That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
Parallel translations
- WEB Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
- BSB Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
- NKJV Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
- NASB Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with the one who is mightier than he is.
- NLT Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.
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
Whatever exists was named long ago, man's nature is known, and he cannot contend with the One mightier than he. It matters because human beings cannot dispute with the sovereign God who ordains all things.
Overview
The Preacher affirms God's sovereign foreknowledge and the futility of arguing against the Almighty. Humanity's frailty ('it is known what man is,' i.e., mere dust) forbids contention with the Creator, as Job learned (Job 9:32; Isaiah 45:9). This humbling truth invites trust rather than rebellion, a trust that rests securely in the good purposes of God revealed in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Job 9:32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
- Isa 45:9–10Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
- Job 40:2Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
- Job 33:13Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
- Jer 49:19Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
- Gen 3:17–19And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
- Rom 9:19–20Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
- Eccl 3:15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
- Ps 82:6–7I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
- Job 9:3–4If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
- Ps 39:6Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
- Job 14:1–4Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
- Eccl 1:9–11The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
- Ps 103:15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
- Gen 3:9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 6:10 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.