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 have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” 19For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

Ecclesiastes 3:18 word by word

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

• I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to myselfלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• concerningעַל‛al · uponH5921
• concerningדִּבְרָהdibrâh · causeH1700
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• has surely testedבָּרַרbârar · to purifyH1305
• them in order for them to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:18

• Genesis 3:17Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.
• Job 14:1“Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
• Job 15:16How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!
• Psalms 49:14As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation.
• Psalms 73:18Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.
• Psalms 90:5You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew.
• Hebrews 9:27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
• 1 Peter 1:24For, “All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off,
• Job 40:8Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?
• Psalms 51:4Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.
• Romans 3:4May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “That You may be justified in Your words, And prevail when You are judged.”
• Romans 9:23And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
• Psalms 73:22Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.
• 2 Peter 2:12But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also 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