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Read the Bible

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

传道书 5:5

許願不還,不如不許。

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Vows;   The Topic Concordance - Swearing/vowing;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Vow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Word;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Man;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   Vow;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Israel, History of;   Oaths;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ecclesiastes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Temple (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Vows;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Elisha ben Abuyah;   Ḳohelet (Ecclesiastes) Rabbah;   Ḳorban;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 13;  

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
你 许 愿 不 还 , 不 如 不 许 。

Contextual Overview

4 If you make a promise to God, don't be slow to keep it. God is not happy with fools, so give God what you promised. 5 It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it. 6 Don't let your words cause you to sin, and don't say to the priest at the Temple, "I didn't mean what I promised." If you do, God will become angry with your words and will destroy everything you have worked for. 7 Many useless promises are like so many dreams; they mean nothing. You should respect God. 8 In some places you will see poor people mistreated. Don't be surprised when they are not treated fairly or given their rights. One officer is cheated by a higher officer who in turn is cheated by even higher officers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Deuteronomy 23:22, Proverbs 20:25, Acts 5:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 35:7 - built Leviticus 22:21 - to accomplish Leviticus 27:2 - a singular vow Numbers 30:2 - he shall do Deuteronomy 23:21 - General Deuteronomy 23:23 - That which Judges 11:30 - General Nehemiah 5:13 - the people Psalms 22:25 - I will Psalms 50:14 - pay Psalms 116:18 - General Psalms 119:106 - sworn Jonah 2:9 - I will pay Malachi 1:14 - which hath in his flock Mark 12:17 - and to

Cross-References

Genesis 3:19
You will sweat and work hard for your food. Later you will return to the ground, because you were taken from it. You are dust, and when you die, you will return to the dust."
Genesis 5:7
After Enosh was born, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:8
So Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.
Genesis 5:10
After Kenan was born, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:11
So Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.
Genesis 5:12
When Kenan was 70 years old, he had a son named Mahalalel.
Genesis 5:14
So Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.
Genesis 5:21
When Enoch was 65 years old, he had a son named Methuselah.
Genesis 5:22
After Methuselah was born, Enoch walked with God 300 years more and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:32
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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; see Acts 5:4; and therefore it is better not to vow; it is more acceptable to God, and, it is better for a man;

than that thou shouldest vow and not pay; for this shows great weakness and folly, levity and inconstancy, and is resented by the Lord.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 5:5. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, c. — We are under constant obligations to live to God no vow can make it more so. Yet, there may be cases in which we should bind ourselves to take up some particular cross, to perform some particular duty, to forego some particular attachment that does not tend to bring our souls nearer to God. Then, if fully determined, and strong in faith relative to the point, bind and hold fast; but if not fully, rationally, and conscientiously determined, "do not suffer thy mouth to cause thy soul to sin."


 
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