Numbers 30:2

If a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself with a pledge [of abstinence], he shall not break (violate, profane) his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Job 22:27


“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.

Psalm 22:25


My praise will be of You in the great assembly.
I will pay my vows [made in the time of trouble] before those who [reverently] fear Him.

Psalm 50:14


“Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;

Psalm 116:14


I will pay my vows to the Lord,
Yes, in the presence of all His people.

Acts 23:12

Now when day came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath (curse), saying that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

Leviticus 5:4

Or if anyone swears [an oath] thoughtlessly or impulsively aloud that he will do either evil or good, in whatever manner a person may speak thoughtlessly or impulsively with an oath, but he is unaware of it, when he recognizes it, he will be guilty in one of these.

Psalm 66:13-14


I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,

Psalm 116:18


I will pay my vows to the Lord,
Yes, in the presence of all His people,

Proverbs 20:25


It is a trap for a man to [speak a vow of consecration and] say rashly, “It is holy!”
And [not until] afterward consider [whether he can fulfill it].

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

When you make a vow or a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools [who thoughtlessly mock Him]. Pay what you vow.

Nahum 1:15


Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news [telling of Assyria’s destruction],
Who announces peace and prosperity!
Celebrate your feasts, O Judah;
Perform your vows.
For the wicked one [the king of Assyria] will never again pass through you;
He is completely cut off.

Genesis 28:20-22

Then Jacob made a vow (promise), saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and clothing to wear,

Exodus 20:7

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain [that is, irreverently, in false affirmations or in ways that impugn the character of God]; for the Lord will not hold guiltless nor leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain [disregarding its reverence and its power].

Leviticus 27:2-34

“Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man makes a special vow [consecrating himself or a member of his family], he shall be valued according to your [established system of] valuation of people belonging to the Lord [that is, the priest accepts from the man making the vow a specified amount of money for the temple treasury in place of the actual person].

Numbers 21:2

So Israel made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed hand over these people to me, then I will utterly destroy their cities.”

Numbers 30:3-4

“Also if a woman makes a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge [of abstinence], while living in her father’s house in her youth,

Numbers 30:10

However, if she vowed in her husband’s house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath,

Deuteronomy 23:21-23

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for He will most certainly require it of you, and a delay would cause you to sin.

Judges 11:11

So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them. And Jephthah repeated everything that he had promised before the Lord at Mizpah.

Judges 11:30-31

Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the Ammonites into my hand,

Judges 11:35-36

And when he saw her, he tore his clothes [in grief] and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me great disaster, and you are the cause of ruin to me; for I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”

Judges 11:39

At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her as he had vowed; and she had no relations with a man. It became a custom in Israel,

Psalm 15:3


He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

Psalm 55:20


He [my companion] has put out his hands against those who were at peace with him;
He has broken his covenant [of friendship and loyalty].

Psalm 56:12


Your vows are binding upon me, O God;
I will give thank offerings to You.

Psalm 76:11


Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;
Let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared [with awe-inspired reverence].

Psalm 119:106


I have sworn [an oath] and have confirmed it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.

Matthew 5:33-34

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not make false vows, but you shall fulfill your vows to the Lord [as a religious duty].’

Matthew 14:7-9

so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.

Matthew 23:16

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, that is nothing (non-binding); but whoever swears [an oath] by the gold of the temple is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’

Matthew 23:18

And [you scribes and Pharisees say], ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the altar, that is nothing (non-binding), but whoever swears [an oath] by the offering on it, he is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’

Acts 23:14

They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath not to taste anything [neither food nor drink] until we have killed Paul.

Acts 23:21

But do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, and they have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Even now they are ready, just waiting for your promise.”

2 Corinthians 1:23

But I call on God as my soul’s witness, that it was to spare you [pain and discouragement] that I did not come again to Corinth—

2 Corinthians 9:9-11

As it is written and forever remains written,He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever!”

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

General references

Bible References

Vow a vow

Numbers 21:2
So Israel made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed hand over these people to me, then I will utterly destroy their cities.”
Genesis 28:20
Then Jacob made a vow (promise), saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and clothing to wear,
Leviticus 27:2
“Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man makes a special vow [consecrating himself or a member of his family], he shall be valued according to your [established system of] valuation of people belonging to the Lord [that is, the priest accepts from the man making the vow a specified amount of money for the temple treasury in place of the actual person].
Deuteronomy 23:21
“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for He will most certainly require it of you, and a delay would cause you to sin.
Judges 11:11
So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them. And Jephthah repeated everything that he had promised before the Lord at Mizpah.
Psalm 15:3

He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
Psalm 56:12

Your vows are binding upon me, O God;
I will give thank offerings to You.
Psalm 76:11

Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;
Let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared [with awe-inspired reverence].
Psalm 119:106

I have sworn [an oath] and have confirmed it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
Proverbs 20:25

It is a trap for a man to [speak a vow of consecration and] say rashly, “It is holy!”
And [not until] afterward consider [whether he can fulfill it].

Swear

Exodus 20:7
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain [that is, irreverently, in false affirmations or in ways that impugn the character of God]; for the Lord will not hold guiltless nor leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain [disregarding its reverence and its power].
Leviticus 5:4
Or if anyone swears [an oath] thoughtlessly or impulsively aloud that he will do either evil or good, in whatever manner a person may speak thoughtlessly or impulsively with an oath, but he is unaware of it, when he recognizes it, he will be guilty in one of these.
Matthew 5:33
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not make false vows, but you shall fulfill your vows to the Lord [as a religious duty].’
Matthew 14:7
so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
Acts 23:12
Now when day came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath (curse), saying that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
2 Corinthians 1:23
But I call on God as my soul’s witness, that it was to spare you [pain and discouragement] that I did not come again to Corinth—
2 Corinthians 9:9
As it is written and forever remains written,He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever!”

To bind

Numbers 30:3
“Also if a woman makes a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge [of abstinence], while living in her father’s house in her youth,
Matthew 23:16
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, that is nothing (non-binding); but whoever swears [an oath] by the gold of the temple is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’

He shall do

Job 22:27

“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
Psalm 22:25

My praise will be of You in the great assembly.
I will pay my vows [made in the time of trouble] before those who [reverently] fear Him.
Psalm 50:14

“Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;
Psalm 66:13

I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,
Psalm 116:14

I will pay my vows to the Lord,
Yes, in the presence of all His people.
Ecclesiastes 5:4
When you make a vow or a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools [who thoughtlessly mock Him]. Pay what you vow.
Nahum 1:15

Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news [telling of Assyria’s destruction],
Who announces peace and prosperity!
Celebrate your feasts, O Judah;
Perform your vows.
For the wicked one [the king of Assyria] will never again pass through you;
He is completely cut off.

General references

Numbers 30:4
and her father hears her vow and her pledge by which she has bound herself, and he offers no objection, then all her vows shall stand and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand.
Joshua 2:17
The men said to her, “We shall be blameless and free from this oath which you have made us swear,