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Scripture · Old Testament

Ecclesiastes 1:4

Ecclesiastes 1:4 is verse 4 of Ecclesiastes chapter 1, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

World English Bible

One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

Read in context

Ecclesiastes 1:2–6 · Berean Standard Bible

2 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

3 What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?

4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

5 The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries back to where it rises.

6 The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 1

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Study Ecclesiastes 1:4

Read the commentary on Ecclesiastes 1

Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Ecclesiastes 6:12

For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?

Genesis 5:3

When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son in his own likeness, after his own image; and he named him Seth.

Genesis 5:4

And after he had become the father of Seth, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:5

So Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:6

When Seth was 105 years old, he became the father of Enosh.

Genesis 5:7

And after he had become the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:8

So Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:9

When Enosh was 90 years old, he became the father of Kenan.

Genesis 5:10

And after he had become the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:11

So Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:12

When Kenan was 70 years old, he became the father of Mahalalel.

Genesis 5:13

And after he had become the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:14

So Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:15

When Mahalalel was 65 years old, he became the father of Jared.

Genesis 5:16

And after he had become the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:17

So Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:18

When Jared was 162 years old, he became the father of Enoch.

Genesis 5:19

And after he had become the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:20

So Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:21

When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah.

Genesis 5:22

And after he had become the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:23

So Enoch lived a total of 365 years.

Genesis 5:24

Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God had taken him away.

Genesis 5:25

When Methuselah was 187 years old, he became the father of Lamech.

Genesis 5:26

And after he had become the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:27

So Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:28

When Lamech was 182 years old, he had a son.

Genesis 5:29

And he named him Noah, saying, “May this one comfort us in the labor and toil of our hands caused by the ground that the LORD has cursed.”

Genesis 5:30

And after he had become the father of Noah, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:31

So Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.

Genesis 11:20

When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug.

Genesis 11:21

And after he had become the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:22

When Serug was 30 years old, he became the father of Nahor.

Genesis 11:23

And after he had become the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:24

When Nahor was 29 years old, he became the father of Terah.

Genesis 11:25

And after he had become the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:26

When Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:27

This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.

Genesis 11:28

During his father Terah’s lifetime, Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans.

Genesis 11:29

And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah.

Genesis 11:30

But Sarai was barren; she had no children.

Genesis 11:31

And Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai the wife of Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan. But when they arrived in Haran, they settled there.

Genesis 11:32

Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.

Genesis 36:9

This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the area of Mount Seir.

Genesis 36:10

These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esau’s wife Basemath.

Genesis 36:11

The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.

Genesis 36:12

Additionally, Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, gave birth to Amalek. These are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.

Genesis 36:13

These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.

Genesis 36:14

These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah (daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon) whom she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

Genesis 36:15

These are the chiefs among the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,

Genesis 36:16

Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. They are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Adah.

Genesis 36:17

These are the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.

Genesis 36:18

These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. They are the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

Genesis 36:19

All these are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and they were their chiefs.

Genesis 47:9

“My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”

Exodus 1:6

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,

Exodus 1:7

but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

Exodus 6:16

These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.

Exodus 6:17

The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans.

Exodus 6:18

The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.

Exodus 6:19

The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites according to their records.

Exodus 6:20

And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

Exodus 6:21

The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

Exodus 6:22

The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

Exodus 6:23

And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Exodus 6:24

The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the clans of the Korahites.

Exodus 6:25

Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families by their clans.

Exodus 6:26

It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.”

Exodus 6:27

Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Psalms 89:47

Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men!

Psalms 89:48

What man can live and never see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

Psalms 90:9

For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh.

Psalms 90:10

The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Zechariah 1:5

Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?

Psalms 102:24

I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Your years go on through all generations.

Psalms 102:25

In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

Psalms 102:26

They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on.

Psalms 102:27

But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.

Psalms 102:28

The children of Your servants will dwell securely, and their descendants will be established before You.”

Psalms 104:5

He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moved.

Psalms 119:90

Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures.

Psalms 119:91

Your ordinances stand to this day, for all things are servants to You.

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

2 Peter 3:10

But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:11

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness

2 Peter 3:12

as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.

2 Peter 3:13

But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

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