New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 5:2
2Don’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.
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
1As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 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. 3Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool. 4When 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.
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 spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.
- Genesis 28:20Then Jacob made this vow: “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing,
- Numbers 30:2A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.
- Judges 11:30And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites,
- 1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day,
- Mark 6:23He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”
- Psalms 115:3Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.
- Isaiah 55:9For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
- Matthew 6:9Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
- Ecclesiastes 5:3Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
- Proverbs 10:19Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
- Matthew 6:7“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
- James 3:2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
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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