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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 5:4–9

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
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.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
¶ If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
¶ Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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6 selected · 4 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

28 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 4

  1. Numbers 30:2Rank 1 from verse 4
    Open

    2If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

  2. Deuteronomy 23:21–23Rank 2 from verse 4
    Open

    21¶ When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

    22But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

    23That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

  3. Psalms 76:11Rank 3 from verse 4
    Open

    11Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

  4. Matthew 5:33Rank 4 from verse 4
    Open

    33¶ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

  5. Psalms 66:13–14Rank 5 from verse 4
    Open

    13I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,

    14Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.

From verse 5

  1. Acts 5:4Rank 1 from verse 5
    Open

    4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

  2. Deuteronomy 23:22Rank 2 from verse 5
    Open

    22But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

  3. Proverbs 20:25Rank 3 from verse 5
    Open

    25It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.

From verse 6

  1. James 1:26Rank 1 from verse 6
    Open

    26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

  2. 2 John 1:8Rank 2 from verse 6
    Open

    8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

  3. James 3:2Rank 3 from verse 6
    Open

    2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

  4. Ecclesiastes 5:1–2Rank 4 from verse 6
    Open

    1KEEP 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.

    2Be 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.

  5. Malachi 2:7Rank 5 from verse 6
    Open

    7For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

From verse 7

  1. Matthew 12:36Rank 1 from verse 7
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    36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

  2. Ecclesiastes 12:13Rank 2 from verse 7
    Open

    13¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

  3. Ecclesiastes 8:12Rank 3 from verse 7
    Open

    12¶ Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

  4. Ecclesiastes 5:3Rank 4 from verse 7
    Open

    3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

  5. Isaiah 50:10–11Rank 5 from verse 7
    Open

    10¶ Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

    11Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

From verse 8

  1. Psalms 12:5Rank 1 from verse 8
    Open

    5For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

  2. Ecclesiastes 4:1Rank 2 from verse 8
    Open

    1SO I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

  3. Ecclesiastes 3:16Rank 3 from verse 8
    Open

    16¶ And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

  4. 1 Kings 21:19–20Rank 4 from verse 8
    Open

    19And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

    20And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.

  5. Matthew 13:41–42Rank 5 from verse 8
    Open

    41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

    42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

From verse 9

  1. 1 Kings 4:7–23Rank 1 from verse 9
    Open

    7¶ And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.

    8And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:

    9The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan:

    10The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:

    11The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

    12Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

    13The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:

    14Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:

    15Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

    16Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:

    17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:

    18Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:

    19Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.

    20¶ Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.

    21And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

    22¶ And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,

    23Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.

  2. Psalms 115:16Rank 2 from verse 9
    Open

    16The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

  3. Genesis 1:29–30Rank 3 from verse 9
    Open

    29¶ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

    30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

  4. Psalms 104:14–15Rank 4 from verse 9
    Open

    14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

    15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

  5. 1 Chronicles 27:26–31Rank 5 from verse 9
    Open

    26And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:

    27And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite:

    28And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baal-hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:

    29And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:

    30Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite:

    31And over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David’s.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 5:4

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

vowest

↗

Second-person singular present form of vow, meaning to bind oneself by such a promise.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

vow

↗

Sense 1: A solemn promise made to God. Sense 2: To bind oneself by such a promise.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

defer

↗

To delay, postpone, put off, or withhold action until a later time.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

pay

↗

To discharge a debt or obligation; to render what is due, fulfill a promise, reward, or recompense.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fools

↗

Persons lacking wisdom or sound judgment, especially in moral or spiritual conduct.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

hast

↗

Sense 1: Have: possess, hold, receive, or experience. Sense 2: Used as an auxiliary verb.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 5:5

COMBINED MEANING

better

↗

Sense 1: More excellent, more fitting, or to a greater degree. Sense 2: To improve or make better.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

vow

↗

Sense 1: A solemn promise made to God. Sense 2: To bind oneself by such a promise.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

pay

↗

To discharge a debt or obligation; to render what is due, fulfill a promise, reward, or recompense.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 5:6

COMBINED MEANING

suffer

↗

1. To permit, allow, let, or tolerate. 2. To endure, bear, experience, undergo, or be subjected to something.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

mouth

↗

Sense 1: The bodily opening used for eating, breathing, and speaking. Sense 2: The opening or entrance of a thing. Sense 3: Speech, utterance, or the agency of speaking.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

cause

↗

Sense 1: A reason, ground, matter in dispute, or judicial case. Sense 2: As a verb, to make something happen.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

flesh

↗

Sense 1: The soft substance of the body. Sense 2: The body, human nature, kindred, or mankind.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sin

↗

1. Wrongdoing against God and his law; transgression or unrighteousness. 2. The guilt or burden of such wrongdoing, or the inward principle so named. 3. As a verb, to commit such wrongdoing.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

neither

↗

1. Also not; nor, introducing or joining a further negative statement or prohibition. 2. Not either, or none, of the alternatives named, commonly in a neither ... nor construction.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

say

↗

Sense 1: To speak, declare, tell, or express. Sense 2: What is said.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

before

↗

Earlier than in time; in front of; in the presence of; or prior in order or rank.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

angel

↗

Sense 1: A messenger. Sense 2: A heavenly or spiritual messenger, whether holy or fallen as stated.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

error

↗

A mistake, fault, false belief, wrong course, or departure from truth, law, justice, or right.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

wherefore

↗

1. For that reason, or as a conclusion from what precedes; therefore or consequently. 2. For what reason or purpose; why.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

should

↗

A verb expressing duty, propriety, expectation, intention, purpose, condition, appointed outcome, or a future event viewed from another time or statement.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

destroy

↗

Sense 1: To ruin, demolish, consume, or lay waste. Sense 2: To kill or cut off. Sense 3: To cause a thing's structure, use, activity, or present condition to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

work

↗

Sense 1: Labour, occupation, an assigned task, or service. Sense 2: An action, deed, operation, effect, product, thing made, or manner of workmanship. Sense 3: To labour, act, operate, perform, make, produce, accomplish, or bring about.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hands

↗

Sense 1: The end parts of the arms used for holding and working. Sense 2: Figures of power, possession, agency, or aid.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 5:7

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

multitude

↗

1. A great number or large gathered body of persons, creatures, or forces; a crowd, company, or host. 2. A great number, amount, fullness, or abundance of years, words, deeds, mercies, sins, possessions, waters, or other stated things.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

words

↗

Spoken or written expressions, sayings, statements, messages, commands, promises, reports, or units of meaningful speech.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

fear

↗

1. Alarm, dread, terror, or apprehension. 2. Reverence, awe, or respectful regard. 3. A person, thing, or event feared or revered. 4. To fear, dread, or reverence.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 5:8

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

judgment

↗

The act, authority, process, cause, or result of judging; discernment, legal hearing, verdict, ordinance, justice, government, vindication, condemnation, or punishment.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

justice

↗

The virtue which consists in giving to every one what is his due; practical conformity to the laws and to principles of rectitude in the dealings of men with each other; honesty; integrity in commerce or mutual intercourse.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

higher

↗

Comparative form of high: more elevated or greater in height, rank, degree, or importance.. Sense 1: Raised or far above; great in height, rank, degree, or importance. Sense 2: As an adverb, greatly or aloft.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

highest

↗

Superlative form of high: most elevated or greatest in height, rank, degree, or importance.. Sense 1: Raised or far above; great in height, rank, degree, or importance. Sense 2: As an adverb, greatly or aloft.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 5:9

COMBINED MEANING

moreover

↗

Besides, further, additionally, or what is more, introducing another statement, fact, command, reason, or continuation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

profit

↗

Sense 1: Benefit or advantage. Sense 2: To benefit, improve, or advance.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

earth

↗

Sense 1: The world in distinction from heaven. Sense 2: Dry land, ground, soil, or dust. Sense 3: A land, region, or its inhabitants.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

king

↗

A sovereign ruler; one exercising royal authority over a kingdom.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

served

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of serve, meaning to work for, obey, attend, minister to, worship, or fulfil a purpose.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Ecclesiastes 5:1–12

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

5:1KEEP 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.

5:2Be 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.

5:3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

5:4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

Selected passage

5:5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Selected passage

5:6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

Selected passage

5:7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

Selected passage

5:8¶ If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

Selected passage

5:9¶ Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

Selected passage

5:10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

5:11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

5:12The 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.

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