Humanity’s Inability to Control Time (Eccl 3:1–8)

3:1 Cpx-lkl t(w Nmz lkl

Mym#$h txt

To every thing there is a season and a time to every matter under heavens.

3:2 twml t(w tdll t(

(w+n rwq(l t(w t(+l t(

A time to give birth2 and a time to die; A time

to plant and a time to pluck what was planted;

3:3 )wprl t(w gwrhl t(

twnbl t(w Cwrpl t(

A time to kill and a time to heal A time to break and a time to build;

3:4 qwx#l t(w twkbl t(

dwqr t(w dwps t(

A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to lament and a time to dance;

3:5 Mynb) Kyl#$hl t

Mynb) swnk t(w qwbxl t( qbxm qxrl t(w

A time to throw stones and a time to collect stones; A time to embrace and

a time to refrain from embracing;

3:6 db)l t(w #$qbl t(

Kyl#$hl t(w rwm#$l t(

A time to search and a time to lose; A time to keep and a time to throw away;

3:7 rwptl t(w (wrql t(

rbdl t(w tw#$xl t(

A time to tear and a time to sew;

A time to keep silent and a time to speak;

3:8 )n#&l t(w bh)l t(

Mwl#$ t(w hmxlm t(

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

2 _{The Hebrew word tdll means “to give birth” rather than “to be born,” though many of the}

English translations (NRSV, NEB, NAB) render it as “to be born” in opposition to “to die” _{twml. See} also Fox, A Time to Be Born, 191; Longman, The Book of Ecclesiastes, 111. LXX translates the Hebrew infinitive as tekei/n “to give birth.” NJB acknowledges the active meaning of the infinitive tdll and translates it as “a time for giving birth.” The active meaning of the infinitive tdll carries more significance as the giving and losing of life comprise the perfect opposites of the whole range of human existence. See also Murphy, Ecclesiastes, 33; Eaton, Ecclesiastes, 92.

This poem paints a picture of time, which does not really consist of individual moments; rather it encompasses different occasions to create a sense of eternity. He, possibly, finds beauty and security in the timeless activity of the universe, because he understands that God has created and arranged it this way.3 The introductory poem (cf. Eccl 1:4–9) anticipates and points to the development of this theme in

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 which identifies every human activity as ordained by God and as arranged by him to be a part of eternity (cf. Eccl 3:11–12).4 In the same way as the sun has certain times to rise and set (Eccl 1:5), human life has appointed times for giving birth and dying, for crying and laughing, for breaking down and building up (Eccl 3:2–4).

2.1.1 Thematic Unity of Eccl 3:2–8

It has been argued that there is no thematic connection between the verses in Qoheleth’s poem about appropriate times.5

Whybray explains the lack of thematic unity in Eccl 3:2b–8 by the fact that this passage does not belong to Qoheleth. Rather Qoheleth edits the poem that came together in a long process of gradual composition by adding Eccl 3:1–2a and then offering his commentary on the poem in Eccl 3:9– 15.6 The poem (Eccl 3:2b–8) presents life as consisting of different seasons, that often occur in contrasting pairs and that require certain attitudes and behaviours from people.7 While Whybray’s theory about Qoheleth’s quoting the poem in his work may be correct, it is clear that Qoheleth makes it his own with the help of the introduction

3 _{Ecclesiastes 1:9 states: “What was will be again, and what has been done, will be done}

again.” The impersonal nature of this activity points to the creating activity of God, who is explicitly identified as the originator of every event in the universe in Eccl 3:11a and 3:14. Leo Gorssen makes a similar argument in “La Cohérence de la Conception de Dieu dans l’Ecclésiaste,” EphThL 40 (1970): 282-324.

4 _{Lohfink, following medieval theologians, suggests that Qoheleth has “the concursus divinus”}

in mind: “One and the same event has its fragmentary, strangely determined, experiential human dimension, and its other dimension which extends into God’s eternity and beauty. Thus, every human action is at the same time divine action.” See Lohfink, “The Present and Eternity,” 239.

5 _{Whybray, “A Time to be Born and a Time to Die,” 476-77; Fredericks and Estes,}

Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs, 112; Seow, Ecclesiastes, 171.

6 _{Whybray, “A Time to be Born and a Time to Die,” 480-81. Seow, Ecclesiastes, 171. Wright}

shares this point of view and suggests that there is an incongruity in main themes between Eccl 3:2–8, Eccl 3:9–15, and Eccl 3:16–22. The first passage (Eccl 3:2–8) is a piece of literature that belongs to the wisdom tradition and reflects the fact that human life encompasses different activities, which is a very perceptive and wise observation. The second passage (Eccl 3:9–15) applies the wisdom observations only to the areas of labour and profit and the following pericope (Eccl 3:16–22) addresses the time for judgment which does not seem to happen. The themes of the last two passages are not connected to the theme of the appropriate times in Eccl 3:2–8. See Wright, “For Everything There Is a Season,” 321-28.

7 _{Wright, “For Everything There Is a Season,” 327; Whybray, “A Time to be Born and a Time}

(Eccl 3:1) and the commentary that follows the poem (Eccl 3:9–15, 16–22).

Furthermore, a strong thematic unity can be identified in the structural composition of the catalogue of “matters.”

Two themes are interwoven in the catalogue of times: the theme of the brevity of life and the theme of relational living in community. Lohfink aptly reflects

Qoheleth’s emphasis on the transient nature of life in Eccl 3:1–8 when he notes “how effusively Qoheleth describes humanity’s ever new and constantly vanishing

moments!”8

Qoheleth believes that “permanence is not part of the chronological equation.”9

The rhythm of life is constantly moving, as a pendulum swinging back and forth, so no activity has more significance or value than inhaling or exhaling in the constant rhythm of breathing.10 The brevity of life demands that people take note of every occasion and live it to the fullest. If one keeps in mind the fact that Qoheleth was able to find profit in everyday simple pleasures like eating and drinking, which are always done in fellowship, it becomes very clear how the theme of relationships comes to the foreground in this poem and holds it together.11 Celebrating birth and grieving death, tearing down an old structure to build a new building or a fence, mourning and dancing, embracing and keeping silent, making war and keeping peace are only meaningful in a community with close relationships. Following this line of thought, the times of war and peace pertain to relationships at the level of societies and nations. The themes of the brevity of life and relational living in community in Eccl 3:2–8 will be analyzed next.

2.1.2 The Themes of the Brevity of Life and Living in Community (Eccl 3:2–8)

The poem of “matters” in Eccl 3:2–8 speaks to the theme of the brevity of life and echoes back to Qoheleth’s thoughts about the transience of human existence in Eccl 1:9–11. Yet, at this juncture Qoheleth brings in the theme of human relationships which make this transience meaningful. The following analysis will discuss the

interplay between the theme of life’s transience and the theme of relationships looking at two verses at a time: A. Eccl 3: 2–3; B. Eccl 3:4–5; C. Eccl 3:6–7; D. Eccl 3:8.

8 _{Lohfink, “Time and Eternity,” 237.} 9 _{Brown, Ecclesiastes, 41.}

10

Brown, Ecclesiastes, 41.

11 _{See also Wright, who identifies love and hate as the main motivators for constructive and}

A. Ecclesiastes 3:2–3 shows a consistent progression of the theme that deals with creation and destruction.12 While “planting”, “healing”, “building”, and “plucking”, “killing”, “breaking”, can refer to natural human actions, the first three verbs can be used to speak of bringing life and the last three verbs can be used to speak of bringing death. Qoheleth first juxtaposes human ability to create new life with the transient nature of human existence (Eccl 3:2a). He does not necessarily intend both activities to be understood as happening in the life of the same person; rather there is an appropriate timing for the beginning and the ending of each person’s life.13

Neither birth nor death can be planned or controlled by people,14 but sometimes “a time to give birth” is “a time to die” in childbirth or to give birth to a stillborn. While the audience may think that birth and death are extremely removed from each other, by putting them side by side, Qoheleth echoes what he has said earlier about the transience of life, “A generation goes, and a generation comes” (cf. Eccl 1:4).

Qoheleth speaks about common activities that people engage in the course of their lives—farming, construction, war, and medical needs. Yet, he employs a set of verbs that are customarily used together in the Old Testament to describe God’s relationship toward his people and his power to create a nation or to destroy it. In Jeremiah 1:10 God announces to Jeremiah that his mission will bring life or death to those who will hear him, “I have set you this over the nations and over the kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.” 15 Qoheleth situates humanity’s creative and destructive actions within the divine activity, because only God has the power to give life and to take it away (Eccl 3:1; cf. 8:8). Qoheleth wants his audience to understand that they need to be attentive to what God is doing in their lives and to submit every activity under God’s control (cf. Eccl 2:25). Thus, Qoheleth addresses the issue of relational living in community on two different but always closely connected levels—a person’s relationship to God influences his relationship to others and vice versa.

12 _{Whybray, “A Time to be Born and a Time to Die,” 476.}

13 _{See also Seow, Ecclesiastes, 171; Fredericks and Estes, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs,}

115.

14 _{Contra Blenkinsopp, who argues that Qoheleth was influenced by Greek philosophy and, as}

a result of this influence, he mentions “a time to die” in reference to the right time for suicide. See Blenkinsopp, “Ecclesiastes 3.1–15,” 59-60.

15

See also 2 Sam 7:10; Ps 80:9 [Eng. 8], 16 [Eng. 15]; Jer 2:21; 11:17; 12:2; 18:9; 24:6; 31:28; 42:10; 45:4; Ezek 36:36; Amos 9:15; Mal 1:4; Seow, Ecclesiastes, 160; Easton, Ecclesiastes, 92-93.

B. Ecclesiastes 3:4–5 continues the theme of interpersonal relationships and