KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Ecclesiastes 3:18
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
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.”
WEB World English Bible
I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
ASV American Standard Version
I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man that God might cleanse them, so as to see that they themselves are beasts.
Surrounding context — Ecclesiastes 3
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, [that] wickedness [was] there; and the place of righteousness, [that] iniquity [was] there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for [there is] a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 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.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all [is] vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
אָמַ֤רְתִּֽיH559 · a.marto sayאֲנִי֙H589 · a.niIבְּלִבִּ֔יH3820 · levheartעַל־H5921 · aluponדִּבְרַת֙H1700 · div.rahcauseבְּנֵ֣יH1121 · benson: childהָאָדָ֔םH120 · a.dammanלְבָרָ֖םH1305 · ba.rarto purifyהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםH430 · e.lo.himGodוְלִרְא֕וֹתH7200 · ra.ahto see: seeשְׁהֶם־H1992 · hem.mahthey(masc.)בְּהֵמָ֥הH929 · be.he.mahanimalהֵ֖מָּהH1992 · hem.mahthey(masc.)לָהֶֽם׃H9038 · hemthem
Cross-references
Psalm 73:22So foolish [was] I, and ignorant: I was [as] a beast before thee.Psalm 49:12Nevertheless man [being] in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts [that] perish.Genesis 3:17-19And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life;Hebrews 9:27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:2 Peter 2:12But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;Romans 9:23And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,1 Peter 1:24For all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:Psalm 51:4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest.Job 14:1-4Man [that is] born of a woman [is] of few days, and full of trouble.Job 40:8Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?Job 15:16How much more abominable and filthy [is] man, which drinketh iniquity like water?Psalm 90:5-12Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are [as] a sleep: in the morning [they are] like grass [which] groweth up.Psalm 49:14Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.Psalm 49:19-20He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.Romans 3:4God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.Psalm 73:18-19Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
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