New International Version
Ecclesiastes 5:4
4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—
- New Living Translation (NLT)When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.
Context of Ecclesiastes 5:4
2Do 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. 3A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. 6Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
Read all of Ecclesiastes 5Ecclesiastes 5:4 word by word
כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ תִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים אַל־תְּאַחֵר֙ לְשַׁלְּמ֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין חֵ֖פֶץ בַּכְּסִילִ֑ים אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּדֹּ֖ר שַׁלֵּֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:4
- Genesis 28:20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear
- Genesis 35:1Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
- Numbers 30:2When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.
- Deuteronomy 23:21If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin.
- Psalms 50:14“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,
- Psalms 76:11Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared.
- Psalms 119:106I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.
- Isaiah 19:21So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.
- Matthew 5:33“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’
- Psalms 147:10His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
- Malachi 1:10“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
- Hebrews 10:6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
- Psalms 66:13I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you—
- Psalms 116:14I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
- Jonah 2:9But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ ”
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4When thou vowest a vow - When in distress and difficulty, men are apt to promise much to God if he will relieve them; but generally forget the vow when the distress or trouble is gone by.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-8Verses 4-8 When a person made engagements rashly, he suffered his mouth to cause his flesh to sin. The case supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it would be wrong to fulfil it. Such mockery of God would bring the Divine displeasure, which might blast what was thus unduly kept. We are to keep down the fear of man. Set God before thee; then, if thou seest the oppression of the poor, thou wilt not find…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5Fulfill your vow: This is almost a direct quote from the law (Deuteronomy 23:21–23; see also Proverbs 12:22; 20:25). Vows to God were voluntary, but once made, you had to keep them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. When thou vowest a vow unto God--Hasty words in prayer (Ec 5:2, 3) suggest the subject of hasty vows. A vow should not be hastily made (Jud 11:35; 1Sa 14:24). When made, it must be kept (Psa 76:11), even as God keeps His word to us (Ex 12:41, 51; Jos 21:45).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:4
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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