Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Your Attitude Toward God

1 ¹Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the ²sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

2 Do not be ³hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore * let your ⁴words be few.

3 For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a ⁵fool through many words.

4 When you ⁶make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. ⁷Pay what you vow!

5 It is ⁸better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

6 Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a ⁹mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

7 For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, ¹⁰fear God.

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. Exodus 3:5; Exodus 30:18-20; Isaiah 1:12
• 2. 1 Samuel 15:22; Proverbs 15:8; Proverbs 21:27
• 3. Proverbs 20:25
• 4. Proverbs 10:19; Matthew 6:7
• 5. Job 11:2; Proverbs 15:2; Ecclesiastes 10:14
• 6. Numbers 30:2; Psalms 50:14; Psalms 76:11
• 7. Psalms 66:13, 14
• 8. Proverbs 20:25; Acts 5:4
• 9. Leviticus 4:2, 22; Numbers 15:25
• 10. Ecclesiastes 3:14; Ecclesiastes 7:18; Ecclesiastes 8:12, 13; Ecclesiastes 12:13

Footnotes

• [a] Ch 4:17 in Heb
• [b] Ch 5:1 in Heb
• [c] Lit "with your mouth"
• [d] Lit "hurry your heart"
• [e] Lit "task"
• [f] Lit "mouth"
• [g] Lit "your body"
• [h] Lit "vanity"
• [i] Or "revere"