Bible Chapter Summary
Ecclesiastes 5 Summary
Reverence in Worship and Stewardship
The Preacher instructs that when approaching God's house, one should guard his steps and be ready to hear rather than give the sacrifice of fools. Words before God should be few, as dreams and many words bring vanity and folly. Vows to God must not be deferred or broken, and one should not rash the mouth to cause the flesh to sin. The Preacher counsels that the sleep of a laboring man is sweet, but the abundance of the rich prevents sleep; riches kept can become a sore evil. Yet he commends it as good and comely for a man to eat, drink, and enjoy the good of his labor all his days, receiving this as God's gift and portion.
Key themes
Key verses
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.”
Ecclesiastes 5:4
“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.”
Ecclesiastes 5:12-13
“The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”
Ecclesiastes 5:18-19
“Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.”
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