Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Ecclesiastes 5:6 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 6. 6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse warns against speech that implicates the body in sin and against excusing the vow as an error before a messenger.
Keep thy foot; let thy words be few
This verse is one part of that explanation in Ecclesiastes 5:1-7. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Read Ecclesiastes 5:6 with 5:1-7. This verse warns against speech that implicates the body in sin and against excusing the vow as an error before a messenger. The full unit establishes this movement: Worship before the God in heaven requires attentive listening, restrained speech, truthful vows, refusal of excuses, and fear of God rather than verbal volume or careless sacrifice.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The first extended imperative section applies human limitation to religious practice: words spoken before God do not create control and can become wrongdoing. Within that movement, this verse warns against speech that implicates the body in sin and against excusing the vow as an error before a messenger.
Follow the Context
- Guard the approach to God's house and draw near to hear.
- Few words fit the distance between heaven and earth.
- Busy dreams and many words expose folly.
- Vows must be performed without delay.
- A verbal excuse before the messenger does not erase responsibility.
- Many dreams and words end in hebel; fear God.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“before the angel”
In plain language: Before a messenger or official whose identity is debated.
warns against speech that implicates the body in sin and against excusing the vow as an error before a messenger. A verbal retraction cannot erase consequences when a promise was carelessly used.
Why it matters: The wording carries interpretive or ethical risk requiring the complete unit and stated limits.
How certain? probableWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The verse does not forbid reporting a genuine mistake, coercion, misunderstanding, or lack of capacity.
It does not authorize a priest, angel, or institution to punish someone without fair review.
What Remains True
A verbal retraction cannot erase consequences when a promise was carelessly used.
How It Can Shape Life
- Correct mistakes quickly and transparently without inventing excuses or concealing harm.
Teach It Back
Explain Ecclesiastes 5:6's precise role in Ecclesiastes 5:1-7. Include the complete movement, one material uncertainty, and one conclusion the verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 — Listen, Speak Carefully, and Fear GodSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The messenger may be angelic, priestly, or administrative; the exact setting is uncertain.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact displayed Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, repository-pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗hebrew text and morphology
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible: Ecclesiastes
Open Scriptures
Open Scriptures, release 2.2
Supports: Masoretic Hebrew wording and morphology used for lexical, grammatical, repeated-word, and translation questions.
Exact location: Open Scriptures MorphHB v2.2, commit 6a5db284c715c18b239422e57bb89684e6a19f00, wlc/Eccl.xml, 5:1-7
Open source ↗translation and translator notes
NET Bible: Ecclesiastes with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2006
Supports: Verse-level textual, grammatical, lexical, literary, and translation alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible Ecclesiastes PDF, printed pp. 1202-1203, translation and notes on 5:1-7
Open source ↗