Christian Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 5:2
2Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. 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. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong. Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words. 4When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Be not rashבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
- with thy mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- and let not thine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- be hastyמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
- to utterיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: speakH3318
- thingדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- in heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and thou upon earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- be fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:2
- Genesis 18:27Then Abraham answered, “Since I have ventured to speak to my lord — even though I am dust and ashes —
- Genesis 28:20Then Jacob made a vow: “If God will be with me and watch over me during this journey I’m making, if he provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear,
- Numbers 30:2When a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to put himself under an obligation, he must not break his word; he must do whatever he has promised.
- Judges 11:30Jephthah made this vow to the Lord: “If you in fact hand over the Ammonites to me,
- 1 Samuel 14:24and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath: “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
- Mark 6:23He promised her with an oath: “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
- Psalms 115:3Our God is in heaven and does whatever he pleases.
- Isaiah 55:9“For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- Matthew 6:9“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.
- Ecclesiastes 5:3Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words.
- Proverbs 10:19When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent.
- Matthew 6:7When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.
- James 3:2For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the 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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