The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 3:3 Explained

Ecclesiastes 3:3

KJV: A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

YLT: A time to slay, And a time to heal, A time to break down, And a time to build up.

Darby: A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up;

ASV: a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

A time  to kill,  and a time  to heal;  a time  to break down,  and a time  to build up; 

What does Ecclesiastes 3:3 Mean?

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 3:3 mean?

a time to kill and a time to heal to break down to build up
עֵ֤ת לַהֲרוֹג֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִרְפּ֔וֹא לִפְר֖וֹץ לִבְנֽוֹת

עֵ֤ת  a  time 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
לַהֲרוֹג֙  to  kill 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
וְעֵ֣ת  and  a  time 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
לִרְפּ֔וֹא  to  heal 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָפָא  
Sense: to heal, make healthful.
לִפְר֖וֹץ  to  break  down 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּרַץ  
Sense: to break through or down or over, burst, breach.
לִבְנֽוֹת  to  build  up 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.