Ecclesiastes 3:16 (LSB)

Passage

Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that everything God does will be forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it—God has so worked that men should fear Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:15 That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, yet God seeks what is pursued.

Ecclesiastes 3:16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said in my heart, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every work is there.

Ecclesiastes 3:18 I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "furthermore", "seen", "under", "place", "justice", "wickedness", and "righteousness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "furthermore" and "seen", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "That which is has been already and..." into verse 17's "I said in my heart God will...", so "furthermore" and "seen" belong inside that flow. In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "furthermore" and "seen" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.