Ecclesiastes 5:1,Ecclesiastes 5:2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

Solomon's design, in driving us off from the world, by showing us its vanity, is to drive us to God and to our duty, that we may not walk in the way of the world, but by religious rules, nor depend upon the wealth of the world, but on religious advantages; and therefore, I. He here sends us to the house of God, to the place of public worship, to the temple, which he himself had built at a vast expense. When he reflected with regret on all his other works (Eccl. 2:4), he did not repent of that,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God ,.... The house of the sanctuary of the Lord, the temple built by Solomon; and so any place of divine worship, where the word of God is preached, and his ordinances administered. The wise man, having observed many vanities under the sun, directs men to the house of God, where they might learn the nature of them, and how to avoid them; though if care was not taken, they would find or introduce vanity there; which, of all vanities, is the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Keep thy foot - This verse the Hebrew and all the versions join to the preceding chapter. Solomon, having before intimated, though very briefly, that the only cure against human vanity is a due sense of religion, now enters more largely on this important subject, and gives some excellent directions with regard to the right performance of Divine service, the nature of vocal and mental prayer, the danger of rash vows, etc. - C. The whole verse might be more literally translated thus: - ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1

This verse, in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Bibles, forms the conclusion of Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 ; and is taken independently; but the division in our version is more natural, and the connection of this with the following verses is obvious. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God , Some read "feet" instead of "foot," but the singular and plural numbers are both found in this signification (comp. Psalms 119:59 , Psalms 119:105 ; Proverbs 1:15 ; Proverbs 4:26 , Proverbs... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Section 6. Man's outward and secular life being unable to secure happiness and satisfaction, can these be found in popular religion? Religious exercises need the observation of strict rules, which are far from meeting with general attention. Koheleth proceeds to give instruction, in the form of maxims, concerning public worship, prayer, and vows. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Keep thy foot - i. e., Give thy mind to what thou art going to do.The house of God - It has been said that here an ordinary devout Hebrew writer might have been expected to call it “the house of Yahweh;” but to those who accept this book as the work of Solomon after his fall into idolatry, it will appear a natural sign of the writer’s self-humiliation, an acknowledgment of his unworthiness of the privileges of a son of the covenant, that he avoids the name of the Lord of the covenant (see... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Ecclesiastes 5:1. Keep thy foot Thy thoughts and affections, by which men go to God, and walk with him. See that your hearts be upright before him, devoted to him, and furnished with those graces essential to the true worship of him, especially with reverence, humility, resignation, meekness, faith, and love. It is a metaphor taken from a person’s walking in a very slippery path, in which more than ordinary care is requisite to keep him from falling: when thou goest to the house of God ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

5:1-10:20 MAKE THE MOST OF LIFE’S FRUSTRATIONSAdvice about religion (5:1-7)Among the many affairs of everyday life that the writer deals with is the matter of religious practices. First he warns that the offering of sacrifices is useless if the worshippers have no desire to listen to God’s word or obey it (5:1). Those thinking of making vows must consider their vows carefully before telling them to God. Too many words may lead to foolish vows, just as too much work can produce bad dreams... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ecclesiastes 5:1

God. Hebrew. Elohim. (with Art) = the [true] God, or the Deity. App-4 . See note on Ecclesiastes 1:13 . hear = obey. fools = fat, inert. Hebrew kesil. See note on Proverbs 1:7 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1

ADVICE REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF HOLY RELIGION[1]Ecclesiastes 5:1-7"Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh with a multitude of business, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words. When thou... read more

Ecclesiastes 5:1,ecclesiastes 5:2