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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 1:1–3

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
THE words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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3 selected · 7 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

15 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 1

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:8–10Rank 1 from verse 1
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    8¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

    9And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

    10The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

  2. Ecclesiastes 1:12Rank 2 from verse 1
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    12¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

  3. Ecclesiastes 7:27Rank 3 from verse 1
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    27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

  4. 1 Kings 11:42–43Rank 4 from verse 1
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    42And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

    43And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

  5. 2 Chronicles 10:17–19Rank 5 from verse 1
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    17But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

    18Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

    19And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

From verse 2

  1. Psalms 144:4Rank 1 from verse 2
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    4Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

  2. Romans 8:20Rank 2 from verse 2
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    20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

  3. Ecclesiastes 5:10Rank 3 from verse 2
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    10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

  4. Psalms 39:5–6Rank 4 from verse 2
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    5Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

    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.

  5. Ecclesiastes 12:8Rank 5 from verse 2
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    8¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

From verse 3

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:9Rank 1 from verse 3
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    9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

  2. Ecclesiastes 2:22Rank 2 from verse 3
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    22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

  3. Ecclesiastes 5:16Rank 3 from verse 3
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    16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

  4. Ecclesiastes 2:11Rank 4 from verse 3
    Open

    11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

  5. Mark 8:36–37Rank 5 from verse 3
    Open

    36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

    37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:1

COMBINED MEANING

words

↗

Spoken or written expressions, sayings, statements, messages, commands, promises, reports, or units of meaningful speech.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

son

↗

1. A male child or descendant. 2. One belonging to, related to, or characterized by the person, people, place, condition, or quality named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

king

↗

A sovereign ruler; one exercising royal authority over a kingdom.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:2

COMBINED MEANING

vanity

↗

Emptiness, futility, worthlessness, falsehood, unreliability, or transience.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:3

COMBINED MEANING

profit

↗

Sense 1: Benefit or advantage. Sense 2: To benefit, improve, or advance.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

labour

↗

1. Work, toil, effort, exertion, service, or the product of work. 2. Weariness or trouble. 3. Travail in childbirth. 4. To work, strive, serve, or exert oneself.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

taketh

↗

Third-person singular present form of take: receives, seizes, carries, accepts, chooses, or lays hold of.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sun

↗

The great light that rules the day and gives light and heat.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

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1THE words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

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2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Selected passage

3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

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4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

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