Ecclesiastes 5:2

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

1Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong. Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few. 3Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a fool occurs when there are many words. 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

Ecclesiastes 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 asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord (although I am but dust and ashes),
• Genesis 28:20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear,
• Numbers 30:2If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.
• Judges 11:30Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,
• 1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to this oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening! I will get my vengeance on my enemies!” So no one in the army ate anything.
• Mark 6:23He swore to her, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
• Psalms 115:3Our God is in heaven! He does whatever he pleases!
• Isaiah 55:9for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.
• Matthew 6:9So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,
• Ecclesiastes 5:3Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a fool occurs when there are many words.
• Proverbs 10:19When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.
• Matthew 6:7When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.
• James 3:2For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well.

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

• Heaven
• Humility
• Prayer
• Rashness
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Synagogue, the Great

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