For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. (4) When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. (5) Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. (6) 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? (7) For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
The divers vanities in dreams are what the Preacher is particularly marking in what is here said, and which he speaks lightly of: but not those in which the fear of God is. The scripture account of dreams, and visions of the night, are not what Solomon is speaking of. We know that the Lord was graciously pleased to make use of them upon many and various occasions of good: and when realized, they cease to be dreams; for the divine testimony is upon them. And here they cannot deceive. Elihu saith, that God speaketh in them: Job 33:15-16. And we have some blessed events said to have been first given in dreams. The dream of Pharaoh made way for great events not only in the family of Israel, but the church itself. Genesis 41:1-16. The great promise of the Spirit is said to be poured out in dreams, Joel 2:28. Yea, the name of Jesus was first given to Joseph in a dream. Matthew 1:20-21. If the Reader wishes to see more in confirmation of this doctrine, I refer him to several scriptures: Genesis 31:37; Genesis 31:37; Jos 7:13; 1 Samuel 28:6; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 4:5; Daniel 4:5, etc. Respecting the subject of vows, we find, it formed a part of the divine directions in this particular, with Israel in the wilderness, Numbers 30:1. Among the followers of Jesus, the solemn dedication of the soul to God in Christ, is the only vow which we are authorized to make. The purchase of Christ's blood is Christ's property; and as such, every vow truly such, is to glorify God in our body, and in our spirit, which are his. 1 Corinthians 6:20. It is not very easy to determine what the Preacher meant by the charge: Say not before the angel, that it was an error. An angel, in scripture, means a messenger and hence Christ himself as such, is called the Messenger of the Covenant. Malachi 3:1. But whether Solomon had an eye to Christ, when thus speaking, is not clear. However, his caution is good. And if every idle word is to be accounted for in the day of judgment, rash and inconsiderate expressions of the mouth cause the soul to sin. Matthew 12:36.