1KeepH8104 thy footH7272 when thou goestH3212 to the houseH1004 of GodH430, and be more readyH7138 to hearH8085, than to giveH5414 the sacrificeH2077 of foolsH3684: for they considerH3045 not that they doH6213 evilH7451. 2Be not rashH926 with thy mouthH6310, and let not thine heartH3820 be hastyH4116 to utterH3318 any thingH1697 beforeH6440 GodH430: for GodH430 is in heavenH8064, and thou upon earthH776: therefore let thy wordsH1697 be fewH4592. 3For a dreamH2472 comethH935 through the multitudeH7230 of businessH6045; and a fool'sH3684 voiceH6963 is known by multitudeH7230 of wordsH1697. 4When thou vowestH5087 a vowH5088 unto GodH430, deferH309 not to payH7999 it; for he hath no pleasureH2656 in foolsH3684: payH7999 that which thou hast vowedH5087 . 5BetterH2896 is it that thou shouldest not vowH5087, than that thou shouldest vowH5087 and not payH7999 . 6SufferH5414 not thy mouthH6310 to cause thy fleshH1320 to sinH2398 ; neither sayH559 thou beforeH6440 the angelH4397, that it was an errorH7684: wherefore should GodH430 be angryH7107 at thy voiceH6963, and destroyH2254 the workH4639 of thine handsH3027? 7For in the multitudeH7230 of dreamsH2472 and manyH7235 wordsH1697 there are also divers vanitiesH1892: but fearH3372 thou GodH430. 8If thou seestH7200 the oppressionH6233 of the poorH7326, and violentH1499 perverting of judgmentH4941 and justiceH6664 in a provinceH4082, marvelH8539 not at the matterH2656: for he that is higherH1364 than the highestH1364 regardethH8104 ; and there be higherH1364 than theyH5921. 9Moreover the profitH3504 of the earthH776 is for all: the kingH4428 himself is servedH5647 by the fieldH7704. 10He that lovethH157 silverH3701 shall not be satisfiedH7646 with silverH3701; nor he that lovethH157 abundanceH1995 with increaseH8393: this is also vanityH1892. 11When goodsH2896 increaseH7235, they are increasedH7231 that eatH398 them: and what goodH3788 is there to the ownersH1167 thereof, savingH518 the beholdingH7207 H7212 of them with their eyesH5869? 12The sleepH8142 of a labouring manH5647 is sweetH4966, whether he eatH398 littleH4592 or muchH7235 : but the abundanceH7647 of the richH6223 will not sufferH3240 him to sleepH3462 . 13There isH3426 a soreH2470 evilH7451 which I have seenH7200 under the sunH8121, namely, richesH6239 keptH8104 for the ownersH1167 thereof to their hurtH7451. 14But those richesH6239 perishH6 by evilH7451 travailH6045: and he begettethH3205 a sonH1121, and there is nothingH3972 in his handH3027. 15As he came forthH3318 of his mother'sH517 wombH990, nakedH6174 shall he returnH7725 to goH3212 as he cameH935, and shall takeH5375 nothingH3972 of his labourH5999, which he may carry awayH3212 in his handH3027. 16And thisH2090 also is a soreH2470 evilH7451, that in all pointsH5980 as he cameH935, so shall he goH3212 : and what profitH3504 hath he that hath labouredH5998 for the windH7307? 17All his daysH3117 also he eatethH398 in darknessH2822, and he hath muchH7235 sorrowH3707 and wrathH7110 with his sicknessH2483. 18Behold that which I have seenH7200 : it is goodH2896 and comelyH3303 for one to eatH398 and to drinkH8354, and to enjoyH7200 the goodH2896 of all his labourH5999 that he takethH5998 under the sunH8121 allH4557 the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416, which GodH430 givethH5414 him: for it is his portionH2506. 19Every manH120 also to whom GodH430 hath givenH5414 richesH6239 and wealthH5233, and hath given him powerH7980 to eatH398 thereof, and to takeH5375 his portionH2506, and to rejoiceH8055 in his labourH5999; thisH2090 is the giftH4991 of GodH430. 20For he shall not muchH7235 rememberH2142 the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416; because GodH430 answerethH6031 him in the joyH8057 of his heartH3820.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Ecc. 5:1-20)
From vanity connected with kings, he passes to vanities (
Eccl 5:7) which may be fallen into in serving the King of kings, even by those who, convinced of the vanity of the creature, wish to worship the Creator.
Keep thy foot--In going to worship, go with considerate, circumspect, reverent feeling. The allusion is to the taking off the shoes, or sandals, in entering a temple (
Exod 3:5;
Josh 5:15, which passages perhaps gave rise to the custom). WEISS needlessly reads, "Keep thy feast days" (
Exod 23:14,
Exod 23:17; the three great feasts).
hear--rather, "To be ready (to draw nigh with the desire) to hear (obey) is a better sacrifice than the offering of fools" [HOLDEN]. (Vulgate; Syriac). (
Ps 51:16-
Ps 51:17;
Pro 21:3;
Jer 6:20;
Jer 7:21-
Jer 7:23;
Jer 14:12;
Amos 5:21-
Amos 5:24). The warning is against mere ceremonial self-righteousness, as in
Eccl 7:12. Obedience is the spirit of the law's requirements (
Deut 10:12). Solomon sorrowfully looks back on his own neglect of this (compare
1Kgs 8:63 with
Eccl 11:4,
Eccl 11:6). Positive precepts of God must be kept, but will not stand instead of obedience to His moral precepts. The last provided no sacrifice for wilful sin (
Num 15:30-
Num 15:31;
Heb 10:26-
Heb 10:29).
2 rash--opposed to the considerate reverence ("keep thy foot,"
Eccl 5:1). This verse illustrates
Eccl 5:1, as to prayer in the house of God ("before God,"
Isa 1:12); so
Eccl 5:4-
Eccl 5:6 as to vows. The remedy to such vanities is stated (
Eccl 5:6). "Fear thou God."
God is in heaven--Therefore He ought to be approached with carefully weighed words, by thee, a frail creature of earth.
3 As much "business," engrossing the mind, gives birth to incoherent "dreams," so many words, uttered inconsiderately in prayer, give birth to and betray "a fool's speech" (
Eccl 10:14), [HOLDEN and WEISS]. But
Eccl 5:7 implies that the "dream" is not a comparison, but the vain thoughts of the fool (sinner,
Ps 73:20), arising from multiplicity of (worldly) "business." His "dream" is that God hears him for his much speaking (
Matt 6:7), independently of the frame of mind [English Version and MAURER].
fool's voice--answers to "dream" in the parallel; it comes by the many "words" flowing from the fool's "dream."
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God--Hasty words in prayer (
Eccl 5:2-
Eccl 5:3) suggest the subject of hasty vows. A vow should not be hastily made (
Judg 11:35;
1Sam 14:24). When made, it must be kept (
Ps 76:11), even as God keeps His word to us (
Exod 12:41,
Exod 12:51;
Josh 21:45).
5 (
Deut 23:21,
Deut 23:23).
6 thy flesh--Vow not with "thy mouth" a vow (for example, fasting), which the lusts of the flesh ("body,"
Eccl 2:3, Margin) may tempt thee to break (
Pro 20:25).
angel--the "messenger" of God (
Job 33:23); minister (
Rev 1:20); that is, the priest (
Mal 2:7) "before" whom a breach of a vow was to be confessed (
Lev 5:4-
Lev 5:5). We, Christians, in our vows (for example, at baptism, the Lord's Supper, &c.) vow in the presence of Jesus Christ, "the angel of the covenant" (
Mal 3:1), and of ministering angels as witnesses (
1Cor 11:10;
1Tim 5:21). Extenuate not any breach of them as a slight error.
7 (See on
Eccl 5:3). God's service, which ought to be our chief good, becomes by "dreams" (foolish fancies as of God's requirements of us in worship), and random "words," positive "vanity." The remedy is, whatever fools may do, "Fear thou God" (
Eccl 12:13).
8 As in
Eccl 3:16, so here the difficulty suggests itself. If God is so exact in even punishing hasty words (
Eccl 5:1-
Eccl 5:6), why does He allow gross injustice? In the remote "provinces," the "poor" often had to put themselves for protection from the inroads of Philistines, &c., under chieftains, who oppressed them even in Solomon's reign (
1Kgs 12:4).
the matter--literally, "the pleasure," or purpose (
Isa 53:10). Marvel not at this dispensation of God's will, as if He had abandoned the world. Nay, there is coming a capital judgment at last, and an earnest of it in partial punishments of sinners meanwhile.
higher than the highest-- (
Dan 7:18).
regardeth-- (
2Chr 16:9).
there be higher--plural, that is, the three persons of the Godhead, or else, "regardeth not only the 'highest' kings, than whom He 'is higher,' but even the petty tyrants of the provinces, namely, the high ones who are above them" (the poor) [WEISS].
9 "The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (
2Chr 26:10). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (
Pro 22:22-
Pro 22:23;
Amos 8:4-
Amos 8:7).
10 Not only will God punish at last, but meanwhile the oppressive gainers of "silver" find no solid "satisfaction" in it.
shall not be satisfied--so the oppressor "eateth his own flesh" (see on
Eccl 4:1 and
Eccl 4:5).
with increase--is not satisfied with the gain that he makes.
11 they . . . that eat them--the rich man's dependents (
Ps 23:5).
12 Another argument against anxiety to gain riches. "Sleep . . . sweet" answers to "quietness" (
Eccl 4:6); "not suffer . . . sleep," to "vexation of spirit." Fears for his wealth, and an overloaded stomach without "laboring" (compare
Eccl 4:5), will not suffer the rich oppressor to sleep.
13 Proofs of God's judgments even in this world (
Pro 11:31). The rich oppressor's wealth provokes enemies, robbers, &c. Then, after having kept it for an expected son, he loses it beforehand by misfortune ("by evil travail"), and the son is born to be heir of poverty.
Eccl 2:19,
Eccl 2:23 gives another aspect of the same subject.
16 Even supposing that he loses not his wealth before death, then at least he must go stripped of it all (
Ps 49:17).
laboured for the wind-- (
Hos 12:1;
1Cor 9:26).
17 eateth--appropriately put for "liveth" in general, as connected with
Eccl 5:11-
Eccl 5:12,
Eccl 5:18.
darkness--opposed to "light (joy) of countenance" (
Eccl 8:1;
Pro 16:15).
wrath--fretfulness, literally, "His sorrow is much, and his infirmity (of body) and wrath."
18 Returns to the sentiment (
Eccl 3:12-
Eccl 3:13,
Eccl 3:22); translate: "Behold the good which I have seen, and which is becoming" (in a man).
which God giveth--namely, both the good of his labor and his life.
his portion--legitimately. It is God's gift that makes it so when regarded as such. Such a one will use, not abuse, earthly things (
1Cor 7:31). Opposed to the anxious life of the covetous (
Eccl 5:10,
Eccl 5:17).
19 As
Eccl 5:18 refers to the "laboring" man (
Eccl 5:12), so
Eccl 5:19 to the "rich" man, who gets wealth not by "oppression" (
Eccl 5:8), but by "God's gift." He is distinguished also from the "rich" man (
Eccl 6:2) in having received by God's gift not only "wealth," but also "power to eat thereof," which that one has not.
to take his portion--limits him to the lawful use of wealth, not keeping back from God His portion while enjoying his own.
20 He will not remember much, looking back with disappointment, as the ungodly do (
Eccl 2:11), on the days of his life.
answereth . . . in the joy--God answers his prayers in giving him "power" to enjoy his blessings. GESENIUS and Vulgate translate, "For God (so) occupies him with joy," &c., that he thinks not much of the shortness and sorrows of life. HOLDEN, "Though God gives not much (as to real enjoyment), yet he remembers (with thankfulness) the days; for (he knows) God exercises him by the joy," &c. (tries him by prosperity), so Margin, but English Version is simplest.