Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. New Living Translation It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. English Standard Version It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Berean Standard Bible It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. King James Bible Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. New King James Version Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. New American Standard Bible It is better that you not vow, than vow and not pay. NASB 1995 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. NASB 1977 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Legacy Standard Bible It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Amplified Bible It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Christian Standard Bible Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. Holman Christian Standard Bible Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. American Standard Version Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Contemporary English Version It's better not to make a promise at all than to make one and not keep it. English Revised Version Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. GOD'S WORD® Translation It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not keep it. Good News Translation Better not to promise at all than to make a promise and not keep it. International Standard Version it's better that you don't promise than that you do promise and not follow through. Majority Standard Bible It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. NET Bible It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it. New Heart English Bible It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. Webster's Bible Translation Better is it that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay. World English Bible It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBetter that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not complete. Young's Literal Translation Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete. Smith's Literal Translation Good that thou shalt not vow rather than thou shalt vow and not requite. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd it is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible It is better not to make a vow than make it and not fulfill it. New Revised Standard Version It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIt is much better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated It is better that you do not vow than that you vow and you do not fulfill OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Brenton Septuagint Translation It is better that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Approaching God with Awe…4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. 5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?… Cross References Deuteronomy 23:21-23 If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. / But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. / Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth. Numbers 30:1-2 Then Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded: / If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised. Matthew 5:33-37 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ / But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; / or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ... James 5:12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment. Proverbs 20:25 It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows. Psalm 66:13-14 I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You— / the vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke in my distress. Judges 11:30-31 Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, / then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” Acts 5:1-4 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. / With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. / Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? ... Psalm 50:14 Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High. Malachi 1:14 “But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations. Proverbs 6:1-5 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, / if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, / then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. ... Jonah 2:9 But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!” Leviticus 27:2-8 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When someone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the value of persons, / if the valuation concerns a male from twenty to sixty years of age, then your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. / Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. ... 1 Samuel 1:11 And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.” Matthew 23:16-22 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ / You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? / And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ ... Treasury of Scripture Better is it that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. Deuteronomy 23:22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. Proverbs 20:25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry. Acts 5:4 Whiles 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. Jump to Previous Better Complete Fulfill Oath Pay Shouldest Shouldst VowJump to Next Better Complete Fulfill Oath Pay Shouldest Shouldst VowEcclesiastes 5 1. vanities in divine service8. in murmuring against oppression 9. and in riches 18. Joy in riches is the gift of God. It is better not to vow In ancient Israel, vows were solemn promises made to God, often in the context of seeking His favor or blessing. The practice of making vows is seen throughout the Old Testament, such as in Numbers 30:2, where it is stated that a man must not break his word once he has made a vow. The emphasis here is on the seriousness of making a vow to God, highlighting the importance of integrity and the weight of one's words. In the cultural context, vows were not only religious but also social commitments, and failing to fulfill them could lead to a loss of honor and trust within the community. than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Persons / Places / Events 1. Solomon- Traditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the king of Israel known for his wisdom, wealth, and writings. His reflections in Ecclesiastes offer insights into the human condition and the pursuit of meaning. 2. Israel - The nation to whom the wisdom literature, including Ecclesiastes, was originally addressed. The cultural and religious context of Israel included practices of making vows to God. 3. Temple Worship - In the context of ancient Israel, vows were often made in the context of temple worship, where individuals would promise offerings or actions to God. Teaching Points The Seriousness of VowsMaking a vow is a serious commitment before God. It is not to be taken lightly or made impulsively. Understanding the gravity of a vow can prevent rash promises that one cannot keep. Integrity in Speech Our words should reflect our integrity. Whether in vows or everyday speech, Christians are called to be truthful and reliable, reflecting God's character. Avoiding Rash Promises It is better to refrain from making a promise than to make one and fail to fulfill it. This teaches us to be thoughtful and deliberate in our commitments. Reflecting on Motives Before making a vow, consider the motives behind it. Are we seeking to honor God, or are we driven by personal gain or pressure from others? Trusting in God's Sovereignty Recognize that our ability to fulfill vows is ultimately dependent on God's grace and provision. Trust in His sovereignty as we make commitments.Verse 5. - Better is it that thou shouldest not vow. There is no harm in not vowing (Deuteronomy 23:22); but a vow once made becomes of the nature of an oath, and its non-performance is a sin and sacrilege, and incurs the punishment of false swearing. We gather from the Talmud that frivolous excuses for the evasion of vows were very common, and called for stern repression, One sees this in our Lord's references (Matthew 5:33-37; Matthew 23:16-22). St. Paul severely reprehends those women who break their vow of widowhood, "having condemnation, because they have rejected their first faith" (1 Timothy 5:12). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew It is betterט֖וֹב (ṭō·wḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good not לֹֽא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to vow תִדֹּ֑ר (ṯid·dōr) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5087: To promise than to make a vow מִשֶׁתִּדּ֖וֹר (miš·šet·tid·dō·wr) Preposition-m, Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5087: To promise and not וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no fulfill it. תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ (ṯə·šal·lêm) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 7999: To be safe, to be, completed, to be friendly, to reciprocate Links Ecclesiastes 5:5 NIVEcclesiastes 5:5 NLT Ecclesiastes 5:5 ESV Ecclesiastes 5:5 NASB Ecclesiastes 5:5 KJV Ecclesiastes 5:5 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 5:5 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 5:5 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 5:5 French Bible Ecclesiastes 5:5 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5:5 It is better that you should not (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
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