Ecclesiastes 3:2
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Cross-references
In Genesis 21:2, Sarah conceives 'at the set time' God had spoken — a direct example of God's timing for a birth.
Hebrews 9:27 echoes the 'time to die' as divinely appointed, adding that judgment follows death.
Galatians 4:4 speaks of Christ's birth in 'the fullness of time'—the ultimate appointed time for birth.
John 7:6 has Jesus saying his time has not yet come, paralleling the concept of appointed times for events including death.
Matthew 15:13 says every plant not planted by the Father will be rooted up – directly using planting/uprooting imagery from Ecclesiastes.
Jeremiah 45:4 states God is plucking up what He planted – directly mirroring the 'time to pluck up what is planted' in judgment.
Jeremiah 18:7-10 applies the 'pluck up and plant' language to God's conditional dealings with nations, paralleling the appointed times.
Jeremiah 1:10 uses the same verbs 'plant' and 'pluck up' for Jeremiah's commission, directly echoing Ecclesiastes' pair.
Job 14:14 speaks of waiting for one's appointed time until change comes, reinforcing the idea of a divinely set time to die.
Job 14:5 declares that man's days are determined and his bounds set — a strong parallel to the fixed times in Ecclesiastes.
Job 7:1 asks if man does not have an appointed time on earth, directly echoing the concept of a set time to die.
In 2 Kings 4:16, Elisha promises the Shunammite a son 'about this season' — a set time for a birth, echoing the principle.
In 1 Kings 13:2, a prophet foretells the birth of Josiah at a specific time — another instance of God's appointed time to be born.
Deuteronomy 34:5 directly states Moses died 'according to the word of the Lord' — a clear fulfillment of God's appointed time for death.
In Genesis 17:21, God promises Isaac's birth at a 'set time' — a specific instance of the appointed time to be born.
Jeremiah 31:28 uses the same 'pluck up' language for God's appointed seasons of judgment and restoration — directly echoing Ecclesiastes' 'time to pluck up'.
Isaiah 38:1 tells Hezekiah to set his house in order because he will die — an instance of God announcing a time to die.
Isaiah 38:5 shows God adding 15 years to Hezekiah's life, demonstrating sovereignty over the timing of death.
Numbers 27:12-14 records God telling Moses his death is imminent due to rebellion, illustrating a set time for death.
Numbers 20:24-28 shows Aaron's death at God's appointed time, exemplifying the 'time to die'.
Isaiah 5:2-5 describes God planting a vineyard then breaking it down – a specific instance of the general 'time to plant and pluck up'.
In Jeremiah 18:9, God uses the planting metaphor for His sovereign timing in establishing nations — reflecting Ecclesiastes' 'time to plant'.
In 1 Samuel 26:10, David acknowledges that God decides the moment of death — the same divine sovereignty over the 'time to die' in Ecclesiastes.