Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Fear God

1 ^{[a] 1}Guard your steps when you go to ²the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to ³offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

2 ^[b] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ⁴let your words be few.

3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with ⁵many words.

4 When ⁶you vow a vow to God, ⁷do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ⁸Pay what you vow.

5 ⁹It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

6 Let not your mouth lead you^[c] into sin, and do not say before ¹⁰the messenger^[d] that it was ¹¹a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; ^[e] but^{[f] 12}God is the one you must fear.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 5

This chapter contains some rules and directions concerning the worship of God; how persons should behave when they go into the house of God; concerning hearing the word, to which there should be a readiness, and which should be preferred to the sacrifices of fools, Ec 5:1. Concerning prayer to God; which should not be uttered rashly and hastily, and should be expressed in few words; which is urged from the consideration of the majesty of God, and vileness of men; and the folly of much speaking is exposed by the simile of a dream, Ec 5:2,3. Concerning vows, which should not be rashly made; when made, should be kept; nor should excuses be afterwards framed for not performing them, since this might bring the anger of God upon men, to the destruction of the works of their hands, Ec 5:4-6; and, as an antidote against those vanities, which appear in the prayers and vows of some, and dreams of others, the fear of God is proposed, Ec 5:7; and, against any surprise at the oppression of the poor, the majesty, power, and providence of God, and his special regard to his people, are observed, Ec 5:8. And then the wise man enters into a discourse concerning riches; and observes, that the fruits of the earth, and the culture of it, are necessary to all men, and even to the king, Ec 5:9; but dissuades from covetousness, or an over love of riches; because they are unsatisfying, are attended with much trouble, often injurious to the owners of them; at length perish, and their possessors; who, at death, are stripped quite naked of all, after they have spent their days in darkness and distress, Ec 5:10-17; and concludes, therefore, that it is best for a man to enjoy, in a free manner, the good things of this life he is possessed of, and consider them as the gifts of God, and be thankful for them; by which means he will pass through the world more comfortably, and escape the troubles that attend others, Ec 5:18-20.

Cross References

• 1. 5:1 [Ex. 3:5; Isa. 1:12]
• 2. 5:1 [Gen. 28:17]
• 3. 5:1 Prov. 15:8; See 1 Sam. 15:22
• 4. 5:2 [Matt. 6:7]
• 5. 5:3 Prov. 10:19; [Job 11:2]
• 6. 5:4 Num. 30:2
• 7. 5:4 Deut. 23:21; Ps. 50:14; 76:11
• 8. 5:4 [Ps. 66:13, 14]
• 9. 5:5 [Prov. 20:25; Acts 5:4]
• 10. 5:6 [1 Cor. 11:10]
• 11. 5:6 ch. 10:5; Num. 15:25, 26
• 12. 5:7 ch. 12:13

Footnotes

• [a] 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Hebrew
• [b] 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Hebrew
• [c] 5:6 Hebrew 'your flesh'
• [d] 5:6 Or 'angel'
• [e] 5:7 The Hebrew term 'hebel' can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verse 10 (see note on 1:2)
• [f] 5:7 Or 'For when dreams and vanities increase, words also grow many; but'