This chapter contains some rules and directions concerning the worship of God; how persons should behave when they go into the house of God; concerning hearing the word, to which there should be a readiness, and which should be preferred to the sacrifices of fools, Eccles. 5:1.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God The house of the sanctuary of the Lord, the temple built by Solomon; and so any place of divine worship, where the word of God is preached, and his ordinances administered.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God In private conversation care should be taken that no rash and unadvised words be spoken in haste, as were by Moses and David; and that no evil, nor even any idle word he uttered, since from, the abundance of…

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business Or, “for as a dream” [[15]], so Aben Ezra; as that comes through a multiplicity of business in the daytime, in which the mind has been busied, and the body employed; and this brings on dreams in the night season, which are confused and…

When thou vowest a vow unto God Or “if thou vowest” [[16]], as the Vulgate Latin version; for vows are free and indifferent things, which persons may make or not; there is no precept for them in the word of God; instances and examples there are, and they may be lawfully made, when they are in the…

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow For a vow is an arbitrary thing; a man is not bound to make it, and while he vows not, it is in his own power, and at his option, whether he will do this or that, or not; but when he has once vowed, he is then brought under an obligation, and must perform;…

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin That is, himself, who is corrupt and depraved; either by making a rash vow, which it is not in his power to keep; or such is the corruption of his nature, and the weakness of the flesh, that he cannot keep it; or by making sinful excuses after he has…

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” [[17]]; as dreams are vain things, or there are abundance of vain things that come into the mind in dreams; so vain and idle are…

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of justice in a province Which is a very disagreeable sight, but often seen; the poor are oppressed, and judgment and justice perverted, and that in a very violent and flagrant manner, in open courts of judicature, in the several…

Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all Or, “the excellency of the earth in” or “above all things is this” [[23]]; that God most high rules over all the earth, and is higher than the kings of it, and all oppressors in it; or in all respects there is a preference, a superior excellency in the…

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver The tillage of the earth is necessary, a very laudable and useful employment, and men do well to busy themselves in it; without this, neither the common people nor the greatest personages can be supplied with the necessaries of life; but then…

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them When a man’s substance increases by trade, or otherwise, very often so it is that his family increases, and he has more mouths to feed, and backs to clothe; or his estate growing larger, if he lives suitably to it, he must keep more servants;…

The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much Or “of a servant” [[8]], who enjoys sleep equally as a king; a tiller of the ground, as Jarchi; who also interprets it of one that serves the Lord, as likewise the Targum; a beloved one of his, to whom he gives sleep, .

There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun Or “an evil sickness” [[11]]. A sinful disease in the person with whom it is found, and very disagreeable to others to behold; it is enough to make one sick to see it; and what he is about to relate he himself was an eyewitness of: namely, riches…

But those riches perish by evil travail Or, “by an evil business or affair” [[12]]. That is, such riches as are not well got, or are not used as they should be, these waste away and come to nothing; either by the owner’s bad management, and misconduct in trade and business; or by fire, tempest,…

As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came This may be understood either of the covetous rich man, or of his son; and that supposing what is before said should not be the case of either of them, but they should possess their substance as long as they live; yet,…

And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go This seems not to be an evil or vanity, distinct from the former; but the same repeated and confirmed, and expressed, if possible, in stronger terms, that a man is in all respects alike, when he goes out of the world, as…

All his days also he eateth in darkness To all that has been said is added another evil, that attends such whose hearts are inordinately set on riches; that all their days, throughout the whole of their lives, they live a most uncomfortable life; for eating is here put for their whole manner of…

Behold that which I have seen Observed, considered and approved of, and which he recommended and excited attention to, and is as follows; it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink; to make use of the creatures God has given for service in a free and liberal manner, without excess, and with…

Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth Which include the whole of a man’s substance; all his estate, personal and real; and all his goods and possessions, movable and immovable, as gold, silver, cattle, fields, and farms; which are all the gift of God, by whatsoever means they may…

For he shall not much remember the days of his life Be they more or fewer, as Jarchi: he will not think life long and tedious; nor dwell upon, and distress himself with, the troubles he has met with, or is likely to meet with; but, being content with the good things God has given him, and freely…