Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
(Ecc. 5:1-20)
From vanity connected with kings, he passes to vanities (Ecclesiastes 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 (Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15, which passages perhaps gave rise to the custom). WEISS needlessly reads, "Keep thy feast days" (Exodus 23:14, Exodus 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). (Psalms 51:16-17; Proverbs 21:3; Jeremiah 6:20; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Jeremiah 14:12; Amos 5:21-24). The warning is against mere ceremonial self-righteousness, as in Ecclesiastes 7:12. Obedience is the spirit of the law's requirements (Deuteronomy 10:12). Solomon sorrowfully looks back on his own neglect of this (compare 1 Kings 8:63 with Ecclesiastes 11:4, Ecclesiastes 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 wilful sin (Numbers 15:30-31; Hebrews 10:26-29).
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Ecclesiastes 5:2
Ecclesiastes 5:8
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