Ecclesiastes 3:5
A time to cast away stones, || And a time to heap up stones. A time to embrace, || And a time to be far from embracing.
Literal Standard Version
In The King James Version
In Context
4A time to weep, || And a time to laugh. A time to mourn, || And a time to skip.
6A time to seek, || And a time to destroy. A time to keep, || And a time to cast away.
Cross References
Joshua 4:3and command them, saying, Take up for yourselves from this [place], from the midst of the Jordan, from the established standing-place of the feet of the priests, twelve stones, and you have removed them over with you, and placed them in the lodging-place in which you lodge tonight.”
1 Samuel 21:4And the priest answers David and says, “There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the youths have been kept from women.”
2 Kings 3:25and they break down the cities, and they each cast his stone [on] every good portion, and have filled it, and they stop every fountain of water, and they cause every good tree to fall—until one had left its stones in Kir-Haraseth, and the slingers go around and strike it.
Joel 2:16Gather the people, sanctify an assembly, || Assemble the aged, || Gather infants and sucklings of the breasts, || Let a bridegroom go out from his inner chamber, || And a bride out of her closet.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 3:2-11
Mutability of Human Affairs. 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get,… Read the whole commentary →