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

16I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness. 17I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed. I also thought to myself, “It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals. 19For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same: As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath. There is no advantage for humans over animals, for both are fleeting. 20Both go to the same place, both come from the dust, and to dust both return.

Ecclesiastes 3:18 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• in mine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• concerning the estateדִּבְרָהdibrâh · causeH1700
• of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• that Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• might manifestבָּרַרbârar · to purifyH1305
• them, and that they might seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that theyהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• themselves are beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:18

• Genesis 3:17But to Adam he said, “Because you obeyed your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground thanks to you; in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
• Job 14:1“Man, born of woman, lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble.
• Job 15:16how much less man, who is abominable and corrupt, who drinks in evil like water!
• Psalms 49:14They will travel to Sheol like sheep, with death as their shepherd. The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns; Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.
• Psalms 73:18Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin.
• Psalms 90:5You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.” In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up;
• Hebrews 9:27And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment,
• 1 Peter 1:24For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off,
• Job 40:8Would you indeed annul my justice? Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?
• Psalms 51:4Against you – you above all – I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.
• Romans 3:4Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”
• Romans 9:23And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory –
• Psalms 73:22I was ignorant and lacked insight; I was as senseless as an animal before you.
• 2 Peter 2:12But these men, like irrational animals – creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed – do not understand whom they are insulting, and consequently in their destruction they 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