Promises made to God, usually in the context of worship or religious practice. There was no requirement on any Israelite to make vows, but once made, they were binding and had to be kept.
Vows were binding
Deuteronomy 23:21–23 See also Numbers 30:2, Numbers 30:9; Proverbs 20:25; Ecclesiastes 5:4–6; Malachi 1:14
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.
Exceptions to keeping vows
Numbers 30:3–8 In certain cases vows made by daughters or wives could be nullified by fathers or husbands respectively. See also Numbers 30:10–15
And if a woman in her father’s house during her youth makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge, and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. But if her father prohibits her on the day he hears about it, then none of the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. The LORD will absolve her because her father has prohibited her. If a woman marries while under a vow or rash promise by which she has bound herself, and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her on that day, then the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. But if her husband prohibits her when he hears of it, he nullifies the vow that binds her or the rash promise she has made, and the LORD will absolve her.
Vows made to God in the context of worship
To offer sacrifices
Leviticus 22:17–19 See also Leviticus 7:16, Leviticus 22:21, Leviticus 27:9; Numbers 15:2–4, Numbers 15:8–10; Deuteronomy 12:6, Deuteronomy 12:11; Psalm 50:14, Psalm 66:13; Proverbs 7:14; Jonah 2:9
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the Israelites and tell them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or any foreign resident who presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, whether to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf.
To dedicate people, animals or property to God
To give money
2 Kings 12:4–5 See also Deuteronomy 23:18
Then Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as sacred gifts into the house of the LORD — the census money, the money from vows, and the money brought voluntarily into the house of the LORD. Let every priest receive it from his constituency, and let it be used to repair any damage found in the temple.”
Motives for making vows
To elicit God's help
1 Samuel 1:11 See also Genesis 28:20–22; Numbers 21:2; Judges 11:30–40; 2 Samuel 15:7–8; Psalm 66:13–14
And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
To express thanksgiving
Psalm 116:12–14 See also Psalm 50:14, Psalm 56:12, Psalm 116:17–18; Jonah 1:16, Jonah 2:9
How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me? I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people.
To praise God
Psalm 22:25 See also Psalm 61:8, Psalm 65:1
My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.
Vows of Nazirites
Numbers 6:1–21; Judges 13:2–5 Samson was set apart as a Nazirite from birth; 1 Samuel 1:11 Samuel may have been a Nazirite.
Examples of vows made to God
By David
how he swore an oath to the LORD, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
By Paul
Acts 18:18 See also Acts 21:24–26
Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.
Abuse of vows
Matthew 15:5–6 parallel Mark 7:11–13
Vows made to idols
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands your words: ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have made to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ Go ahead, then, do what you have promised! Keep your vows! Nevertheless, hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah living in Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says the LORD, that never again will any man of Judah living in the land of Egypt invoke My name or say, ‘As surely as the Lord GOD lives.’ I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and every man of Judah who is in the land of Egypt will meet his end by sword or famine, until they are finished off. Those who escape the sword will return from Egypt to Judah, few in number, and the whole remnant of Judah who went to dwell in the land of Egypt will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs!
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.