Ecclesiastes 5:7

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

Ver. 7. For in the multitude af dreams, and in many words,] i.e., As in the multitude of dreams, so in many words, &c. There may be some matter in some of either; but neither of them wants their vanities. Dreams are of various sorts. {See Trapp on "Gen 20:3"} Epicurus judged them all vain. The Telmisenses nulla somnia evacuabant, saith Tertullian, {a} made no dreams to be vain. But that some dreams are divine, some diabolical, and some natural, Peculiare solarium naturalis oraculi, as one speaketh, good symptoms and indications of the natural constitution, no wise man ever doubted. That of the philosopher {b} hath a truth in it, Iustum ab iniusto non somno, sed somnio discerni, that a good man may be distinguished from a bad, though not by his sleep, yet by his dreams in his sleep.

But fear thou God.] And so eschew this evil of fond babbling (in God’s service especially), which is no less a vanity than plain doting, and procures Divine displeasure. Deum siquis parum metuit, valde contemnit. {c} He that fears not God’s wrath is sure to feel it. {Psa 90:11}

{a} Tertul., De Anima, c. 46.

{b} Aristot. Ethic.

{c} Fulgent.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ecc 5:7. For in the multitude, &c. — There is a great deal of folly, as in a multitude of dreams, which for the most part are vain and insignificant, so also in many words, especially in making many vows, whereby a man is exposed to many snares and temptations. But fear thou God — Fear the wrath of God, and therefore be sparing in making vows, and just in performing them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5:7 Fear God: Reverence for God is the foundation for worthwhile words and useful activities (see 12:1; Prov 1:7).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Meaning, that God will redress these things, and therefore we must depend upon him.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(See on Ecc 5:3). God's service, which ought to be our chief good, becomes by "dreams" (foolish fancies as of God's requirements of us in worship), and random "words," positive "vanity." The remedy is, whatever fools may do, "Fear thou God" (Ecc 12:13).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 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.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(7) This verse presents some difficulties of translation springing from corruption of text, but not affecting the general sense; according to which the many words which belong to the dreams and vanities of heathendom are contrasted with the fear of the only God.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. For in the multitude of dreams] The order of the words in the A. V. is not that of the Hebrew, which gives For in the multitude of dreams and vanities and many words, but is adopted by many commentators as representing a more correct text. The introduction of the word “vanities” (the “divers” of the A. V. has, as the italics shew, nothing answering to it in the Hebrew,) indicates the purpose of the writer in thus noting the weak points of popular religionism. They also, the dreams which seemed to them as messages from heaven, the “many words” of long and resounding prayers, took their place in the induction which was to prove that “all is vanity.” So Theophrastus (Charact. xvi.) describes the superstitious man (δεισιδαίμων) as agitated when he sees a vision and straightway going off to consult a soothsayer. In contrast with the garrulous rashness and the inconsiderate vows and the unwise reliance on dreams which Judaism was learning from heathenism (Mat_6:7) Koheleth falls back on the “fear of God,” the temper of reverential and silent awe, which was “the beginning of wisdom” (Pro_1:7; Job_28:28). It is significant that here again the teaching of Koheleth has a parallel in that of the Epicurean poet who traces the “religions” of mankind (in his sense of the word) in no small measure to the influence of dreams.

“Quippe etenim jam tum divum mortalia sæcla

Egregias animo facies vigilante videbant,

Et magis in somnis mirando corporis auctu.”

“Even then the race of mortal men would see

With waking soul the mighty forms of Gods,

And in their dreams with shapes of wondrous size.”

Lucret. De Rer. Nat. v. 1169–71.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Ecc 12:13; The Targum is,

"for in the multitude of the dreams of the false prophets believe not, nor in the vanities of the authors of enchantments, and the many speeches of ungodly men; but serve the wise and just, and of them seek doctrine, and fear before the Lord;''

see Jer 23:28;

(s) So Luther, Broughton, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

These. God will bring the wicked to judgment, (Calmet) and shew for what design he left them in power. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

There is a great deal of vanity and folly, as in

multitude of dreams, which for the most part are vain and insignificant, so also in many words, i.e. in making many vows, whereby a man is exposed to many snares and temptations.

Fear thou God; fear the offence and wrath of God, and therefore be sparing in making vows, and just in performing them; whereby he implies that this rashness in vowing, and slackness in performing vows, proceed from the want of a just reverence and dread of the Divine Majesty, who is immediately concerned in these matters.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7. Dreams… many words… vanities — The first part of this verse, as given in our version, that there are “vanities” in dreams, etc., has no meaning. The verse is better understood as telling why worship ever becomes unprofitable, so as to make necessary the preceding admonitions. Putting the words into their simplest construction, by Hebrew usage we have, This comes by many reveries and talkings and vanities. By these, worship is made worthless, and vows come to be rashly uttered. There is beauty and freshness in this turning of Koheleth to the house of God after his weary and disheartening observations on so much of human life as he has now examined. “This was too painful for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God.” There he finds help and consolation, and is strengthened to resume and extend his inquiries. Yet, even here, he maintains his professional character. “Koheleth was a hakim,” a public teacher, and amid the comforts of the sanctuary he still utters admonitions and suggestions concerning true and fitting worship, “seeking out and setting in order” pithy and wholesome sayings. He now enters again upon a series of investigations.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities. The Hebrew is literally, For in multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words; i.e., as Wright puts it, "In the multitude of dreams are also vanities, and (in) many words (as well)." Koheleth sums up the sense of the preceding paragraph, vers. 1-6. The popular religion, which made much of dreams and verbosity and vows, is vanity, and has in it nothing substantial or comforting. The superstitious man who puts his faith in dreams is unpractical and unreal; the garrulous man who is rash in his vows, and in prayer thinks to be heard for his much speaking, displeases God and never secures his object. Ginsburg and Bullock render, "For it is (it happens) through the multitude of idle thoughts and vanities and much talking," the reference being either to the foolish speaking of ver. 2 or to the wrath of God in ver. 6. The Septuagint rendering is elliptical, Oti ej plhqei ejnupniwn kaitwn kaigwn pollwn oti su ton Qeon fobou. To complete this, some supply, "Many vows are made or excused;" others, "There is evil." Vulgate, Ubi multa aunt somnia, plurimae aunt vanitates, et sermones innumeri." The Authorized Version gives the sense of the passage. But fear thou God. In contrast with these spurious forms of religion, which the Jews were inclined to adopt, the writer recalls men to the fear of the one true God, to whom all vows should be performed, and who should be worshipped from the heart.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For - There is a great deal of folly, as in multitude of dreams, which for the most part are vain and insignificant, so also in many words, in making many vows whereby a man is exposed to many snares and temptations. But - Fear the wrath of God, and therefore be sparing in making vows, and just in performing them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

fear

(See Scofield "Psa 19:9")

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If you see oppression of the poor and deprivation of justice and righteousness, etc. If you see in the province that they oppress the poor and deprive [them of] justice and righteousness.

wonder not about the will of the Omnipresent, when He brings evil upon them.

for the Highest over the high waits and sees their deeds, and there are higher ones [i.e., angels] over them who perform the agency of the Omnipresent, and they have a strong hand to punish them.

and deprivation of justice Heb. וְגֵזֶל מִשְּׁפָּט, deprivation of justice. Since it is in the construct state, it is vowelized גֶזֶל, with a small “pattah” (seggol), for were it not in the construct state, it would be vowelized גָזֵל with a “kamatz.” Another explanation: If you see that they oppress the poor and deprive them of justice, and you see charity coming to the city, that the Holy One, blessed be He, lavishes goodness upon them and does not mete retribution upon them, do not wonder about the will of the Omnipresent, for so is His custom, to be slow to anger.

for the Highest over the high waits He waits until their measure is full.

and...higher ones He has over them to recompense them when the time of their visitation arrives, like (Job 14:15): “You do not wait (תִשְּׁמוֹר) for my sin”; (Isa. 26:2): “awaiting (שֹּׁמֵר) the realization”; (Gen. 37:11): “awaited (שָּׁמַר) the matter.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.