Ecclesiastes 5:1,Ecclesiastes 5:2

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Ecclesiastes 5:1. And be more ready to hear, &c.— For, to be ready to obey is a better sacrifice than the gift of fools; because they know not when they do evil. It is plain that Solomon intended to oppose the course which he advises us to take when we go into the house of God, to that which is generally pursued by fools, or those who are ignorant of divine knowledge: but the beauty of that opposition is almost entirely lost in modern versions, through the turn given to the whole sentence.... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1

1. From vanity connected with kings, he passes to vanities ( :-) which may be fallen into in serving the King of kings, even by those who, convinced of the vanity of the creature, wish to worship the Creator. Keep thy foot—In going to worship, go with considerate, circumspect, reverent feeling. The allusion is to the taking off the shoes, or sandals, in entering a temple (Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15, which passages perhaps gave rise to the custom). WEISS needlessly reads, "Keep thy feast days"... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

The effect of rash vows 5:1-7An interlude of proverbs follows the personal section just concluded."The sacrifice of fools" in view (Ecclesiastes 5:1) is a rash vow, as is clear from what follows. Ecclesiastes 5:3 seems to compare the verbosity of a fool in making a rash vow to God and the endless dreams one often experiences after a very busy day. Much work generates many dreams, and a fool utters too many words. [Note: Kaiser, Ecclesiastes . . ., p. 75.] If a person makes a rash promise to God... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ecclesiastes 5:1-9

4. The perishable fruits of labor 5:1-6:9This section emphasizes the folly of trying to find ultimate satisfaction in one’s work. Solomon focused on a variety of situations that involve the fruits of labor: money and what it can buy, fame, and pleasure. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

Disheartening Outlook on Life1-8. Disorders in the religious, in the political world. In the earlier part of this chapter the writer turns from secular to religious matters. H e points out the irreverence which belongs to worship offered without due thought.1. Keep thy foot] cp. Psalms 119:101; Proverbs 1:15. Either be silent, or use thoughtfully framed words of prayer, as contrasted with hasty offerings combined with ungodliness of life.And be more ready to hear] RV ’for to draw nigh to hear... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ecclesiastes 5:1

V.(1) In the Hebrew division this is the last verse of the preceding chapter; but clearly here a new section begins, containing proverbs in the second person singular, which has not hitherto been used. There is no obvious connection with what has gone before; possibly the precepts here introduced were traditionally known to have been part of Solomon’s teaching.They consider not.—The most natural translation of this clause would be, “They know not how to do evil,” i.e., are incapable of doing... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

Ecclesiastes 5:2 To bind myself to diligence in seeking the Lord, and to stir me up thereto, I made a vow to pray so many times a day; how many times I cannot be positive; but it was at least thrice. It was the goodness of God to me, that it was made only for a definite space of time; but I found it so far from being a help, that it was really a hindrance to my devotion, making me more heartless in, and averse to, duty, through the corruption of my nature. I got the pain of it driven out... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

To make Worship Formal and Insincere. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7(d) But now if, like Coheleth, we follow these men to the Temple, what is the scene that meets our eye? In the English Ternple, I fear, that which would first strike an unaccustomed observer would be the fact that very few men of business are there. They are "conspicuous by their absence," or, at best, noted for an only occasional attendance. The Hebrew Temple was crowded with men; in the English Temple it is the other sex which... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-17

Practical Maxims deduced from this View of the Business life.(b) A noble philosophy this, and pregnant with practical counsels of great value. For if, as we close our study of this Section of the Book, we ask, "What good advice does the Preacher offer that we can take and act upon?" we shall find that he gives us at least three serviceable maxims.A Maxim on Cooperation. Ecclesiastes 4:9-16To all men of business conscious of their special dangers and anxious to avoid them, he says, first:... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

SECOND SECTIONThe Quest Of The Chief Good In Devotion To The Affairs Of BusinessEcclesiastes 3:1 - Ecclesiastes 5:20I. IF the true Good is not to be found in the School where Wisdom utters her voice, nor in the Garden in which Pleasure spreads her lures: may it not be found in the Market, in devotion to Business and Public Affairs? The Preacher will try this experiment also. He gives himself to study and consider it. But at the very outset he discovers that he is in the iron grip of immutable... read more

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ecclesiastes 5:1-9

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-17

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

Group of Brands