Ecclesiastes 1:4

World English Bible (2000)

One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

דּ֤וֹר הֹלֵךְ֙ וְד֣וֹר בָּ֔א וְהָאָ֖רֶץ לְעוֹלָ֥ם עֹמָֽדֶת׃

Transliteration

Dôr hōlêk wədôr bāʾ wəhāʾāreṣ ləʿôlām ʿōmādet

Grammar Details

• *Dôr*: noun, masculine singular - generation
• *hōlêk*: verb, qal participle masculine singular - going/passing away
• *wədôr*: conjunction + noun, masculine singular - and generation
• *bāʾ*: verb, qal participle masculine singular - coming
• *wəhāʾāreṣ*: conjunction + article + noun, feminine singular - and the earth/land
• *ləʿôlām*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - to forever/eternity
• *ʿōmādet*: verb, qal participle feminine singular - standing/remaining/enduring

Word Meanings

• *Dôr*: generation/age/period/cycle
• *ʾāreṣ*: earth/land/ground/world
• *ʿôlām*: forever/eternity/perpetuity/antiquity

Referenced Verses

• Ps 104:5 : 5 He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever.
• Matt 24:35 : 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
• Zech 1:5 : 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
• Eccl 6:12 : 12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
• 2 Pet 3:10-13 : 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, 12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
• Ps 119:90-91 : 90 Your faithfulness is to all generations. You have established the earth, and it remains. 91 Your laws remain to this day, for all things serve you.
• Ps 90:9-9 : 9 For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh. 10 The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.
• Ps 102:24-28 : 24 I said, "My God, don't take me away in the midst of my days. Your years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the work of your hands. 26 They will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed. 27 But you are the same. Your years will have no end. 28 The children of your servants will continue. Their seed will be established before you." By David.
• Gen 5:3-9 : 3 Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 5 All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died. 6 Seth lived one hundred five years, and became the father of Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 8 All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died. 9 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan. 10 Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 11 All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died. 12 Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of sons and daughters 14 and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died. 15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 17 All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died. 18 Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 20 All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died. 21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he became the father of Methuselah three hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 23 All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. 25 Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 27 All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died. 28 Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son, 29 and he named him Noah, saying, "This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed." 30 Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 31 All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
• Gen 11:20-32 : 20 Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug. 21 Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of sons and daughters. 22 Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor. 23 Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of sons and daughters. 24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah. 25 Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of sons and daughters. 26 Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran who was also the father of Iscah. 30 Sarai was barren. She had no child. 31 Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife. They went forth from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there. 32 The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.
• Gen 36:9-9 : 9 This is the history of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir: 10 these are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau; and Reuel, the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the sons of Adah, Esau's wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 14 These were the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek: these are the chiefs who came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. 17 These are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah: these are the chiefs who came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 18 These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau's wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah: these are the chiefs who came of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.
• Gen 47:9 : 9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."
• Exod 1:6-7 : 6 Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
• Exod 6:16-27 : 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram took Jochebed his father's sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25 Eleazar Aaron's son took one of the daughters of Putiel as his wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites according to their families. 26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom Yahweh said, "Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies." 27 These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.
• Ps 89:47-48 : 47 Remember how short my time is! For what vanity have you created all the children of men! 48 What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.