A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Parallel translations
- WEB a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
- BSB a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
- NKJV A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
- NASB A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
- NLT A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
There is a time to scatter stones and gather them, to embrace and to refrain. Differing actions and relationships each have their proper time.
Overview
These pairs cover practical work and human intimacy, both governed by appropriate seasons. Whether the imagery refers to fieldwork, building, or relational closeness, the point is timeliness. The verse teaches wisdom in discerning the right moment for each action, trusting that God orders even the seasons of our relationships.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 2 Kgs 3:25And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
- Josh 10:27And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
- Josh 4:3–9And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
- Joel 2:16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
- 1 Sam 21:4–5And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
- 2 Sam 18:17–18And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
- Song 2:6–7His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
- Exod 19:15And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
- 1 Cor 7:5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The search that finds everything 'under the sun' to be vapor exposes the emptiness of life without God and drives us to the one who alone gives meaning, the resurrection that makes our labor not in vain.
How Ecclesiastes 3:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.