Ecclesiastes 3:5

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • 2 Kgs 3:25 : 25 They tore down the cities and each man threw a stone into every cultivated field until they were covered. They stopped up every spring and chopped down every productive tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left intact, but the slingers surrounded it and attacked it.
  • Joel 2:16 : 16 Gather the people; sanctify an assembly! Gather the elders; gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom and the bride from her private quarters.
  • 1 Cor 7:5 : 5 Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
  • Song 2:6-7 : 6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me. 7 The Beloved to the Maidens: I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the young does of the open fields: Do not awaken or arouse love until it pleases!
  • Exod 19:15 : 15 He said to the people,“Be ready for the third day. Do not approach your wives for marital relations.”
  • Josh 4:3-9 : 3 Instruct them,‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’” 4 Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe. 5 Joshua told them,“Go in front of the ark of the LORD your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes. 6 The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday,‘Why are these stones important to you?’ 7 tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.” 8 The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the LORD had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them there. 9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.
  • Josh 10:27 : 27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave.(They remain to this very day.)
  • 1 Sam 21:4-5 : 4 The priest replied to David,“I don’t have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers have abstained from relations with women.” 5 David said to the priest,“Certainly women have been kept away from us, just as on previous occasions when I have set out. The soldiers’ equipment is holy, even on an ordinary journey. How much more so will they be holy today, along with their equipment!”
  • 2 Sam 18:17-18 : 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him. In the meantime all the Israelite soldiers fled to their homes. 18 Prior to this Absalom had set up a monument and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning“I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 3:6-12
    7 verses
    87%

    6A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

    7A time to rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.

    8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

    9Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?

    10I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.

    11God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.

    12Enjoy Life in the Present I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,

  • Eccl 3:1-4
    4 verses
    85%

    1A Time for All Events in Life For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:

    2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

    3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

    4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

  • Eccl 8:5-6
    2 verses
    68%

    5Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.

    6For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim.

  • Eccl 8:9
    66%

    9While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.

  • Eccl 3:15-17
    3 verses
    66%

    15Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

    16The Problem of Injustice and Oppression I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

    17I thought to myself,“God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed.

  • Eccl 7:2-4
    3 verses
    65%

    2It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart.

    3Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart.

    4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.

  • Eccl 7:14
    65%

    14In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds.

  • Eccl 11:9-10
    2 verses
    65%

    9Enjoy Life to the Fullest under the Fear of God Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions.

    10Banish emotional stress from your mind. and put away pain from your body; for youth and the prime of life are fleeting.

  • Eccl 4:9-11
    3 verses
    64%

    9Labor is Beneficial When Its Rewards Are Shared Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor.

    10For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.

    11Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself?

  • Eccl 3:22
    64%

    22So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?

  • Eccl 9:10-12
    3 verses
    64%

    10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.

    11Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge– for time and chance may overcome them all.

    12Surely, no one knows his appointed time! Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare– just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.

  • Eccl 3:20
    64%

    20Both go to the same place, both come from the dust, and to dust both return.

  • Eccl 11:6
    63%

    6Sow your seed in the morning, and do not stop working until the evening; for you do not know which activity will succeed– whether this one or that one, or whether both will prosper equally.

  • Eccl 4:6
    63%

    6Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.

  • Eccl 9:1
    63%

    1Everyone Will Die So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated– no one knows what lies ahead.

  • Eccl 1:5
    63%

    5The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.

  • Amos 5:13
    63%

    13For this reason whoever is smart keeps quiet in such a time, for it is an evil time.

  • Job 3:22
    63%

    22who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave?

  • Eccl 2:1
    63%

    1Futility of Self-Indulgent Pleasure I thought to myself,“Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile.” But I found that it also is futile.

  • Eccl 9:3
    63%

    3This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives– then they die.

  • Jas 4:9
    63%

    9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair.

  • Eccl 12:6
    63%

    6before the silver cord is removed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the well, or the water wheel is broken at the cistern–

  • Eccl 4:4
    63%

    4Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.

  • Eccl 8:15
    63%

    15Enjoy Life In Spite of Its Injustices So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.

  • Eccl 2:11
    62%

    11Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”

  • Hab 2:11
    62%

    11For the stones in the walls will cry out, and the wooden rafters will answer back.

  • Eccl 1:9
    62%

    9What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.

  • Job 3:14
    62%

    14with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,

  • Eccl 2:24
    62%

    24Enjoy Work and its Benefits There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.

  • Prov 25:20
    62%

    20Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

  • Eccl 12:8
    62%

    8Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis“Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher,“All of these things are futile!”