Ecclesiastes 5:7

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. FOR IN THE MULTITUDE OF DREAMS ... (THERE ARE) ... VANITIES, ... - (Note, .) God's service, which ought to be our chief good, becomes by "dreams" (foolish fancies as to God's requirements of us in worship) and random "words," positive "vanity." The remedy is, "Fear God" (), then thou wilt speak and vow nothing which thou dost not sincerely mean....

4-8 When a person made engagements rashly, he suffered his mouth to cause his flesh to sin. The case supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it would be wrong to fulfil it. Such mockery of God would bring the Divine displeasure, which might blast what was thus unduly kept. We are to keep down the fear of man. Set God before thee; then, if thou seest the oppression of the poor, thou wilt not find fault with Divine Providence; nor think the worse of the institution of magistracy, when thou seest the ends of it thus perverted; nor of religion, when thou seest it will not secure men from suffering wrong. But though oppressors may be secure, God will reckon for all....

Verse Ecclesiastes 5:7. _IN - DREAMS_ - ARE - DIVERS _VANITIES; BUT FEAR THOU GOD._] If, by the disturbed state of thy mind during the day, or by Satanic influence, thou dream of evil, do not give way to any unreasonable fears, or gloomy forebodings, of any coming mischief: - FEAR GOD. Fear neither the _dream_ nor its _interpretation_; God, will take care of and protect thee. Most certainly, he that fears God need fear nothing else. Well may an upright soul say to _Satan_ himself, I fear God; and because I fear _him_, l do not fear _thee_....

FOR ... VANITIES - Or, For so it happens through many dreams and vanities and many words....

EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 5:1 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. ECCLESIASTES 5:1 This verse, in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Bibles, forms the conclusion of Ecclesiastes 4:1; and is taken independently; but the division in our version is more natural, and the connection of this with the following verses is obvious....

FOR IN THE MULTITUDE OF DREAMS, AND MANY WORDS, [THERE ARE] ALSO [DIVERS] VANITIES,.... Or as, "in a multitude of dreams, [there are] many vanities, [so] also in a multitude of words" s; as dreams are vain things, or there are abundance of vain things that come into the mind in dreams; so vain and idle are the many excuses which are made for the non-performance of vows; or there are many vain things which are uttered in making of them, or in long prayers to God; or in discourses concerning him; to all which is opposed the fear of God; BUT FEAR THOU GOD; give no heed to dreams, nor to the many words of men, which are vain and foolish; but keep close to the word of God, and worship him internally and externally, in spirit and in truth; for herein lies the sum and substance of religion; see Ecclesiastes 12:13; The Targum is, "for in the multitude of

FEAR (_ See Scofield) - (Psalms 19:9). _...

3. EXHORTATIONS ON DIFFERENT VANITIES CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Concerning worship and vows (Ecclesiastes 5:1)_ 2. Concerning extortions (Ecclesiastes 5:8) 3. The vanities of wealth (Ecclesiastes 5:10) 4. The conclusion (Ecclesiastes 5:18) Ecclesiastes 5:1. The writer, King Solomon, seems to have been exhausted in his descriptions as to the things under the sun. He pauseth and turns to something different. He meditates on worship, that man aims to get in touch with the unsee

REALITY IN RELIGION. This section deals with worship and vows. Those who go to the house of God (whether Temple or synagogue is not clear) must go reverently and thoughtfully. Keep thy foot recalls the Oriental practice of removing one's shoes in sacred places (Exodus 3:5). The great requirement in religion is not the ritual sacrifice but the spirit of discipleship and obedience (1 Samuel 15:22 and the prophets _passim)._ Read, with a slight change, for they know nothing except how to do evil. Ecclesiastes 5:2 may refer to prayer (_cf._ Matthew 6:7) or to vows (_cf._...

DIVERS VANITIES. Plural of emphasis. great vanity: i.e. in many dreams and many words, also [there is] great vanity: referring to Ecclesiastes 5:3 above....