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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comJamieson Fausset Brown Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:1 - 5:1
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From vanity connected with kings, he passes to vanities (Ecc 5:7) which may be fallen into in serving the King of kings, even by those who, convinced of the vanity of the creature, wish to worship the Creator.
Keep thy foot - In going to worship, go with considerate, circumspect, reverent feeling. The allusion is to the taking off the shoes, or sandals, in entering a temple (Exo 3:5; Jos 5:15, which passages perhaps gave rise to the custom). Weiss needlessly reads, “Keep thy feast days” (Exo 23:14, Exo 23:17; the three great feasts).
hear - rather, “To be ready (to draw nigh with the desire) to hear (obey) is a better sacrifice than the offering of fools” [Holden]. (Vulgate; Syriac). (Psa 51:16, Psa 51:17; Pro 21:3; Jer 6:20; Jer 7:21-23; Jer 14:12; Amo 5:21-24). The warning is against mere ceremonial self-righteousness, as in Ecc 7:12. Obedience is the spirit of the law’s requirements (Deu 10:12). Solomon sorrowfully looks back on his own neglect of this (compare 1Ki 8:63 with Ecc 11:4, Ecc 11:6). Positive precepts of God must be kept, but will not stand instead of obedience to His moral precepts. The last provided no sacrifice for willful sin (Num 15:30, Num 15:31; Heb 10:26-29).