Reference: Vows
Easton
voluntary promises which, when once made, were to be kept if the thing vowed was right. They were made under a great variety of circumstances (Ge 28:1; 18-22; Le 7:16; Nu 30:2-13; De 23:18; Jg 11:30,39; 1Sa 1:11; Jon 1:16; Ac 18:18; 21:23).
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And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, you shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offers his sacrifice: and the next day also the remainder of it shall be eaten:
If a man vows a vow unto the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. If a woman also vows a vow unto the LORD, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; read more. And her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. But if her father forbids her in the day that he hears; not any of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father forbade her. And if she had indeed a husband, when she vowed, or uttered anything out of her lips, with which she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband forbade her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, with which she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her. But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, with which they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and forbade her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband has truly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her. Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
You shall not bring the wages of a harlot, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD your God for any vow: for even both of these are an abomination unto the LORD your God.
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If you shall without fail deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed from there into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shaved his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
Hastings
In common with most peoples of the ancient world, the making of vows was of frequent occurrence among the Israelites. The underlying idea in making a vow was to propitiate the Deity; this was done either by promising to do something for Him, or to please Him by the exercise of self-denial. Vows were made from a variety of motives: Jacob vows a vow according to which he will please Jahweh by becoming His worshipper, on condition that Jahweh will keep him safe during his journey and give him food and raiment (Ge 28:20-22). Jephthah vows to offer to Jahweh the first person he sees coming out of his house on his return from battle, provided he is victorious (Jg 11:30-31). Hannah vows that if Jahweh gives her a son, she will dedicate him to the service of God (1Sa 1:11). These cases are typical: in each something is promised to God, on condition that God will do something for him who makes the vow. But there was another class of vows which were of a more disinterested character; the most striking here would be the Nazirite vow, according to which a man undertook to lead a strenuously austere life, which was supposed to approximate to the simple life of the patriarchs; that was done out of protest against the current mode of life, which had been largely adopted from the Canaanites; indeed, the Nazirite vow implied, and was intended to be, a life of greater loyalty to Jahweh.
There are two words in Hebrew for a vow
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And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: read more. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that you shall give me I will surely give the tenth unto you.
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and you make them rest from their burdens.
Only the firstling of the animals, which should be the LORD'S firstling, no man may dedicate it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD'S. And if it be of an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it according to your valuation, and shall add a fifth part to it: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation. read more. Nevertheless no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he has, both of man and animal, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD. No one devoted to destruction, who shall be devoted among men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.
And Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD has commanded. If a man vows a vow unto the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
If a man vows a vow unto the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
If a man vows a vow unto the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. If a woman also vows a vow unto the LORD, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; read more. And her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. But if her father forbids her in the day that he hears; not any of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father forbade her. And if she had indeed a husband, when she vowed, or uttered anything out of her lips, with which she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband forbade her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, with which she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.
When you shall vow a vow unto the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it: for the LORD your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin to you. But if you shall abstain to vow, it shall be no sin to you. read more. That which is gone out from your lips you shall keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as you have vowed unto the LORD your God, which you have promised with your mouth.
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If you shall without fail deliver the children of Ammon into my hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever comes forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you are one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give unto your handmaid a male child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
It is a snare to the man to declare something is holy, and afterward to reconsider his vows.
But cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations.
But you say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift devoted to God, whatsoever you might have received from me;
Morish
The Israelites were not told to make vows, but if they voluntarily made them, God said they must conscientiously perform them. Man is ever ready to boast of his strength, not being conscious of his own weakness. Israel, on hearing the law, did not hesitate to say, "all that the Lord hath said we will do;" but they alas, miserably failed. The law made vows binding, and gave directions as to exceptional cases where it was impossible to perform them. Nu 30:2-14; De 23:21-23; Ps. 1:14; Ec 5:4-5; Na 1:15; etc.
The only instances of vows in the N.T. are those of Paul (or Aquila, as some judge) at Cenchrea, which is shrouded in mystery, and the four men at Jerusalem. Ac 18:18; 21:23. These were probably the vows of Nazariteship, by the head being shaven. According to the law the final shaving must be at the tabernacle or temple. Nu 6:18.
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And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
If a man vows a vow unto the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. If a woman also vows a vow unto the LORD, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; read more. And her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. But if her father forbids her in the day that he hears; not any of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father forbade her. And if she had indeed a husband, when she vowed, or uttered anything out of her lips, with which she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband forbade her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, with which she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her. But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, with which they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and forbade her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband has truly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her. Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. But if her husband altogether holds his peace at her from day to day; then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirms them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
When you shall vow a vow unto the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it: for the LORD your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin to you. But if you shall abstain to vow, it shall be no sin to you. read more. That which is gone out from your lips you shall keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as you have vowed unto the LORD your God, which you have promised with your mouth.
When you vow a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay that which you have vowed. Better is it that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace! O Judah, keep your solemn feasts, perform your vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed from there into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shaved his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
Smith
Vows.
A vow is a solemn promise made to God to perform or to abstain from performing a certain thing. The earliest mention of a vow is that of Jacob.
Vows in general are also mentioned in the book of Job,
The law therefore did not introduce, but regulated the practice of, vows. Three sorts are mentioned: 1, vows of devotion; 2, vows of abstinence; 3, vows of destruction.
1. As to vows of devotion, the following rules are laid down: A man might devote to sacred uses possessions or persons, but not the first-born of either man or beast, which was devoted already.
(a) If he vowed land, he might either redeem it or not Levi 25,27. (b) Animals fit for sacrifice if devoted, were not to be redeemed or changed,
persons devoted stood thus: devote either himself, his child (not the first-born) or his slave. If no redemption took place, the devoted person became a slave of the sanctuary: see the case of Absalom.
Otherwise he might be redeemed at a valuation according to age and sex, on the scale given in
Among general regulations affecting vows the following may be mentioned: (1) Vows were entirely voluntary but once made were regarded as compulsory.
(2) If persons In a dependent condition made vows as (a) an unmarried daughter living in her father's house, or (b) a wife, even if she afterward became a widow the vow, if (a) in the first case her father, or (b) in the second her husband, heard and disallowed it, was void; but,if they heard without disallowance, it was to remain good.
(3) Votive offerings arising from the produce of any impure traffic were wholly forbidden.
De 23:18
2. For vows of abstinence, see CORBAN.
See Corban
3. For vows of extermination ANATHEMA and
See Anathema
It seems that the practice of shaving the head at the expiration of a votive period was not limited to the Nazaritic vow.
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And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at first. read more. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that you shall give me I will surely give the tenth unto you.
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, and where you vowed a vow unto me: now arise, get you out from this land, and return unto the land of your kindred.
And if it be an animal, of which men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man gives of such unto the LORD shall be holy.
Nevertheless no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he has, both of man and animal, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.
If a man vows a vow unto the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. If a woman also vows a vow unto the LORD, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; read more. And her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. But if her father forbids her in the day that he hears; not any of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father forbade her. And if she had indeed a husband, when she vowed, or uttered anything out of her lips, with which she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband forbade her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, with which she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her. But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, with which they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and forbade her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband has truly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her. Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. But if her husband altogether holds his peace at her from day to day; then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirms them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. But if he shall in any way make them void after that he has heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity. These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.
You shall not bring the wages of a harlot, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD your God for any vow: for even both of these are an abomination unto the LORD your God.
When you shall vow a vow unto the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it: for the LORD your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin to you.
For your servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Aram, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the order of the leaders and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
You shall make your prayer unto him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
When you vow a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay that which you have vowed.
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze: and you shall beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their wealth unto the Lord of the whole earth.
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed from there into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shaved his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
Them take, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, of which they were informed concerning you, are nothing; but that you yourself also walk orderly, and keep the law.