What Does Ecclesiastes 3:6 Mean in the King James?
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The first “getting” is framed by a Hebrew root for seeking, so the verse’s seasons begin with pursuit, not possession.
THE MEANING
The verse names seeking and loss, guarding and casting away as seasons in your life now. Pursuit does not guarantee possession, and what you hold does not have to remain in your hands forever.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that keeping is always the right response to what you hold; this verse gives casting away its own time.
THE ROOT
לְבַקֵּשׁ
levakesh
GROWS FROM
בקש
b-q-sh
To seek, search for, or request.
The root adds pursuit to “get”: this season begins with reaching for what is sought. Beside the time to lose, it makes the first pair a rhythm of pursuit and disappearance.
ALSO GROWS
biqqesh: Sought, searched for, requested.
בִּקֵּשׁ
This branch makes the seeking inside “get” visible: the season begins with an active search.
baqqashah: Request, petition.
בַּקָּשָׁה
The same root can name a request, showing desire reaching outward toward what is sought.
לְאַבֵּד
le'abbed
GROWS FROM
אבד
ʾ-b-d
To perish, be lost, or go astray; in causative forms, to cause to perish or lose.
“lose” in this verse is le'abbed. The root carries more than misplacing an object: it can hold being lost, perishing, or losing the way. The verse places that weight within a season of life, alongside seeking.
ALSO GROWS
avad: To perish or be lost.
אָבַד
This is the root’s basic movement, giving “lose” the deeper sense of passing from grasp into loss.
avaddon: Destruction, ruin.
אֲבַדּוֹן
This branch shows how the root can name loss at its most complete.
לִשְׁמֹר
lishmor
GROWS FROM
שמר
sh-m-r
To watch over, guard, or keep watch.
This root gives “keep” an active, watchful shape: what is kept is guarded. Its word-family also names a watch or charge, so keeping carries attention, not merely possession.
ALSO GROWS
shomer: Watcher, keeper, guardian.
שֹׁמֵר
This branch names the one who keeps by watching over what is entrusted to them.
mishmeret: Watch, guard duty, charge.
מִשְׁמֶרֶת
The same root can describe an assigned watch, revealing the attentive work inside keeping.
THE PATTERN
Life gives seeking, holding, loss, and release their appointed seasons; no single posture lasts forever.
And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.THE THREAD
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.Psalm 121 uses שָׁמַר (shamar), meaning to guard or keep watch, the same root Ecclesiastes uses for “keep.” That shared root opens keeping as active guarding; here, the guarding reaches a person’s whole life.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us