Ecclesiastes 3:2

Translation
King James Version
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
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KJV (with Strong's)
A time H6256 to be born H3205, and a time H6256 to die H4191; a time H6256 to plant H5193, and a time H6256 to pluck up H6131 that which is planted H5193;
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Complete Jewish Bible
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
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Berean Standard Bible
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
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American Standard Version
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
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World English Bible Messianic
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
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Geneva Bible (1599)
A time to bee borne, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted.
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Young's Literal Translation
A time to bring forth, And a time to die. A time to plant, And a time to eradicate the planted.
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See also
Hebrews 9:27Job 14:5Jeremiah 18:7Jeremiah 18:10Galatians 4:4Luke 1:20Matthew 15:13
In the KJVVerse 17,362 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ecclesiastes 3:2, a foundational line within the Preacher's iconic poem on time (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), profoundly articulates the observation that every facet of human existence, from the most fundamental acts of birth and death to the practical rhythms of agriculture, is governed by an appointed, divinely ordained season. This verse establishes a core truth: life is not a chaotic or random series of events, but rather unfolds within a structured framework of God's sovereign timing and purpose, inviting humanity to discern, accept, and embrace the appropriate actions for each season.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ecclesiastes 3:2 is the second line in a profound poetic litany (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) that meticulously explores the seemingly paradoxical and often contrasting events comprising human existence. This passage serves as a central thesis for the entire book of Ecclesiastes, offering a crucial counterpoint to the Preacher's recurring lament of "hebel" (often translated "vanity" or "meaningless"). By asserting an overarching divine order, the Preacher suggests that while human endeavors "under the sun" may appear futile or fleeting, there is a purposeful structure to life. The verse's deliberate structure, repeating "a time to..." followed by contrasting pairs, powerfully emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God's sovereign control over all of life's seasons, encompassing everything from the most profound personal milestones to the seemingly mundane agricultural tasks. It meticulously sets the stage for the book's ultimate conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, where true meaning and fulfillment are found in fearing God and diligently keeping His commandments.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Israel was fundamentally an agrarian society, making the vivid imagery of "planting" and "plucking up" immediately relatable and deeply significant to its original audience. Their very survival and prosperity were intimately tied to the predictable yet divinely controlled cycles of nature, which were universally understood as being under God's direct providence (compare Psalm 104:14). Furthermore, birth and death were not merely biological occurrences but profoundly spiritual, communal, and often ritualized experiences, marking the divinely given beginning and end of a human life. The wisdom literature, to which Ecclesiastes belongs, frequently drew upon common human experiences, natural phenomena, and the rhythms of daily life to convey profound theological truths, grounding abstract concepts in the tangible realities of their world. The concept of "time" ('êth') in this context refers less to a linear chronological duration and more to the opportune, appropriate, or appointed moment for a specific action or event, reflecting a deeply ingrained worldview where divine providence dictated the rhythm and purpose of existence.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully introduces and reinforces several key themes prevalent throughout Ecclesiastes and the broader wisdom literature. Foremost is Divine Sovereignty Over Time, asserting unequivocally that God is the ultimate orchestrator of all events, ensuring that everything happens in its appointed season. This profound truth challenges any notion of a chaotic or random universe and provides a foundational framework for understanding life's often unpredictable and challenging nature. Secondly, it highlights the universal Cycles of Life and Human Mortality, emphasizing that birth and death are inescapable experiences, divinely appointed beginnings and endings that underscore the inherent brevity and fragility of human life "under the sun" (as echoed in Psalm 90:10). Finally, the agricultural metaphor of planting and plucking up points to the crucial theme of Patience and Discernment. Just as there is a proper time for sowing and harvesting, there is a profound wisdom in discerning the appropriate season for action, effort, and even letting go in all aspects of life, mirroring the principle of timely wisdom found in Proverbs 15:23.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • time (Hebrew, ‘êth', H6256): This pivotal word, repeated eight times in the larger passage (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), signifies far more than mere chronological duration. It denotes an "appointed time," an "opportune moment," or a "suitable season" specifically designated for a particular purpose or action. It implies a divinely established order and an inherent appropriateness for each event, suggesting that there is a right and fitting time for everything under heaven, rather than a random or arbitrary occurrence.
  • born (Hebrew, yâlad', H3205): Derived from a primitive root meaning "to bear young" or "to beget," this word refers to the act of being brought forth into existence. In the context of Ecclesiastes 3:2, it marks the divinely appointed beginning of life, the initial entry into the human experience, a fundamental and universal event that signifies the start of an individual's journey.
  • plant (Hebrew, nâṭaʻ', H5193): This primitive root means "to strike in" or "to fix," specifically "to plant." It represents the deliberate act of initiation, sowing, investing effort, or establishing something with the expectation of future growth, development, or fruit. It is an act of purposeful engagement with the natural world or with human endeavors, requiring foresight, labor, and patience.

Verse Breakdown

  • "A time to be born": This clause speaks to the divinely appointed moment of entry into life. It underscores that human existence begins not by chance or accident, but by a sovereign decree, marking the start of an individual's journey within God's grand design. It acknowledges the profound miracle and inherent mystery of new life, emphasizing its divine origin.
  • "and a time to die": This contrasting clause highlights the equally appointed moment of departure from life. It confronts the stark reality of human mortality, asserting that death, like birth, is an integral and inescapable part of God's established order for humanity. It is a universal and inevitable transition, not an arbitrary or meaningless end.
  • "a time to plant": This agricultural metaphor signifies a season for initiation, for sowing seeds of effort, for investing resources, or for establishing new ventures or relationships. It represents the active phase of preparation and cultivation, where one lays the groundwork for future growth, productivity, and the realization of potential.
  • "and a time to pluck up [that which is] planted": This concluding clause completes the agricultural cycle, referring to the act of harvesting, removing, bringing to an end, or dismantling that which was previously established. It implies a season for completion, for reaping the results of past labor, or for letting go of what has served its purpose, making way for new cycles and new beginnings.

Literary Devices

Ecclesiastes 3:2 masterfully employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. Parallelism is prominently featured, specifically through the use of antithetical parallelism, where opposing concepts are presented in a balanced, parallel structure ("to be born" vs. "to die," "to plant" vs. "to pluck up"). This highlights the comprehensive nature of life's experiences, encompassing both beginnings and endings, creation and dissolution. The pairing of these opposites also functions as merism, a rhetorical device where two contrasting parts are mentioned to represent the totality of possibilities in between, suggesting that all aspects of life, from the most profound personal milestones to the most practical daily tasks, are under divine appointment. The central use of metaphor is evident in the agricultural imagery of "planting" and "plucking up," which serves as a highly relatable illustration for the broader cycles of effort, growth, investment, and conclusion in all human endeavors. Finally, the repeated phrase "a time to..." at the beginning of each clause is a classic example of anaphora, which creates a rhythmic, insistent, and almost hypnotic tone, reinforcing the pervasive, inescapable, and divinely ordained nature of these seasons.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ecclesiastes 3:2 lays a profound theological foundation, asserting God's absolute sovereignty over the entirety of human existence and the natural world. It teaches that life's events, even those seemingly contradictory, difficult, or beyond human control, are not random but are meticulously orchestrated by a wise and purposeful Creator who has established an appointed time for everything. This understanding encourages a posture of trust, acceptance, and even surrender, recognizing that God's timing is perfect and purposeful, even when it does not align with human desires, expectations, or perceived timelines. It challenges us to live with profound discernment, seeking to understand and align ourselves with the divine rhythm rather than futilely resisting the inevitable seasons of life.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Understanding Ecclesiastes 3:2 invites us to cultivate a profound sense of peace, patience, and intentionality in our lives. Rather than striving against the natural ebb and flow of existence, or lamenting circumstances beyond our control, we are called to embrace each season as a divinely appointed opportunity for growth, learning, or rest. This perspective liberates us from the anxiety of needing to control every outcome and instead fosters a deep, abiding trust in God's overarching plan and perfect timing. It encourages us to discern wisely when to initiate new ventures, to "plant" seeds of effort and hope, and when to let go, conclude, or "pluck up" that which has served its purpose, recognizing that both action and cessation have their proper place and divine purpose. Ultimately, this verse calls us to live fully present in the moment, engaging wholeheartedly with the opportunities and challenges of our current season, confident in the knowledge that God is sovereignly at work in all things, orchestrating them for His glory and our ultimate good.

Questions for Reflection

  • What specific season of life do you currently find yourself in (e.g., a season of planting, growing, harvesting, waiting, or letting go)?
  • How does the idea of God's appointed "time" for birth and death bring comfort or challenge to your understanding of life's major transitions and losses?
  • In what areas of your life might you be resisting a necessary "plucking up" or holding onto something beyond its divinely appointed time?
  • How can you better align your actions, expectations, and emotional responses with God's timing, rather than your own perceived timeline or desires?

FAQ

Does Ecclesiastes 3:2 imply fatalism, meaning we have no free will or agency?

Answer: No, Ecclesiastes 3:2 does not advocate for fatalism or suggest that human beings lack free will or agency. While it profoundly emphasizes God's sovereign control over the "times" and "seasons" of life, it does not negate human responsibility or the significance of our choices. The Preacher's point is that there is an appropriate or opportune time for various actions and events, implying that human wisdom and spiritual maturity lie in discerning and acting according to these divinely established rhythms. For example, "a time to plant" clearly suggests that human effort, decision-making, and labor are involved, but that such effort is most fruitful and effective when aligned with the right season. The passage highlights God's overarching design and providential order, within which human choices and actions still hold profound significance and moral weight. The Bible consistently affirms both God's sovereignty and human responsibility, as seen in passages like Philippians 2:12-13 where believers are called to work out their salvation because God is at work within them.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ecclesiastes 3:2 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodied the principle of divine timing in His earthly ministry. His entire life, from His miraculous incarnation to His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, unfolded precisely according to God's precise and appointed "time." There was indeed "a time to be born" for the Savior, a moment perfectly fulfilled in His incarnation when God "sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law" (Galatians 4:4). Likewise, there was "a time to die," which Jesus willingly embraced on the cross as the ultimate, divinely appointed sacrifice for the sins of the world, dying "at the proper time" for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). Jesus Himself frequently spoke of His "hour" (e.g., John 13:1), signifying the divinely appointed moment for His crucifixion and glorification. Furthermore, Christ is the great "planter" of the Kingdom of God, sowing the seeds of truth, righteousness, and eternal life through His teaching and ministry, as He Himself explained in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:37). His resurrection was the "firstfruits" of a spiritual harvest, guaranteeing the future resurrection of all who believe (1 Corinthians 15:20). Ultimately, He will return at "a time to pluck up" the righteous, gathering His harvest at the end of the age when the Son of Man sends out His angels to gather His elect (Revelation 14:15). Thus, Ecclesiastes 3:2 points profoundly to Christ as the one who perfectly lives out God's appointed times and through whom all of life's seasons, including our own spiritual birth into faith and ultimate death and resurrection, find their eternal purpose and meaning.

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Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3 verses 1–10

The scope of these verses is to show, 1. That we live in a world of changes, that the several events of time, and conditions of human life, are vastly different from one another, and yet occur promiscuously, and we are continually passing and repassing between them, as in the revolutions of every day and every year. In the wheel of nature (Jam 3:6) sometimes one spoke is uppermost and by and by the contrary; there is a constant ebbing and flowing, waxing and waning; from one extreme to the other does the fashion of this world change, ever did, and ever will. 2. That every change concerning us, with the time and season of it, is unalterably fixed and determined by a supreme power; and we must take things as they come, for it is not in our power to change what is appointed for us. And this comes in here as a reason why, when we are in prosperity, we should by easy, and yet not secure - not to be secure because we live in a world of changes and therefore have no reason to say, Tomorrow shall be as this day (the lowest valleys join to the highest mountains), and yet to be easy, and, as he had advised (Ecc 2:24), to enjoy the good of our labour, in a humble dependence upon God and his providence, neither lifted up with hopes, nor cast down with fears, but with evenness of mind expecting every event. Here we have,

I. A general proposition laid down: To every thing there is a season, Ecc 3:1. 1. Those things which seem most contrary the one to the other will, in the revolution of affairs, each take their turn and come into play. The day will give place to the night and the night again to the day. Is it summer? It will be winter. Is it winter? Stay a while, and it will be summer. Every purpose has its time. The clearest sky will be clouded, Post gaudia luctus - Joy succeeds sorrow; and the most clouded sky will clear up, Post nubila Phoebus - The sun will burst from behind the cloud. 2. Those things which to us seem most casual and contingent are, in the counsel and foreknowledge of God, punctually determined, and the very hour of them is fixed, and can neither be anticipated nor adjourned a moment.

II. The proof and illustration of it by the induction of particulars, twenty-eight in number, according to the days of the moon's revolution, which is always increasing or decreasing between its full and change. Some of these changes are purely the act of God, others depend more upon the will of man, but all are determined by the divine counsel. Every thing under heaven is thus changeable, but in heaven there is an unchangeable state, and an unchangeable counsel concerning these things. 1. There is a time to be born and a time to die. These are determined by the divine counsel; and, as we were born, so we must die, at the time appointed, Act 17:26. Some observe that here is a time to be born and a time to die, but no time to live; that is so short that it is not worth mentioning; as soon as we are born we begin to die. But, as there is a time to be born and a time to die, so there will be a time to rise again, a set time when those that lie in the grave shall be remembered, Job 14:13. 2. A time for God to plant a nation, as that of Israel in Canaan, and, in order to that, to pluck up the seven nations that were planted there, to make room for them; and at length there was a time when God spoke concerning Israel too, to pluck up and to destroy, when the measure of their iniquity was full, Jer 18:7, Jer 18:9. There is a time for men to plant, a time of the year, a time of their lives; but, when that which was planted has grown fruitless and useless, it is time to pluck it up. 3. A time to kill, when the judgments of God are abroad in a land and lay all waste; but, when he returns in ways of mercy, then is a time to heal what he has torn (Hos 6:1, Hos 6:2), to comfort a people after the time that he has afflicted them, Psa 90:15. There is a time when it is the wisdom of rulers to use severe methods, but there is a time when it is as much their wisdom to take a more gentle course, and to apply themselves to lenitives, not corrosives. 4. A time to break down a family, an estate, a kingdom, when it has ripened itself for destruction; but God will find a time, if they return and repent, to rebuild what he has broken down; there is a time, a set time, for the Lord to build up Zion, Psa 102:13, Psa 102:16. There is a time for men to break up house, and break off trade, and so to break down, which those that are busy in building up both must expect and prepare for. 5. A time when God's providence calls to weep and mourn, and when man's wisdom and grace will comply with the call, and will weep and mourn, as in times of common calamity and danger, and there it is very absurd to laugh, and dance, and make merry (Isa 22:12, Isa 22:13; Eze 21:10); but then, on the other hand, there is a time when God calls to cheerfulness, a time to laugh and dance, and then he expects we should serve him with joyfulness and gladness of heart. Observe, The time of mourning and weeping is put first, before that of laughter and dancing, for we must first sow in tears and then reap in joy. 6. A time to cast away stones, by breaking down and demolishing fortifications, when God gives peace in the borders, and there is no more occasion for them; but there is a time to gather stones together, for the making of strong-holds, Ecc 3:5. A time for old towers to fall, as that in Siloam (Luk 12:4), and for the temple itself to be so ruined as that not one stone should be left upon another; but also a time for towers and trophies too to be erected, when national affairs prosper. 7. A time to embrace a friend when we find him faithful, but a time to refrain from embracing when we find he is unfair or unfaithful, and that we have cause to suspect him; it is then our prudence to be shy and keep at a distance. It is commonly applied to conjugal embraces, and explained by Co1 7:3-5; Joe 2:16. 8. A time to get, get money, get preferment, get good bargains and a good interest, when opportunity smiles, a time when a wise man will seek (so the word is); when he is setting out in the world and has a growing family, when he is in his prime, when he prospers and has a run of business, then it is time for him to be busy and make hay when the sun shines. There is a time to get wisdom, and knowledge, and grace, when a man has a price put into his hand; but then let him expect there will come a time to spend, when all he has will be little enough to serve his turn. Nay, there will come a time to lose, when what has been soon got will be soon scattered and cannot be held fast. 9. A time to keep, when we have use for what we have got, and can keep it without running the hazard of a good conscience; but there may come a time to cast away, when love to God may oblige us to cast away what we have, because we must deny Christ and wrong our consciences if we keep it (Mat 10:37, Mat 10:38), and rather to make shipwreck of all than of the faith; nay, when love to ourselves may oblige us to cast it away, when it is for the saving of our lives, as it was when Jonah's mariners heaved their cargo into the sea. 10. A time to rend the garments, as upon occasion of some great grief, and a time to sew, them again, in token that the grief is over. A time to undo what we have done and a time to do again what we have undone. Jerome applies this to the rending of the Jewish church and the sewing and making up of the gospel church thereupon. 11. A time when it becomes us, and is our wisdom and duty, to keep silence, when it is an evil time (Amo 5:13), when our speaking would be the casting of pearl before swine, or when we are in danger of speaking amiss (Psa 39:2); but there is also a time to speak for the glory of God and the edification of others, when silence would be the betraying of a righteous cause, and when with the mouth confession is to be made to salvation; and it is a great part of Christian prudence to know when to speak and when to hold our peace. 12. A time to love, and to show ourselves friendly, to be free and cheerful, and it is a pleasant time; but there may come a time to hate, when we shall see cause to break off all familiarity with some that we have been fond of, and to be upon the reserve, as having found reason for a suspicion, which love is loth to admit. 13. A time of war, when God draws the sword for judgment and gives it commission to devour, when men draw the sword for justice and the maintaining of their rights, when there is in the nations a disposition to war; but we may hope for a time of peace, when the sword of the Lord shall be sheathed and he shall make wars to cease (Psa 46:9), when the end of the war is obtained, and when there is on all sides a disposition to peace. War shall not last always, nor is there any peace to be called lasting on this side the everlasting peace. Thus in all these changes God has set the one over-against the other, that we may rejoice as though we rejoiced not and weep as though we wept not.

III. The inferences drawn from this observation. If our present state be subject to such vicissitude, 1. Then we must not expect our portion in it, for the good things of it are of no certainty, no continuance (Ecc 3:9): What profit has he that works? What can a man promise himself from planting and building, when that which he thinks is brought to perfection may so soon, and will so surely, be plucked up and broken down? All our pains and care will not alter either the mutable nature of the things themselves or the immutable counsel of God concerning them. 2. Then we must look upon ourselves as upon our probation in it. There is indeed no profit in that wherein we labour; the thing itself, when we have it, will do us little good; but, if we make a right use of the disposals of Providence about it, there will be profit in that (Ecc 3:10): I have seen the travail which God has given to the sons of men, not to make up a happiness by it, but to be exercised in it, to have various graces exercised by the variety of events, to have their dependence upon God tried by every change, and to be trained up to it, and taught both how to want and how to abound, Phi 4:12. Note, (1.) There is a great deal of toil and trouble to be seen among the children of men. Labour and sorrow fill the world. (2.) This toil and this trouble are what God has allotted us. He never intended this world for our rest, and therefore never appointed us to take our ease in it. (3.) To many it proves a gift. God gives it to men, as the physician gives a medicine to his patient, to do him good. This travail is given to us to make us weary of the world and desirous of the remaining rest. It is given to us that we may be kept in action, and may always have something to do; for we were none of us sent into the world to be idle. Every change cuts us out some new work, which we should be more solicitous about, than about the event.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
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Athanasius of AlexandriaAD 373
DEFENSE OF HIS FLIGHT 14
This is written in the Scriptures and is manifest to all. For although it be hidden and unknown to all, what period of time is allotted to each, and how it is allotted; yet every one knows this, that as there is a time for spring and for summer, and for autumn and for winter, so, as it is written, there is a time to die, and a time to live.
Cyril of JerusalemAD 386
MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 2:4
For as our Savior passed three days and three nights in the bowels of the earth, so you by your first rising out of the water represented Christ’s first day in the earth, and by your descent the night. For as in the night one no longer sees, while by day one is in the light, so you during your immersion, as in a night, saw nothing, but on coming up found yourselves in the day. In the same moment you were dying and being born, and that saving water was at once your grave and your mother. What Solomon said in another context is applicable to you: “A time for giving birth, a time for dying,” although for you, contrariwise, it is a case of “a time for dying and a time for being born.” One time brought both, and your death coincided with your birth.
Gregory of ElviraAD 392
EXPOSITION OF ECCLESIASTES, FRAGMENT 1
“A time to live and a time to die”: you can see, therefore, beloved brothers, that this was said concerning the time of the Lord’s birth and death. Thus you must accept his virgin birth if we are to believe not only that the Word in the beginning who was called “is” was born, but, as I said, also that the humanity which he adopted and put on was born, both Lord and man. For it says, “what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the spirit is spirit.” Yet, what suffered, died, was buried, and resurrected was not God but man, since he raised man to God, not God to man.
Gregory of NyssaAD 395
It is right that at the start he makes this tight bond linking death to birth; for death inevitably follows birth, and everything born dissolves in decay. He intends, through the demonstration that death and birth are connected, by using the reference to death as a goad, to wake from sleep those who are sunk deep in fleshly existence and love this present life, and to rouse them in awareness of the future. This insight Moses, the friend of God, used secretly in the first books of Scripture, writing Exodus immediately after Genesis, so that those who read what has been written may learn what affects them even through the very arrangement of the books; for it is impossible to hear of a birth (“genesis”) without also envisaging a departure (“exodus”). Here also the great Ecclesiast, having noticed this, points it out, classing death with birth.
Gregory of NyssaAD 395
HOMILIES ON ECCLESIASTES 6
He does well to mention right away the binding union between birth and death; death necessarily follows birth, and each generation passes away. To show the connection between death and birth, the former is like a spur to arouse persons immersed in the flesh who love this present existence that they may pay attention to the future. Moses, the friend of God, quietly philosophizes over these matters as we see in the first titles of his books; he immediately writes Exodus right after Genesis. Thus these titles teach us about the order of our lives, for there is no birth [genesis] without death [exodos]. The great Ecclesiastes shows that death holds the same rank as birth: “There is a time to be born and a time to die.”
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ecclesiastes
"A time
to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to uproot that which
has been planted." No one doubts that men are born and die, and
God knows that what he has planted will grow full and well; for to pull out
what has been planted is to die. But
since we read in Isaiah [Is. 26, 18.]
"we have conceived, laboured with and given birth out of a fear for
You", this must be said, because when a man is ready, that man in
particular, who was born from fear, will die as soon as he has begun to love
God. Since indeed "perfect love
sends fear outside" [I. John. 4, 18.]. The Hebrews understand all that he has
written about the contradiction of times, (until it says " a time for war
and a time for peace") as concerning Israel. Because it is not necessary to go through
each verse in turn here, commenting on how they are to be interpreted and what
they mean, I will list them briefly, leaving a more detailed study to the
reader's discretion. There was a time for growing and planting in Israel, a
time for dying and leading it into bondage. A time for killing them in Egypt,
and a time for freeing them from Egypt. A time for destroying the Temple under
Nebuchadnezer, and a time for rebuilding under Darius. A time for bewailing the plundering of the
city and a time for laughing and dancing under Zorobabel, Esdra, and
Nehemiah. A time for dissemination from
Israel and a time for gathering them together again. A time like a belt or harness put around the
Jews by God, and a time for leading them into bondage in Babylon and there for
them to rot across the Euphrates. Read "perizoma" of Jeremiah [Cfr Ier.. 13, I-II.]. A time for seeking them out and rescuing, a
time for losing and a time for forsaking.
A time for schism in Israel and a time for reunification. A time for hushing the prophets, now when in
Roman bondage and a time for proclaiming them aloud, when even in enemy lands
they weren't lacking in God's presence or comfort. A time for loving, in which He loved those
men before our fathers, a time for hating, since they threw their hands up
against Christ. A time for war, only not
for those who are doing repentance for themselves and a time for peace in the
future, when all the tribes return, and all Israel will be safe.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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