Ecclesiastes 5:4

And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.

Catholic Public Domain Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

3If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.

5You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

Cross References

Genesis 35:1About this time, God said to Jacob, “Arise and go up to Bethel, and live there, and make an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

Numbers 30:2And he said to the leaders of the tribes of the sons of Israel: “This is the word, which the Lord has instructed:

Psalms 50:14Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit.

Psalms 76:11And I said, “Now I have begun. This change is from the right hand of the Most High.”

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 5:2-4

A Caution to Worshippers. 1 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. 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. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. Solomon's design, in driving us off from the world, by… Read the whole commentary →

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