Ecclesiastes 5:2 Cross References - NSB

² Do not be in a hurry to talk. Do not be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words.

²⁷ Then Abraham answered and said: »Indeed now, I who am only dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to Jehovah:

³⁰ Abraham then said: »Do not be angry, and let me speak. Suppose thirty should be found there?« God replied: »I will not do it if I find thirty there.«

³² Abraham again queried: »Please do not be angry as I speak once more: Suppose ten should be found there?« God said: »I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.«

²⁰ Jacob made a vow. He said: »If God will be with me and will watch over me on my trip and give me food to eat and clothes to wear,

²² »This stone I placed as a marker will be the house of God. I will certainly give you a tenth of everything you give me.«

² »If a man makes a vow to Jehovah that he will do something or swears an oath that he will not do something, he must not break his word. He must do everything he said he would do. ³ »A young girl, who still lives in her father’s house, might make a vow to Jehovah that she will do something or swear an oath that she will not do something. ⁴ »She must do everything that she vowed or promised unless her father raises an objection when he hears about it. ⁵ »If her father forbids her to fulfill the vow when he hears about it, she is not required to keep it. Jehovah will forgive her, because her father refused to let her keep it.

³⁰ Jephthah promised Jehovah: »If you give me victory over the Ammonites,

²⁴ And all the people were with Saul. There were about twenty thousand men. The fight was general through all the mountains of Ephraim. Saul made a great error that day. He put the people under an oath, saying: »Let that man be cursed who eats any food before evening. I have taken vengeance on my enemies.« So the people did not eat. ²⁵ All the people came to the forest. There was honey on the ground. The bees had gone from it. ²⁶ When the people entered the woods, the honey was flowing. But no one put his hand to his mouth. The people were afraid of violating their oath. ²⁷ Jonathan had not heard that his father forced the people to take an oath. So he stretched out the tip of the staff he had in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he put it to his mouth his eyes lit up. ²⁸ Then one of the people told him: »Your father forced the people to take a solemn oath, saying: ‘Cursed is anyone who eats food today.’« That is why the people were exhausted. ²⁹ Jonathan answered: »My father brought trouble to the country. See how my eyes lit up when I tasted a little of this honey? ³⁰ »If only the people had eaten some of the enemies’ food they found today. We would have killed more Philistines.« ³¹ That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, but the people were thoroughly exhausted. ³² They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the ground and ate the meat without draining the blood. ³³ Someone told Saul: »The army is disobeying Jehovah by eating meat before the blood drains out.« »You are right,« Saul answered. »They are being unfaithful to Jehovah! Hurry! Roll a big rock over here.« ³⁴ »Then tell everyone in camp to bring their cattle and lambs to me. They can kill the animals on this rock and then eat the meat. That way no one will disobey Jehovah by eating meat with blood still in it.« That night the people brought their cattle over to the big rock and killed them there. ³⁵ It was the first altar Saul had built for offering sacrifices to Jehovah. ³⁶ Saul said: »Let us attack the Philistines again while it is still dark. We can fight them all night. Let us kill them and take everything they own!« The people answered: »We will do whatever you want.« Ahijah the priest said: »Wait! Let us ask God what we should do.« ³⁷ Saul asked God: »Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help us win?« This time God did not answer. ³⁸ Saul called his army officers together and said: »We have to find out what sin has kept God from answering. ³⁹ »I promise by the living Jehovah, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan.« But no one said anything. ⁴⁰ Then Saul said to them: »All of you stand over there. Jonathan and I will stand over here.« »Do whatever you think best,« they answered. ⁴¹ Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel, give a perfect lot. Jonathan and Samuel were taken, but the people escaped. ⁴² Then Saul said: »Cast lots to decide between my son Jonathan and me.« And Jonathan was indicated. ⁴³ Then Saul asked Jonathan: »What have you done?« Jonathan answered: »I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am. I am ready to die.« ⁴⁴ Saul said: »May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!« ⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul: »Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death?« »No! We promise by the living Jehovah that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God’s help.« So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.

³ Our God is in heaven. He does whatever he pleases.

¹⁹ Sin does not hide from a multitude of words. The wise controls his lips.

²⁵ It is dangerous to make a vow to God before counting the cost.

³ Dreams come with many efforts, trials and concerns. Fools speak with too many words.

⁷ There is futility and emptiness in many dreams and in many words. Reverence God.

⁹ »As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

⁷ »Large quantities of meaningless words and repetition are not acceptable in prayer. The pagans think their gods will hear long and repetitious prayers.

⁹ »‘Our Father in heaven, holy is your name. (Exodus 6:3) (Psalm 83:18) (Isaiah 42:8; 54:5; 63:16; 64:8)

²³ He pledged to her, »Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom.«

² We all stumble in many things. If any do not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able to restrain (control) the whole body.