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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Ecclesiastes 5:4

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed--

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Vows;   Thompson Chain Reference - Covenants and Vows;   Vows;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Swearing/vowing;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fools;   Procrastination;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Vow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Word;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Man;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   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;   Pleasure;   Vow;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ḳorban;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 13;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.
Geneva Bible (1587)
When thou hast vowed a vowe to God, deferre not to pay it: for he deliteth not in fooles: pay therefore that thou hast vowed.
Christian Standard Bible®
When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.
Hebrew Names Version
When you vow a vow to God, don't defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
Easy-to-Read Version
If you make a promise to God, keep your promise. Don't be slow to do what you promised. God is not happy with fools. Give God what you promised to give him.
Amplified Bible
When you make a vow or a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools [who thoughtlessly mock Him]. Pay what you vow.
American Standard Version
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.
Contemporary English Version
God doesn't like fools. So don't be slow to keep your promises to God.
Complete Jewish Bible
Better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not discharge it.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
King James Version (1611)
When thou vowest a vow vnto God, deferre not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fooles; pay that which thou hast vowed.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
It is better that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
English Revised Version
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.
Berean Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
Lexham English Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, for he takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you vow!
Literal Translation
When you vow a vow to God, do not wait to fulfill it. For He has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill that which you have vowed.
New Century Version
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.
New English Translation
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!
New Living Translation
When you make a promise to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.
New Life Bible
When you make a promise to God, do not be late in paying it, for He is not pleased with fools. Pay what you promise to pay!
New Revised Standard
When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you vow.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards, - what thou vowest, pay!
Douay-Rheims Bible
(5-3) If thou hast vowed any thing to God, defer not to pay it: for an unfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth him: but whatsoever thou hast vowed, pay it.
George Lamsa Translation
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools; but as for you, pay that which you have vowed.
Good News Translation
So when you make a promise to God, keep it as quickly as possible. He has no use for a fool. Do what you promise to do.
New American Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!
King James Version
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If thou make a vowe vnto God, be not slacke to perfourme it: As for foolish vowes he hath no pleasure in them: yf thou promise any thyng, pay it.
Darby Translation
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If thou hast avowid ony thing to God, tarie thou not to yelde; for an vnfeithful and fonned biheest displesith hym; but `yelde thou what euer thing thou hast avowid;
Young's Literal Translation
When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest -- complete.
World English Bible
When you vow a vow to God, don't defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
Revised Standard Version
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.
Update Bible Version
When you vow a vow to God, don't defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay that which you vow.
Webster's Bible Translation
When thou vowest a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for [he hath] no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Bible in Basic English
When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf thou make a vowe vnto God, be not slacke to perfourme it. As for foolish vowes, he hath no pleasure in them.
THE MESSAGE
When you tell God you'll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!
Legacy Standard Bible
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

Contextual Overview

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed-- 5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse [fn] and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. 8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

vowest: Genesis 28:20, Genesis 35:1, Genesis 35:3, Numbers 30:2, Deuteronomy 23:21-23, Psalms 50:14, Psalms 76:11, Psalms 119:106, Isaiah 19:21, Matthew 5:33

for: Psalms 147:10, Psalms 147:11, Malachi 1:10, Hebrews 10:6

pay: Psalms 66:13, Psalms 66:14, Psalms 116:14, Psalms 116:16-18, Jonah 2:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 35:7 - built Leviticus 22:18 - vows Leviticus 22:21 - to accomplish Leviticus 27:2 - a singular vow Deuteronomy 23:23 - That which Judges 11:30 - General 1 Samuel 1:11 - vowed 2 Samuel 15:8 - thy servant Job 22:27 - pay thy Psalms 5:5 - The Psalms 22:25 - I will Psalms 56:12 - Thy Proverbs 20:25 - after Jonah 1:16 - made Malachi 1:14 - which hath in his flock Mark 12:17 - and to Mark 14:4 - Why Acts 5:3 - to keep

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Genesis 5:1
1 Chronicles 1:1-4; Luke 3:36-38">[xr] This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.
Genesis 5:3
And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
Genesis 5:7
After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:10
After he begot Cainan, Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and had sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:13
After he begot Mahalalel, Cainan lived eight hundred and forty years, and had sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:19
After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:22
After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:26
After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:30
After he begot Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and had sons and daughters.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When thou vowest a vow unto God,.... Or "if thou vowest" r, 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 power of man to perform, and are not inconsistent with the will and word of God; they have been made by good men, and were frequent in former times; but they seem not so agreeable to the Gospel dispensation, having a tendency to ensnare the mind, to entangle men, and bring on them a spirit of bondage, contrary to that liberty wherewith Christ has made them free; and therefore it is better to abstain from them: holy resolutions to do the will and work of God should be taken up in the strength of divine grace; but to vow this, or that, or the other thing, which a man previous to his vow is not obliged unto, had better be let alone: but however, when a vow is made that is lawful to be done,

defer not to pay it; that is, to God, to whom it is made, who expects it, and that speedily, as Hannah paid hers; no excuses nor delays should be made;

for [he hath] no pleasure in fools; that is, the Lord hath no pleasure in them, he will not be mocked by them; he will resent such treatment of him, as to vow and not pay, or defer payment and daily, with him. So the Targum,

"for the Lord hath no pleasure in fools, because, they defer their vows, and do not pay;''

pay that which thou hast vowed; precisely and punctually; both as to the matter, manner, and time of it.

r כאשר תדר "si quid vovisti", V. L.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 5:4. When thou vowest a vow — When in distress and difficulty, men are apt to promise much to God if he will relieve them; but generally forget the vow when the distress or trouble is gone by.


 
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