Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Ecclesiastes 5
Ecclesiastes 5:2Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
This verse sets the tone for worship, reminding us that God's greatness demands our thoughtful reverence, not impulsive, empty chatter. True worship begins with listening.Ecclesiastes 5:10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
Here, the Teacher captures the frustrating paradox of materialism: the more you have, the more you want. It's a core observation that wealth itself cannot fill the deeper needs of the human heart.Ecclesiastes 5:19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil - this is the gift of God.
This is the chapter's positive resolution, showing that the ability to enjoy our work and possessions is not a given but a divine gift. True joy is found in gratefully receiving what God provides.
Historical & Cultural Context
From Worldly Injustice to Divine Worship
The Teacher begins this chapter by shifting focus from the injustices of the world, described in chapter 4, to the proper way to engage with the divine. He moves the reader's attention from the horizontal (human relationships) to the vertical (our relationship with God). The setting is the 'house of God,' likely the Temple in Jerusalem, which was the center of Israel's worship. This instruction isn't about ritual specifics but about the posture of the heart - one of humility, reverence, and careful listening.
From the Temple to the Treasury
After establishing the foundation of fearing God, the Teacher transitions to the common human pursuits of wealth and labor. The scene shifts from the sacred space of the temple to the everyday world of economics, government, and personal finance. He observes the anxieties of the rich, the peace of the laborer, and the ultimate futility of hoarding wealth that will be left behind. This section connects our reverence for God with how we view the material blessings and toils 'under the sun.'
Wisdom for Worship and Wealth
In Ecclesiastes 5, the Teacher offers a guide to navigating two of life's most significant arenas: our relationship with God and our relationship with money. The chapter opens with a call to reverent worship, urging caution and sincerity in God's presence. It then transitions to a sharp critique of materialism, showing its failure to provide lasting happiness, before concluding with the secret to true contentment.
How to Approach God (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)
5 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. When you draw near to listen, let your words be few.
2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.
5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
6 Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
Commentary:
When you worship, listen more than you speak, and be sure to keep any promises you make to God.
Don't Be Surprised by Injustice (Ecclesiastes 5:8-9)
8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.
9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.
Commentary:
Corrupt systems of power are a fact of life, so don't be shocked when you see injustice.
The Emptiness of Chasing Riches (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17)
10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
14 And those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.
15 As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.
16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?
17 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
Commentary:
Chasing wealth is a frustrating trap that brings anxiety and ends with nothing to show for it.
The Gift of Contentment (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)
18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil - this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
Commentary:
True joy is a gift from God, found in gratefully enjoying the simple results of your daily work.
Reverence, Riches, and Real Joy
The Fear of God
This chapter defines the 'fear of God' as deep reverence and respect, not terror. This respect shapes our actions, causing us to approach God with humility, listen carefully, and take our commitments to Him seriously. It is the starting point for all wisdom, both in worship and in life.
The Vanity of Materialism
The Teacher systematically dismantles the illusion that wealth brings happiness. He reveals that the love of money is an unquenchable thirst that creates anxiety and is ultimately temporary. This theme highlights the 'vanity' - the fleeting, empty nature - of placing one's ultimate hope in earthly possessions.
Contentment as a Divine Gift
The chapter's most positive theme is that true contentment is not earned but received. The ability to enjoy your food, your drink, and the fruit of your labor is a direct gift from God. This shifts the focus from striving and acquiring to gratefully accepting the simple joys of the life God has provided.
Applying Ancient Wisdom to Modern Life
Ecclesiastes 5 portrays God as majestic and transcendent - He is 'in heaven and you are on earth' (v. 2). This reality calls for our reverence and careful thought, not casual familiarity. He is also a God who takes pleasure in integrity, not in fools who break their vows, and He is the ultimate source of joy and contentment (v. 19).
You can apply this by transforming your prayer life to include more listening and less speaking, as verse 1 encourages. It also challenges you to examine your relationship with money, asking if you are pursuing it for satisfaction, which verse 10 says is a dead end. The chapter calls you to actively look for and celebrate the 'gift of God' in your daily life - the simple joy in a meal or satisfaction in a day's work.
It means finding peace and gratitude in your current circumstances, whatever they may be. Instead of constantly striving for the next promotion or a bigger house, you can choose to find satisfaction in the work you have today, as seen in verse 19. It's about shifting your perspective from what you lack to what God has already given you, and finding joy right there.
Fear God, Enjoy His Gifts
Ecclesiastes 5 presents a balanced path to a meaningful life, grounded in two realities: God's greatness and our limitations. True wisdom begins with revering God, which shapes how we worship and what we promise. This reverence then frees us from the anxious, unsatisfying pursuit of wealth, allowing us to see our daily work and provisions not as rights to be seized, but as gifts to be enjoyed.
What This Means for Us Today
The Teacher invites us to a significant shift in perspective - from a life of anxious getting to a life of grateful receiving This means approaching God with a humble, listening heart and viewing our daily work, food, and relationships as gifts from His hand. True contentment is found not in what we can accumulate, but in what we can joyfully accept from God each day.
- In what area of your life do you need to talk less and listen to God more?
- What specific, simple gift from God can you pause to enjoy and give thanks for today?
- How can you guard your heart against the anxiety that comes from loving money or possessions?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter on the bitterness of oppression and lonely toil sets the stage for chapter 5's search for meaning in worship and contentment.
The following chapter continues the theme of the vanity of wealth, describing the tragedy of having riches but no ability to enjoy them.
Connections Across Scripture
Jesus gives similar counsel on the folly of storing up earthly treasures and warns that you cannot serve both God and money.
Paul echoes the Teacher's sentiments, stating that 'godliness with contentment is great gain' and 'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.'
This Proverb captures the essence of Ecclesiastes 5:12, stating, 'Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it.'
Historical and Cultural Context
This passage from the Law of Moses provides the legal background for the Teacher's strong warning about the seriousness of making vows to God.
Discussion Questions
- In a culture that values self-expression, what are the challenges and benefits of applying the principle 'let your words be few' (Bible/ecclesiastes/5_2">Ecclesiastes 5:2) in your personal prayer and public worship?
- Ecclesiastes 5:10 says that 'he who loves money will not be satisfied with money.' How have you seen this principle play out in your own life or in the world around you?
- The chapter concludes that the ability to enjoy our life and work is a 'gift of God' (v. 19). What practical steps can you take this week to shift your focus from striving for more to gratefully receiving and enjoying what you already have?