Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 5:2

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.

2. Be not rash with thy mouth ] The rule follows the worshipper from the threshold into the Temple-court and tells him how he is to act there. We are reminded of our Lord’s warning against “vain repetitions,” after the manner of the heathen (Mat 6:7). The second clause, though parallel to the first, carries the thought further. The “heart” or mind of the worshipper also is to be calm and deliberate. We are not to turn every hasty wish into a prayer, but to ask ourselves whether it is one of the things for which we ought to pray. Here also the precept has its analogies in the counsels of the wise of heart outside the covenant of Israel. See especially Juven. Sat. x.

therefore let thy words be few ] The Son of Sirach gives the same rule for our speech when in the presence of the “great men” of earth ( Sir 32:9 ), and fortiori the reverence due to God should shew itself in the same form as our reverence for them. In a Talmudic precept we find the rule in nearly the same words, “the words of a man should always be few in the presence of God” ( Berachoth, 61 a, quoted by Ginsburg). Comp. also Hooker E. P. 1. 2. 3.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 2. Be 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.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Be not rash with thy mouth; speak not without good understanding and due consideration.

Let not thine heart be hasty; do not give way to every sudden motion of thine heart, nor suffer it to break out of thy lips till thou hast well weighed it.

To utter any thing before God; either,

1. In prayers directed to him. Or,

2. In solemn vows and promises made in Gods presence; which were very much in use in those times, and of which he speaks in the following verses, where he presseth us to pay our vows when we have made them, as here he seems to caution us in making them.

God is in heaven; is a God of infinite majesty, not to be despised or abused; of infinite holiness, not to be polluted or offended; of infinite knowledge. observing all our words and carriages, not to be deceived.

Thou upon earth; thou art a poor earth-worm, infinitely below him, and therefore shouldst stand in awe of him, and fear to offend him.

Let thy words be few; either

1. In prayer. Use not vain repetitions nor multitude of words in prayer, as if they were necessary to inform God of thy state, or to prevail with God to grant thy requests, or as if thou shouldst certainly be heard upon that very account, as Christ also cautions us, Mat 6:7. For otherwise it is not unlawful, nay, sometimes it is a duty, to use long prayers, and consequently many words, and to repeat the same words in prayer, as is manifest from Neh 9:3; Dan 9:18,19; Mt 26:44; Luk 6:12, and many other places. Or,

2. In vowing. Be not too prodigal in making more vows and promises than thou art either able or willing and resolved to perform, remembering that God looks down from heaven, and heareth all thy vows, and expects a punctual accomplishment of them. See Poole “Ecc 5:3“.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. rashopposed to theconsiderate reverence (“keep thy foot,” Ec5:1). This verse illustrates Ec5:1, as to prayer in the house of God (“before God,”Isa 1:12); so Ec5:4-6 as to vows. The remedy to such vanities is stated(Ec 5:6). “Fear thou God.”

God is in heavenThereforeHe ought to be approached with carefully weighed words, by thee, afrail creature of earth.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God,…. In private conversation care should be taken that no rash and unadvised words be spoken in haste, as were by Moses and David; and that no evil, nor even any idle word he uttered, since from, the abundance of the heart the mouth is apt to speak, and all is before, the Lord; not a word in the tongue but is altogether known by him, and must be accounted for to him,

Ps 106:33. Jerom interprets this of words spoken concerning God; and careful men should be of what they say of him, of his nature and perfections, of his persons, and of his works; and it may be applied to a public profession of his name, and of faith in him; though this should be done with the heart, yet the heart and tongue should not be rash and hasty in making it; men should consider what they profess and confess, and upon what foot they take up and make a profession of religion; whether they have the true grace of God or no: and it will hold true of the public ministry of the word, in which everything that comes uppermost in the mind, or what is crude and undigested, should not be, uttered; but what ministers have thought of, meditated on, well weighed in their minds, and properly digested. Some understand this of rash vows, such as Jephthah’s, is supposed to be, which are later repented of; but rather speaking unto God in prayer is intended. So the Targum,

“thy, heart shall not hasten to bring out speech at the time thou prayest before the Lord;”

anything and everything that comes up into the mind should not be, uttered before God; not anything rashly and hastily; men should consider before they speak to the King of kings; for though set precomposed forms of prayer are not to be used, yet the matter of prayer should be thought of beforehand; what our wants are, and what we should ask for; whether for ourselves or others; this rule I fear we often offend against: the reasons follow;

for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth; his throne is in the heavens, he dwells in the highest heavens, though they cannot contain him; this is expressive of his majesty, sovereignty, and supremacy, and of his omniscience and omnipotence; he is the high and lofty One, that dwells in the high and holy place; he is above all, and sees and knows all persons and things; and he sits in the heavens, and does whatever he pleases; and therefore all should stand in awe of him, and consider what they say unto him. Our Lord seems to have respect to this passage when he directed his disciples to pray, saying, “Our Father, which art in heaven”, Mt 6:9; and when we pray to him we should think what we ourselves are, that we are on the earth, the footstool of God; that we are of the earth, earthly; dwell in houses of clay, which have their foundation in the dust; crawling worms on earth, unworthy of his notice; are but dust and ashes, who take upon us to speak unto him;

therefore let, by words be few; of which prayer consists; such was the prayer of the publican, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner”, Lu 18:13; and such the prayer which Christ has given as a pattern and directory to his people; who has forbid vain repetitions and much speaking in prayer, Mt 6:7; not that all lengthy prayers are to be condemned, or all repetitions in them; our Lord was all night in prayer himself; and Nehemiah, Daniel, and others, have used repetitions in prayer, which may be done with fresh affection, zeal, and fervency; but such are forbidden as are done for the sake of being heard for much speaking, as the Heathens; and who thought they were not understood unless they said a thing a hundred times over p; or when done to gain a character of being more holy and religious than others, as the Pharisees.

p “Ohe jam desine deos obtundere—-Ut nihil credas intelligere, nisi idem dictum eat centies.” Terent. Heautont. Act. 5. Sc. 1. v. 6, 8.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

“Be not hasty with thy mouth, and let not thy heart hasten to speak a word before God: for God is in heaven, and thou art upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. For by much business cometh dreaming, and by much talk the noise of fools.” As we say in German: auf Flgeln fliegen [to flee on wings], auf Einem Auge nicht sehen [not to see with one eye], auf der Flte blasen [to blow on the flute], so in Heb. we say that one slandereth with ( auf ) his tongue (Psa 15:3), or, as here, that he hasteth with his mouth, i.e., is forward with his mouth, inasmuch as the word goes before the thought. It is the same usage as when the post-bibl. Heb., in contradistinction to , the law given in the Scripture, calls the oral law , i.e., the law mediated , oraliter = oralis traditio (Shabbath 31 a; cf. Gittin 60 b). The instrument and means is here regarded as the substratum of the action – as that which this lays as a foundation. The phrase: “to take on the lips,” Psa 16:4, which needs no explanation, is different. Regarding , festinare, which is, like , the intens. of Kal, vid., once it occurs quite like our “ sich beeilen ” to hasten, with reflex. accus. suff., 2Ch 35:21. Man, when he prays, should not give the reins to his tongue, and multiply words as one begins and repeats over a form which he has learnt, knowing certainly that it is God of whom and to whom he speaks, but without being conscious that God is an infinitely exalted Being, to whom one may not carelessly approach without collecting his thoughts, and irreverently, without lifting up his soul. As the heavens, God’s throne, are exalted above the earth, the dwelling-place of man, so exalted is the heavenly God above earthly man, standing far beneath him; therefore ought the words of a man before God to be few, – few, well-chosen reverential words, in which one expresses his whole soul. The older language forms no plur. from the subst. (fewness) used as an adv.; but the more recent treats it as an adj., and forms from it the plur. (here and in Psa 109:8, which bears the superscription le-david , but has the marks of Jeremiah’s style); the post-bibl. places in the room of the apparent adj. the particip. adj. with the plur. ( ), e.g., Berachoth 61 a: “always let the words of a man before the Holy One (blessed be His name!) be few” ( ). Few ought the words to be; for where they are many, it is not without folly. This is what is to be understood, Ecc 5:2, by the comparison; the two parts of the verse stand here in closer mutual relation than Ecc 7:1, – the proverb is not merely synthetical, but, like Job 5:7, parabolical. The is both times that of the cause. The dream happens, or, as we say, dreams happen ; not: by much labour; for labour in itself, as the expenditure of strength making one weary, has as its consequence, Ecc 5:11, sweet sleep undisturbed by dreams; but: by much self-vexation in a man’s striving after high and remote ends beyond what is possible (Targ., in manifold project-making); the care of such a man transplants itself from the waking to the sleeping life, it if does not wholly deprive him of sleep, Ecc 5:11, Ecc 8:16, – all kinds of images of the labours of the day, and fleeting phantoms and terrifying pictures hover before his mind. And as dreams of such a nature appear when a man wearies himself inwardly as well as outwardly by the labours of the day, so, with the same inward necessity, where many words are spoken folly makes its appearance. Hitzig renders , in the connection , as adj.; but, like (which forms an adj. evili ), is always a subst., or, more correctly, it is a name occurring always only of a living being, never of a thing. There is sound without any solid content, mere blustering bawling without sense and intelligence. The talking of a fool is in itself of this kind (Ecc 10:14); but if one who is not just a fool falls into much talk, it is scarcely possible but that in this flow of words empty bombast should appear.

Another rule regarding the worship of God refers to vowing.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(2) Few.Sir. 7:14; Sir. 18:22.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

2. The Hebrew expositors preferred that chapter v should begin with this verse, regarding the previous verse as an admonition better fitted to close chap. 4. Really, the natural division is the one given in our English version.

Be not rash with thy mouth This serious and beautiful admonition relates to prayer, as that of the first verse relates to sacrifice. Gravity and sobriety, both of language and thought, are most fitting in our address to God.

“While Thee I seek, protecting Power,

Be my vain wishes stilled.”

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ecc 5:2 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.

Ver. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth. ] From hearing, the Preacher proceeds to give directions for speaking, whether it be of God or to him. For the first, the very heathens could say, Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine, a We may not speak of God without a light – i.e., without a deliberate premeditation and well advised consideration. In speaking of God, saith one, b our best eloquence is our silence. And if we speak at all on this subject, saith another, c no words will so well become us as those, quae ignorantiam nostram praetendunt, that most discover our small knowledge of him. “How little a portion or pittance is heard of him,” saith holy Job; Job 26:14 the Hebrew word signifies a little bit or particle – nay, a little piece of a word, such as an echo resoundeth, “But the thunder of his power who can understand?” it is ineffable, because inconceivable. Here, if ever,

“Claudicat ingenium, delirat linguaque mensque.” – Lucret.

But although Jerome d thinks it best to understand the Preacher here of a speaking of God, yet others, and for better reason, conceive his meaning to be rather of a speaking to God by prayer, and particularly by a vow, which implies a prayer, as the Greek words and import. Here then,

Let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything. ] Heb., Let not thine heart through haste be so troubled or disturbed, as to tumble over, and throw out words without wisdom, in a confused manner, in a slubbering sort. But as there was “half an hour’s silence in heaven” when the seventh seal was opened, Rev 8:1 and or ever the seven trumpets sounded, so should there be a sad and serious weighing of our petitions before we utter them. Nescit poenitenda loqui, qui proferenda prius suo tradidit examini, e He repents not of his requests who first duly deliberates what to request. Whereas he that blurts out whatsoever lies uppermost – as some good men have done in their haste and heat of passion (as Job, Job 6:5 ; David, Psa 116:11 ; Jeremiah, Jer 15:10 ; Jer 15:18 ; Jonah, Joh 4:1-3 , who brawled with God instead of praying to him) – displeaseth God no less than the Muscovy ministers do their hearers if they mispronounce but any syllable in their whole liturgy.

For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth. ] He is the “high and Holy One that inhabiteth eternity,” Isa 57:15 and thou art E palude sua procedens et repens vilis ranuncula, as Bernard hath it, a base toad creeping or crawling out of a ditch: there is an infinite distance and disproportion between him and thee; therefore see to it that thou come to him with all possible reverence, humility, and self-abasement. See Job 42:6 1Ki 18:42 Mat 26:38 . It is observable that when the great Turk comes into his mosque or temple, he lays by all his state, and hath none to attend him all the while.

Therefore let thy words be few. ] But full, as the publicans were. Luk 18:13 O quam multa quam paucis! Oh, how much in a little! said Cicero of Brutus’s Epistle. So may we say of that publican’s prayer; how much more of the Lord’s prayer, set in fiat opposition to the heathenish battologies f and vain repetitions usual with pagans and papagans. See Trapp on “ Mat 6:7 “ See Trapp on “ Mat 6:8 “ See Trapp on “ Mat 6:9 “ It is reported of the ancient Christians of Egypt, Quod brevissimis et raptim iaculatis orationibus uti voluerint, ne per moras evanesceret et hebetaretur intentio, g that they made very short prayers that their devotion might not be dulled by longer doings. Cassian also makes mention of certain religious persons in his time, Qui utilius censebant breves quidem orationes sed creberrimas fieri, &c., who thought it best that our prayers should be short, but frequent: the one, that there might be continual intercourse maintained between God and us; the other, that by shortness we might avoid the devil’s darts, which he throws especially at us, while we are praying. These are good reasons, and more may be added out of Mat 6:5-15 , as that “our heavenly Father knows what we need,” &c. That which the Preacher here presseth is the transcendent excellence and surpassing majesty of almighty God. “I am a great King,” saith he, Mal 1:14 and I look to be served like myself. Therefore “take with you words,” Hos 14:2 neither over curious, nor over careless, but such as are humble, earnest, direct to the point, avoiding vain babblings, needless and endless repetitions, heartless digressions, tedious prolixities, wild and idle discourses of such extemporary petitioners, as not disposing their matter in due order by premeditation, and with it being word bound, are forced to go forward and backward, like hounds at a loss; and having hastily begun, they know not how handsomely to make an end.

a Pythag.

b Mr Hooker.

c Jul. Scalig.

d Jerome, in loc.

e Cassiodor., lib. x. Eph 4:1-32 .

f A needless and tiresome repetition in speaking or writing.

g Augustine.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

thing = word.

upon earth. Same idea as “under the sun”. See note on Ecc 1:3.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

not rash: Gen 18:27, Gen 18:30, Gen 18:32, Gen 28:20, Gen 28:22, Num 30:2-5, Jdg 11:30, 1Sa 14:24-45, Mar 6:23

thing: or, word

for: Psa 115:3, Isa 55:9, Mat 6:9, let thy, Ecc 5:3, Ecc 5:7, Pro 10:19, Mat 6:7, Jam 3:2

Reciprocal: Lev 5:4 – to do evil Jos 9:18 – had sworn Jdg 11:35 – have opened Jdg 21:1 – There 1Ki 8:30 – and hear 2Ch 6:21 – thy dwelling place Neh 10:28 – every one Job 22:12 – not God Job 31:30 – mouth Pro 15:28 – heart Pro 29:20 – Seest Ecc 5:6 – thy mouth Mat 14:9 – the oath’s Mat 15:9 – in Luk 11:2 – When Jam 1:19 – slow to speak

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ecc 5:2. Be not rash with thy mouth Speak not without due consideration; and let not thy heart be hasty Do not give way to every sudden motion of thy heart, nor suffer it to break out of thy lips till thou hast well weighed it. We must think, and think twice, before we speak, when we are to speak, either from God in preaching, or to God in prayer, or in solemn vows and promises made in his presence; which were very much in use in those times, and of which he speaks in the following verses. For God is in heaven Is a God of infinite majesty, holiness, and knowledge, and therefore not even to be thought of, and much more not to be worshipped, without profound veneration, great solemnity, and much serious consideration; and thou upon earth Thou art a poor worm of the earth, infinitely below him, and therefore oughtest to stand in awe of him, and fear to offend him; therefore let thy words be few 1st, In prayer: use not vain repetitions, nor a multitude of words, as if they were necessary to inform God of thy wants, or to prevail with him to grant thy requests; or as if thou shouldest certainly be heard upon that very account: see Mat 6:7. 2d, In vowing: be not too prodigal in making more vows and promises than thou art either able or willing and resolved to perform. Remember that God looks down from heaven, hears all thy vows, and expects a punctual accomplishment of them.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

5:2 Be not {a} rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be {b} few.

(a) Either in vowing or in praying, meaning, that we should use all reverence toward God.

(b) He hears you not for the sake of your many words or often repetitions, but considers your faith and servant’s mind.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes