Geneva Study Bible 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. Keep thy {m} foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of {n} fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
(m) That is, with what affection you come to hear the word of God. (n) Meaning, of the wicked, who think to please God with common uses, and have neither faith nor repentance. 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. 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. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
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. When thou vowest a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast {c} vowed.
(c) He speaks of vows which are approved by God's word and serve to his glory. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 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? Allow not thy mouth to cause thy {d} flesh to sin; neither say thou before the {e} angel, that it was an error: why should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
(d) Do not cause yourself to sin by vowing rashly as they do who make a vow to live unmarried and such like. (e) That is, before God's messenger when he will examine your doing, as though your ignorance should be a just excuse. For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 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. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, wonder not at the matter: for he that is {f} higher than the highest regardeth; and there are higher than they.
(f) Meaning, that God will address these things, and therefore we must depend on him. Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. Moreover the {g} profit of the earth is for all: the king {h} himself is served by the field.
(g) The earth is to be preferred above all things which belong to this life. (h) Kings and princes cannot maintain their estate without tillage, which commends the excellency of tillage. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
When 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? When 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?
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. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eateth little or much: but the {i} abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.
(i) That is, his great abundance of riches, or the surfeiting, which comes by his great feeding. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches {k} kept for the owners of them to their hurt.
(k) When covetous men heap up riches, which turn to their destruction. But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. But those riches perish by evil labour: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his {l} hand.
(l) He does not enjoy his father's riches. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the {m} wind?
(m) Meaning, in vain and without profit. All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. All his days also he eateth in {n} darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
(n) In affliction and grief of mind. 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. Behold that which I have seen: it is good and proper for one to {o} 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.
(o) Read Geneva Ec 3:22 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. For he shall not much remember the days of his {p} life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. (p) He will take no great thought for the pains that he has endured in times past. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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