Ecclesiastes 5:7
in Ecclesiastes 5For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.
KJV
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 5
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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" (Ec 12:13).
This site's exposition
When you make a vow to God
on Ecclesiastes 5:4-7
A vow is words too: When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. Gill takes the messenger as likely the priest, and calling the vow a mistake leaves debt standing, so the counsel closes on Therefore, fear God.
This site's exposition
as many dreams bring futility
Wesley reads the many words as rash vows, and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown see worship itself turned futile by idle fancy and careless speech. Fear of God is the remedy both name. Clarke applies it to troubling dreams, holding that one who fears God need fear nothing else.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"If you see oppression of the poor, and the suppression of justice and right of the State, do not be astonished at the fact, for there is One higher than the high Who watches and there are high ones above them. The advantage of land is supreme; even a king is indebted to the soil." Christ's garment, woven on top, was not able to be torn by those who crucified him; and the Saviour threw him from that demon, and advised him to go away having put on the clothes of the apostles.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
And the origin of this speech is added: because it does not arise from right reason, but from the illusion of dreams; on account of which he says: "Where there are many dreams, there are very many vanities," because a dream is vanity: Isaiah twenty-nine: …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
25, 26 ); and many now perplex themselves with their frightful or odd dreams, or with other people's dreams, as if they foreboded this or the other disaster. Those that heed dreams shall have a multitude of them to fill their heads with; but in them all there are divers vanities, as there are in many words, and the more if we regard them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
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.
For in the multitude of dreams, and many words, there are also divers vanities,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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, I do not fear thee.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For ... vanities - Or, For so it happens through many dreams and vanities and many words.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בְרֹ֤ב | vero | in abundance of | H7230 → | 149 times |
| חֲלֹמוֹת֙ | chalomot | dreams | H2472 → | |
| וַהֲבָלִ֔ים | vahavalim | and futilities | H1892 → | 73 times |
| וּדְבָרִ֖ים | udevarim | and words | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַרְבֵּ֑ה | harbeh | many | H7235 → | 227 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יְרָֽא׃ | yera' | fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בְרֹ֤בin abundance of
veroH7230 →149 times
חֲלֹמוֹת֙dreams
chalomotH2472 →
וַהֲבָלִ֔יםand futilities
vahavalimH1892 →73 times
וּדְבָרִ֖יםand words
udevarimH1697 →1440 times
הַרְבֵּ֑הmany
harbehH7235 →227 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
יְרָֽא׃fear
yera'H3372 →315 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ecclesiastes 12:13When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 10:12
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your…
- Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Deuteronomy 6:2
so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the LORD your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that…
- Psalms 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Job 28:28
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Deuteronomy 10:12
Through
Matthew 12:36But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- Romans 2:16
on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
- Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their…
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.