All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
The same things happen to everyone: one destiny comes to both good people and bad people, to those who are pure and those who are impure, to those who make sacrifices to God and those who don't. Good people face the same fate as sinners, and those who make promises face the same fate as those who are afraid to make them.
The writer is observing that death comes to everyone equally, regardless of whether they are good or bad, religious or irreligious.
📚 Historical Context
The Book of Ecclesiastes was written in ancient Israel, likely by King Solomon or a wise teacher during the monarchy period, as a philosophical reflection on the apparent meaninglessness of life under the sun. In Ecclesiastes 9:2, the author observes that both the righteous and the wicked experience the same events, such as death and misfortune, which challenges the expectation that virtue always brings prosperity in this world. This highlights the cultural context of a society grappling with wisdom and the mysteries of divine justice.
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