Ecclesiastes 5:7 (KJV)

What does Ecclesiastes 5:7 mean?

Ecclesiastes 5:7 contrasts empty religious talk with a serious regard for God. The verse warns that a flood of dreams and words can amount to very little, while giving its listener one direct instruction: “fear thou God.”

The speaker is the Teacher, who addresses the listener after warning about careless promises to God. The mention of dreams adds the picture of fleeting experiences alongside a stream of speech. The closing command shifts the focus from all those words to the attitude behind speaking to God.

The Hebrew behind Ecclesiastes 5:7

• “vanities” — הֶבֶל (hevel): The word can mean a breath or vapor. Here it suggests something fleeting or insubstantial, an image that gives the old English “divers vanities” more color.
• “fear” — יָרֵא (yareʾ): The word can mean to be afraid or to regard someone with awe. In this setting, it points to a serious regard for God rather than casual speech.

Why Ecclesiastes 5:7 matters

• The verse treats promises to God as serious words, not just words to be spoken. The warning follows the instruction in verse 4 to pay what one has promised.
• The verse sets a limit on the value of speaking at length. Verse 2 says, “let thy words be few,” and verse 7 places “many words” alongside “vanities.”
• “Divers” means various kinds, not people who dive. The KJV phrase “divers vanities” describes different forms of emptiness or worthlessness.