Berean Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 5:2
2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 let your words be few.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
Context of Ecclesiastes 5:2
1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. 3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 5Ecclesiastes 5:2 word by word
אַל־תְּבַהֵ֨ל עַל־פִּ֜יךָ וְלִבְּךָ֧ אַל־יְמַהֵ֛ר לְהוֹצִ֥יא דָבָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְאַתָּ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַֽל־כֵּ֛ן יִהְי֥וּ דְבָרֶ֖יךָ מְעַטִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
- Do notאַל'al · notH408
- be quickבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
- toעַל‛al · uponH5921
- speakפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- be hastyמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
- in your heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- to utterיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: speakH3318
- a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- Forכִּיkîy · forH3588
- is in heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and youאַתָּ֫ה'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.s.)H859
- earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- Soכֵּןkên · soH3651
- beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:2
- Genesis 18:27Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
- Genesis 28:20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear,
- Numbers 30:2If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.
- Judges 11:30Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand,
- 1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
- Mark 6:23And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
- Psalms 115:3Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.
- Isaiah 55:9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
- Matthew 6:9So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
- Ecclesiastes 5:3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
- Proverbs 10:19When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Matthew 6:7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.
- James 3:2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Be not rash with thy mouth - Do not hasten with thy mouth; weigh thy words, feel deeply, think much, speak little. "When ye approach his altar, on your lips Set strictest guard; and let your thoughts be pure, Fervent, and recollected. Thus prepared, Send up the silent breathings of your souls, Submissive to his will." C.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7This section discusses various topics, such as justice, humans and animals, oppression, moderation, companionship, politics, and worship.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. rash--opposed to the considerate reverence ("keep thy foot," Ec 5:1). This verse illustrates Ec 5:1, as to prayer in the house of God ("before God," Is 1:12); so Ec 5:4-6 as to vows. The remedy to such vanities is stated (Ec 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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