The 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.
What has happened before will happen again, and what has been done before will be done again. There is nothing truly new under the sun.
The writer is observing that human history tends to repeat itself in cycles, with the same basic patterns of life, behavior, and events happening over and over again.
📚 Historical Context
Ecclesiastes is a book in the Old Testament traditionally attributed to King Solomon, written during a period of prosperity and wisdom in ancient Israel around the 10th century BC. In this verse, the author reflects on the repetitive patterns of human experience, emphasizing that events and actions in life follow cycles with no true innovations. This observation fits into the book's broader theme of exploring the vanity of earthly pursuits and the search for lasting meaning under God's sovereignty.
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