The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 3:14 Explained

Ecclesiastes 3:14

KJV: I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

YLT: I have known that all that God doth is to the age, to it nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be withdrawn; and God hath wrought that they do fear before Him.

Darby: I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

ASV: I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I know  that, whatsoever God  doeth,  it shall be for ever:  nothing  can be put  to it, nor any thing taken  from it: and God  doeth  [it], that [men] should fear  before  him. 

What does Ecclesiastes 3:14 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 3

1  by the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail
11  is an excellence in God's works
16  as for man, God shall judge his works hereafter, though here he be like a beast

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 3:14 mean?

I know that all whatever does God it shall be forever to it Nothing can be added and from it taken and God does [it] that men should fear before Him
יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֠י כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה הָאֱלֹהִים֙ ה֚וּא יִהְיֶ֣ה לְעוֹלָ֔ם עָלָיו֙ אֵ֣ין לְהוֹסִ֔יף וּמִמֶּ֖נּוּ לִגְרֹ֑עַ וְהָאֱלֹהִ֣ים עָשָׂ֔ה שֶׁיִּֽרְא֖וּ מִלְּפָנָֽיו

יָדַ֗עְתִּי  I  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֠י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה  does 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הָאֱלֹהִים֙  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִהְיֶ֣ה  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְעוֹלָ֔ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
עָלָיו֙  to  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֵ֣ין  Nothing 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לְהוֹסִ֔יף  can  be  added 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
וּמִמֶּ֖נּוּ  and  from  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
לִגְרֹ֑עַ  taken 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: גָּרַע 
Sense: to diminish, restrain, withdraw, abate, keep back, do away, take from, clip.
וְהָאֱלֹהִ֣ים  and  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עָשָׂ֔ה  does  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
שֶׁיִּֽרְא֖וּ  that  men  should  fear 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מִלְּפָנָֽיו  before  Him 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.