Ecclesiastes 5:6

Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Teacher addresses the community regarding the making and fulfillment of religious vows. He intervenes at the moment a vow is spoken but risks being broken.

The words — `לַ/חֲטִ֣יא (la./cha.Ti')` means to cause to sin, and `בְּשָׂרֶ/ךָ (be.sa.Re./kha)` translates to your flesh. The Hebrew directly links physical vulnerability to the consequences of uncontrolled speech.

The thread — The text warns against letting the tongue invalidate religious practice, a theme repeated in James 1:26 and James 3:2. The consequence of ruined labor aligns with the warning in 2 John 1:8 against losing what has been worked for.

Why it lands — The text commands strict adherence to vows and forbids dismissing broken promises as errors. It states plainly that God will judge reckless speech by destroying the work those words produced.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

Suffer 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?

Cross-references

James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
2 John 1:8 Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
James 3:2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.
Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Malachi 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
Leviticus 5:4 Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.
Genesis 48:16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
Numbers 15:25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole congregation of Israel, so that they may be forgiven; for the sin was unintentional and they have brought to the LORD a food offering and a sin offering, presented before the LORD for their unintentional sin.
1 Corinthians 3:13 his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.
Hebrews 1:14 Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?