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. I said in mine heart. The use of the same formula here as in Ecclesiastes 3:17 shows that this is a second solution of the difficulty in Ecclesiastes 3:16, that wickedness is permitted to be in the place of judgment.
Concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them. The estate of fallen man is so ordered (these wrongs are permitted) that God might "manifest" - i:e., thereby prove them. Or else 'purify them;' Hebrew, baaram-literally, to separate; so to purge (Ezekiel 20:38; Daniel 11:35; Daniel 12:10). 'That God might purge away their pride.' Hengstenberg, in accordance with the Hebrew accents, which separate "I said in mine heart" from what follows, translates '(these injustices are permitted) for the sake of х `al (H5921) dibrat (H1700)] the sons of men.'
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 amidst their wrongs, knowing that the time is short, and there is a coming judgment.
And that they might see that they themselves are beasts. That they might see that their nature is frail and mortal as that of the beasts (Job 36:8-9). Through the fall man became beastlike. To cure him of pride, he is subjected to the fate of the beast, death. The oppressed righteous snare in death; but the comparison to "beasts" applies especially to the ungodly oppressors (Psalms 44:12; Psalms 44:20); they, too, need to be "manifested" (proved), whether, considering that they must soon die as the beasts," and fearing the judgment to come, they will repent (Daniel 4:27).