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Ecclesiastes 3:21
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For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth?
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
Who can be sure that the human spirit goes up to God and that the spirit of an animal goes down into the ground?
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
Who knows if the spirit of man ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth?
Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?
Who knowith, if the spirit of the sones of Adam stieth vpward, and if the spirit of beestis goith dounward?
Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?
Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?
Who really knows if our spirits go up and the spirits of animals go down into the earth?
Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?
Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
Who knows if the spirit of a human being goes upward and the spirit of an animal goes downward into the earth?"
Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?
Who knows what happens to a person's spirit? Who knows if a human's spirit goes up to God while an animal's spirit goes down into the ground?"
Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward; and the spirit of the beast that goeth downeward to the earth?
Who knows that the spirit of man goes up and the spirit of the animal goes down to the earth?
Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?
Who knoweth whether the spirit of man ascend vpward, and the spirit of the beast descend downeward to the earth?
Who knows whether the spirit of men goes upward and the spirit of the beasts goes downward under the earth?
How can anyone be sure that the human spirit goes upward while an animal's spirit goes down into the ground?
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of men, whether it, ascendeth, above, - or the spirit of the beast, whether it, descendeth, below, to the earth?
Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend upward, and if the spirit of the beasts descend downward?
Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth?
Who knoweth the spirite of man that goeth vpwarde, & the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth?
And who has seen the spirit of the sons of man, whether it goes upward? and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth?
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the eretz?"
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
For no one knows whether the spirit of a human ascends to heaven and whether the spirit of the beast descends to the ground!
Who knows the spirit of the sons of man, whether it goes upward; and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that is going up on high, and the spirit of the beast that is going down below to the earth?
Who knoweth the sprete of man yt goeth vpwarde, and the breth of the beest yt goeth downe in to the earth?
Who knows that the spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth?
Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? [fn]
Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?
Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
knoweth: Ecclesiastes 12:7, Luke 16:22, Luke 16:23, John 14:3, Acts 1:25, 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23
of man that goeth upward: Heb. of the sons of man that is ascending
Reciprocal: Genesis 2:7 - nostrils Psalms 49:19 - He Ecclesiastes 3:20 - go Ecclesiastes 8:8 - is no
Cross-References
The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard;
but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die.'"
Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord ; I will be overjoyed because of my God. For he clothes me in garments of deliverance; he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would; I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry.
namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,
God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward?.... There is indeed a difference between a man and a beast; though they have one breath, they have not one spirit or soul; man has a rational and immortal soul, which, when he dies, goes upwards to God that gave it; to be judged by him, and disposed of by him, in its proper apartment, until the day of the resurrection of the body;
and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? when the beast dies, its spirit goes down to the earth, from whence it came, and is resolved into it, and is no more. But who is it that sees, or can see and know with the eyes of his body, the difference of these two spirits, or the ascent of the one, and the descent of the other?, Or who knows by the dint of reason, by the strength of his own understanding, without a divine revelation, that man has an immortal soul which goes upwards at death, when that of a beast goes downwards? No man, clearly and fully, as appears from the doubts and half faith of the wisest Heathens concerning it: or rather who knows and considers this difference between the spirit of a man and the spirit of a beast, and thinks within himself what a precious and immortal soul he has, and is concerned for the salvation of it? Very few; and hence it is they live and die like beasts, as they do. The Midrash interprets this of the souls of the righteous that go up to heaven, and of the souls of the wicked that go down to hell.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
That great anomaly in the moral government of this world, the seemingly unequal distribution of rewards and punishments, will be rectified by God, who has future times and events under His control Ecclesiastes 3:16-17. As for people, they are placed by God, who is their teacher, in a humble condition, even on a level with inferior animals, by death, that great instance of their subjection to vanity Ecclesiastes 3:18-19, which reduces to its original form all that was made of the dust of the ground Ecclesiastes 3:20. And though the destinies of man and beast are different, yet in our present lack of knowledge as to God’s future dealing with our spirits Ecclesiastes 3:21, man finds his portion (see the Ecclesiastes 2:10 note) in such labor and such joy as God assigns to him in his lifetime Ecclesiastes 3:22.
Ecclesiastes 3:16
I saw ... - Rather, I have seen (as in Ecclesiastes 3:10) under the sun the place etc. The place of judgment means the seat of the authorized judge. Compare “the place of the holy” Ecclesiastes 8:10.
Ecclesiastes 3:17
A time there - i. e., a time with God.
Ecclesiastes 3:18
literally, I said in my heart with regard to the sons of men, it is that God may prove them and show them that they are beasts, they themselves. “Showing” is the reading of the Septuagint and Syriac: the present Hebrew text reads “seeing.” The meaning is that the long delay of God’s judgment Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 is calculated to show people that the brevity of their life renders them incapable of following out and understanding His distributive justice.
Ecclesiastes 3:19
That which befalleth the sons of men - literally, the event (happenstance) of the sons of men, i. e., what comes upon them from outside, by virtue of the ordinance of God. See the Ecclesiastes 2:14 note. Death in particular Ecclesiastes 3:2, Ecclesiastes 3:11 is a part of the “work that God doeth.”
Ecclesiastes 3:21
The King James Version of this verse is the only rendering which the Hebrew text, as now pointed, allows. It is in accordance with the best Jewish and many modern interpreters. A slightly different pointing would be requisite to authorize the translation, “Who knows the spirit of the sons of man whether it goes above, and, the spirit of the beast whether it goes down below?” etc., which, though it seems neither necessary nor suitable, is sanctioned by the Septuagint and other versions and by some modern interpreters.
Who knoweth - This expression (used also in Ecclesiastes 2:19; Ecclesiastes 6:12) does not necessarily imply complete and absolute ignorance. In Psalms 90:11, it is applied to what is partially understood: compare similar forms of expression in Proverbs 31:10; Psalms 94:16; Isaiah 53:1. Moreover, it is evident from marginal references that Solomon did not doubt the future existence and destination of the soul. This verse can only be construed as a confession of much ignorance on the subject.
Ecclesiastes 3:22
What shall be after him - i. e., What shall become of the results of his work after he is dead. Compare Ecclesiastes 2:19; Ecclesiastes 6:12.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man — I think the meaning of this important verse is well taken by the above able writer: -
The nobler part of man, 'tis true, survives
The frail corporeal frame: but who regards
The difference? Those who live like beasts, as such
Would die, and be no more, if their own fate
Depended on themselves. Who once reflects,
Amidst his revels, that the human soul,
Of origin celestial, mounts aloft,
While that of brutes to earth shall downward go?"
The word רוח ruach, which is used in this and the nineteenth verse, has two significations, breath and spirit. It signifies spirit, or an incorporeal substance, as distinguished from flesh, or a corporeal one, 1 Kings 22:21-22, and Isaiah 31:3. And it signifies the spirit or soul of man, Psalms 31:6; Isaiah 57:16, and in this book, Ecclesiastes 12:7, and in many other places. In this book it is used also to signify the breath, spirit, or soul of a beast. While it was said in Ecclesiastes 3:19, they have all one breath, i.e., the man and the beast live the same kind of animal life; in this verse, a proper distinction is made between the רוח ruach, or soul of man, and the רוח ruach, or soul of the beast: the one goeth upwards, the other goeth downwards. The literal translation of these important words is this: "Who considereth the רוח ruach) immortal spirit of the sons of Adam, which ascendeth? it is from above; (היא למעלה hi lemalah;) and the spirit or breath of the cattle which descendeth? it is downwards unto the earth," i.e., it tends to the earth only. This place gives no countenance to the materiality of the soul; and yet it is the strongest hold to which the cold and fruitless materialist can resort.
Solomon most evidently makes an essential difference between the human soul and that of brutes. Both have souls, but of different natures: the soul of man was made for God, and to God it shall return: God is its portion, and when a holy soul leaves the body, it goes to paradise. The soul of the beast was made to derive its happiness from this lower world. Brutes shall have a resurrection, and have an endless enjoyment in a new earth. The body of man shall arise, and join his soul that is already above; and both enjoy final blessedness in the fruition of God. That Solomon did not believe they had the same kind of spirit, and the same final lot, as some materialists and infidels say, is evident from Ecclesiastes 12:7: "The spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
