Ecclesiastes 3:18

Ecclesiastes 3:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
• New International Version (NIV)I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:18

16Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.” I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” 19For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile. 20All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.

Ecclesiastes 3:18 word by word

אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ בְּלִבִּ֔י עַל־דִּבְרַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָאָדָ֔ם לְבָרָ֖ם הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְלִרְא֕וֹת שְׁהֶם־בְּהֵמָ֥ה הֵ֖מָּה לָהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to myselfלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• As forעַל‛al · uponH5921
• As forדִּבְרָהdibrâh · causeH1700
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• tests themבָּרַרbârar · to purifyH1305
• so that they may seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• for themselvesהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• are but beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:18

• Genesis 3:17And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
• Job 14:1“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
• Job 15:16how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
• Psalms 49:14Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.
• Psalms 73:18Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
• Psalms 90:5You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—
• Hebrews 9:27Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
• 1 Peter 1:24For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,
• Job 40:8Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
• Psalms 51:4Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
• Romans 3:4Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
• Romans 9:23What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—
• Psalms 73:22I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
• 2 Peter 2:12These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18That they might see that they themselves are beasts - The author of Choheleth has given a correct view of this difficult verse, by a proper translation: "I said in my heart, reflecting on the state of the sons of men, O that God would enlighten them, and make them see that even they themselves are like beasts." These words are to be referred to those in authority who abused their power; particularly to the corrupt magistrates mentioned above.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 That great anomaly in the moral government of this world, the seemingly unequal distribution of rewards and punishments, will be rectified by God, who has future times and events under His control Ecclesiastes 3:16-17. As for people, they are placed by God, who is their teacher, in a humble condition, even on a level with inferior animals, by death, that great instance of their subjection to vanity Ecclesiastes 3:18-19, which reduces to its…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 Without the fear of the Lord, man is but vanity; set that aside, and judges will not use their power well. And there is another Judge that stands before the door. With God there is a time for the redressing of grievances, though as yet we see it not. Solomon seems to express his wish that men might perceive, that by choosing this world as their portion, they brought themselves to a level with the beasts, without being free, as they are, from…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-22This section discusses various topics, such as justice, humans and animals, oppression, moderation, companionship, politics, and worship.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. estate--The estate of fallen man is so ordered (these wrongs are permitted), that God might "manifest," that is, thereby prove them, and that they might themselves see their mortal frailty, like that of the beasts. sons of men--rather, "sons of Adam," a phrase used for "fallen men." The toleration of injustice until the judgment is designed to "manifest" men's characters in their fallen state, to see whether the oppressed will bear themselves aright…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:18

• Animals
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Beast
• Dance
• Judge
• Manifest; Manifestation
• Order
• Prove
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings