyeshthere בִּטָּח֑וֹןbi.ta.Chon[is] hope כִּֽי־ki-for לְכֶ֤לֶבle./Khe.levto/ a dog חַי֙chailiving ה֣וּאhu'it ט֔וֹבTov[is] good מִן־min-more than הָאַרְיֵ֖הha./'ar.Yehthe/ lion הַמֵּֽת׃ha./Met<the>/ dead

King James Version

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Cross-references

Job 14:7 For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
Isaiah 38:18 For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
Luke 16:26 And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
Lamentations 3:21 Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:
Job 27:8 For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?