Ecclesiastes 3:8

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Ecclesiastes 3:6–10 · Berean Standard Bible

6 a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

10 I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.

Hebrew words

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

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Cross-references

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

Ezekiel 16:8

Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD.

Psalms 139:21

Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You?

Ephesians 3:19

of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her

Ephesians 5:28

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:29

Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

Titus 2:4

In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children,

2 Chronicles 19:2

Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.

Luke 14:26

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.

Revelation 2:2

I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

Genesis 14:14

And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.

Genesis 14:15

During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

Genesis 14:16

He retrieved all the goods, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the rest of the people.

Genesis 14:17

After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

Joshua 8:1

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

Joshua 8:2

And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”

Joshua 8:3

So Joshua and the whole army set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out at night

Joshua 8:4

with these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready.

Joshua 8:5

Then I and all the troops with me will advance on the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them.

Joshua 8:6

They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ So as we flee from them,

Joshua 8:7

you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

Joshua 8:8

And when you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do as the LORD has commanded! See, I have given you orders.”

Joshua 8:9

So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people.

Joshua 8:10

Joshua got up early the next morning and mobilized his men, and he and the elders of Israel marched before them up to Ai.

Joshua 8:11

Then all the troops who were with him marched up and approached the city. They arrived in front of Ai and camped to the north of it, with the valley between them and the city.

Joshua 8:12

Now Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.

Joshua 8:13

So the forces were stationed with the main camp to the north of the city and the rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

Joshua 8:14

When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.

Joshua 8:15

Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.

Joshua 8:16

Then all the men of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they followed Joshua and were drawn away from the city.

Joshua 8:17

Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

Joshua 8:18

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,

Joshua 8:19

and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

Joshua 8:20

When the men of Ai turned and looked back, the smoke of the city was rising into the sky. They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers.

Joshua 8:21

When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

Joshua 8:22

Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.

Joshua 8:23

But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

Joshua 8:24

When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and put it to the sword as well.

Joshua 8:25

A total of twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.

Joshua 8:26

Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.

Joshua 8:27

Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

Joshua 8:28

So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolation to this day.

Joshua 8:29

He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.

Joshua 11:23

So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to the allotments to their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.

2 Samuel 10:6

When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.

2 Samuel 10:7

On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.

2 Samuel 10:8

The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

2 Samuel 10:9

When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.

2 Samuel 10:10

And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.

2 Samuel 10:11

“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.

2 Samuel 10:12

Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

2 Samuel 10:13

So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.

2 Samuel 10:14

When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 10:15

When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.

2 Samuel 10:16

Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

2 Samuel 10:17

When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him.

2 Samuel 10:18

But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.

2 Samuel 10:19

When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

1 Kings 5:4

But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.

2 Chronicles 20:1

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.

2 Chronicles 20:2

Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).

2 Chronicles 20:3

Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:4

So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

2 Chronicles 20:5

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard

2 Chronicles 20:6

and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.

2 Chronicles 20:7

Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?

2 Chronicles 20:8

They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying,

2 Chronicles 20:9

‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’

2 Chronicles 20:10

And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.

2 Chronicles 20:11

See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.

2 Chronicles 20:12

Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

2 Chronicles 20:13

Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.

2 Chronicles 20:14

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly.

2 Chronicles 20:15

And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.

2 Chronicles 20:16

Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.

2 Chronicles 20:17

You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”

2 Chronicles 20:18

Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.

2 Chronicles 20:19

And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.

2 Chronicles 20:20

Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”

2 Chronicles 20:21

Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”

2 Chronicles 20:22

The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.

2 Chronicles 20:23

The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had made an end to the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

2 Chronicles 20:24

When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

2 Chronicles 20:25

Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables —more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.

2 Chronicles 20:26

On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

2 Chronicles 20:27

Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.

2 Chronicles 20:28

So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.

2 Chronicles 20:29

And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

2 Chronicles 20:30

Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.