Believers must be faithful in keeping promises made to others and to God, because they have been called to live in integrity and truth. False or broken promises are considered as sin.
Examples of promises between people
Genesis 14:22–24 Abraham and the king of Sodom; Genesis 21:22–24 Abraham and Abimelech; Genesis 47:29–31 Jacob and Joseph; Numbers 30:1–16 in family life; Joshua 2:12–21 Rahab and the spies
Examples of people making promises to God
Genesis 28:20–21 Jacob; Judges 11:29–40 Jephthah; 1 Samuel 1:11–20 Hannah; 2 Samuel 15:7–12 Absalom; Nehemiah 10:28–29 returning exiles
Accompaniments to human promises
Taking an oath
Deuteronomy 6:13 See also Genesis 14:22, Genesis 21:24, Genesis 47:31; Joshua 2:12–14; Nehemiah 10:29
Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
Declaring a curse
2 Samuel 3:35 See also Ruth 1:17; 1 Samuel 14:24; 2 Samuel 3:9–10; 1 Kings 2:23; Matthew 26:73–75 parallel Mark 14:70–72
Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
Instructions regarding human promises
The importance of keeping promises
Numbers 30:1–2 See also Psalm 50:14; Proverbs 5:18–23; Malachi 2:14–16; Matthew 19:4–9
Then Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded: If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.
The sin and peril of false promises
Leviticus 19:12 See also Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 23:21; Jeremiah 8:11–12; Ezekiel 13:1–7, Ezekiel 13:10–12; Zechariah 8:17; 2 Peter 2:17–19
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
The danger of making promises rashly, lightly or in ignorance
Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 See also Proverbs 20:25; Matthew 14:1–11 parallel Mark 6:21–28; Matthew 23:16–22
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. Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 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? For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
The call of Jesus Christ to integrity and truth in making promises
Matthew 5:33–37 See also Deuteronomy 23:22–23; Ecclesiastes 5:2, Ecclesiastes 5:5
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.