English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 5:2
2Be 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.
Context of Ecclesiastes 5:2
1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 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. 3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. 4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay 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 18:27Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
- Genesis 28:20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear,
- Numbers 30:2If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
- Judges 11:30And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, "If you will give the Ammonites into my hand,
- 1 Samuel 14:24And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, "Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies." So none of the people had tasted food.
- Mark 6:23And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."
- Psalms 115:3Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
- Isaiah 55:9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- Matthew 6:9Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
- Ecclesiastes 5:3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
- Proverbs 10:19When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
- Matthew 6:7"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
- James 3:2For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle 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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Commentaries