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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Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him. And he instructed him and said to him, "You must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.
" 'But if his sacrifice [is] [for] a vow or [as] a freewill offering, it must be eaten on the day of his presenting his sacrifice, and on the next day the remainder from it may be eaten,
if a man makes a vow for Yahweh or swears an oath with a binding pledge on himself, he must not render his word invalid; he must do all that went out from his mouth. "If a woman makes a vow to Yahweh, and she binds a pledge [on herself] in her father's house in your childhood, read more. but if her father hears her vow or her pledge that she bound on herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows will stand, and every pledge that she binds on her life will stand. If her father forbids her on the day he hears [of it], all her vows or her pledges that she bound on herself will not stand, and Yahweh will forgive her because her father has forgiven her. "If {she has a husband} while bound by her vows or a rash promise of her lips, and her husband hears [of it] and is silent on the day he hears [it], her vows will stand, and her pledge that she bound upon herself will stand. But if on the day her husband hears [of it], he forbids her, then he will nullify her vow that she is under, and the rash promise of her lips that she bound on herself; and Yahweh will forgive her. "But the vow of a widow or a woman who is divorced, all that she binds on herself will stand on her. But if she made a vow [in] her husband's house, or bound herself on a pledge with a sworn oath, and her husband heard [it] but was silent to her, and he did not forbid her, all her vows will stand and every pledge that she bound on herself will stand. But if her husband nullified them on the day he hears [them], all her vows going out of her lips concerning her vows or the pledge on herself will not stand; her husband has nullified them, and Yahweh will forgive her. "Any vow and any sworn oath of a pledge to inflict on herself, her husband can confirm it or her husband can nullify it.
You may not bring the {hire} of a prostitute or {the earnings of a male prostitute} [into] the house of Yahweh your God, for any vow offerings, because {both} are a detestable thing to Yahweh your God.
And Jephthah made a vow to Yahweh, and he said, "If indeed you will give the {Ammonites} into my hand,
At the end of the two months she returned to her father, and he did to her [according to] his vow; and {she did not sleep with a man}. And it became an annual custom in Israel
So the men feared Yahweh {greatly}, and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and {made} vows.
So Paul, [after] remaining many days longer, said farewell to the brothers [and] sailed away to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved [his] head at Cenchrea, because he had [taken] a vow.
Therefore do this that we tell you: {we have} four men who have [taken] a vow upon themselves.
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 made a vow saying, "If God will be with me and protect me on this way that I am going, and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, and [if] I return in peace to the house of my father, then Yahweh will become my God. read more. And this stone that I have set up [as] a pillar shall be the house of God, and [of] all that you give to me I will certainly give a tenth to you."
And Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land [are] now many, and you want to stop them from their {forced labor}."
" 'However, a man shall not consecrate a firstborn among livestock, which belongs as firstborn to Yahweh; whether an ox {or} small livestock, it is for Yahweh. And if [it is] among the unclean animals, then he shall ransom [it] according to your proper value, and he shall add a fifth of its [value] onto it; and if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your proper value. read more. However, anything devoted that a man has devoted to Yahweh {from all that he has}, from human or animal, or from the field of his property, may not be sold, and it may not be redeemed; anything devoted [is] {a most holy thing} for Yahweh. Anyone devoted who is devoted from {human beings} cannot be ransomed--he shall surely be put to death.
Then Moses spoke to {the leaders} of the tribes concerning the {Israelites}, saying, "This [is] the word that Yahweh commanded: if a man makes a vow for Yahweh or swears an oath with a binding pledge on himself, he must not render his word invalid; he must do all that went out from his mouth.
if a man makes a vow for Yahweh or swears an oath with a binding pledge on himself, he must not render his word invalid; he must do all that went out from his mouth.
if a man makes a vow for Yahweh or swears an oath with a binding pledge on himself, he must not render his word invalid; he must do all that went out from his mouth. "If a woman makes a vow to Yahweh, and she binds a pledge [on herself] in her father's house in your childhood, read more. but if her father hears her vow or her pledge that she bound on herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows will stand, and every pledge that she binds on her life will stand. If her father forbids her on the day he hears [of it], all her vows or her pledges that she bound on herself will not stand, and Yahweh will forgive her because her father has forgiven her. "If {she has a husband} while bound by her vows or a rash promise of her lips, and her husband hears [of it] and is silent on the day he hears [it], her vows will stand, and her pledge that she bound upon herself will stand. But if on the day her husband hears [of it], he forbids her, then he will nullify her vow that she is under, and the rash promise of her lips that she bound on herself; and Yahweh will forgive her.
"{When you make a vow} to Yahweh your God, you shall not postpone {fulfillment of it}, [for] certainly Yahweh your God shall require it from you and [if postponed] {you will incur guilt}. And {if you refrain from vowing}, {you shall not incur guilt}. read more. The utterance of your lips {you must perform diligently} [just] as you have vowed freely to Yahweh your God whatever [it was] that you promised with your mouth.
And Jephthah made a vow to Yahweh, and he said, "If indeed you will give the {Ammonites} into my hand, whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from the {Ammonites} will be Yahweh's, and I will offer it [as] a burnt offering."
And the moment he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Ah! My daughter, you have caused me to bow down, and you have become my trouble. {I made an oath} to Yahweh, and I cannot take [it] back."
She {made a vow} and said: "O Yahweh of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the misery of your female servant, and will remember me, and not forget your female servant, and will give to your female servant {a male child} then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor will never pass over his head."
[It is] a snare to humankind to say rashly "[It is] holy," and after vows, to scrutinize.
"Cursed is the one who cheats, who has in his flock a male and vows [it], but [instead] sacrifices a blemished one to the Lord! For I [am] a great king," says Yahweh of hosts, "and my name [is] awesome among the nations."
But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or his mother, "Whatever {benefit you would have received} from me [is] a gift [to God],"
And he said to them, "You splendidly ignore the commandment of God so that you can keep your tradition.
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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The Nazirite will shave off [the hair of] {his consecrated head} [at] the doorway of the tent of assembly, and he will take the hair of {his consecrated head}, and he will put [it] on the fire that [is] beneath the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.
if a man makes a vow for Yahweh or swears an oath with a binding pledge on himself, he must not render his word invalid; he must do all that went out from his mouth. "If a woman makes a vow to Yahweh, and she binds a pledge [on herself] in her father's house in your childhood, read more. but if her father hears her vow or her pledge that she bound on herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows will stand, and every pledge that she binds on her life will stand. If her father forbids her on the day he hears [of it], all her vows or her pledges that she bound on herself will not stand, and Yahweh will forgive her because her father has forgiven her. "If {she has a husband} while bound by her vows or a rash promise of her lips, and her husband hears [of it] and is silent on the day he hears [it], her vows will stand, and her pledge that she bound upon herself will stand. But if on the day her husband hears [of it], he forbids her, then he will nullify her vow that she is under, and the rash promise of her lips that she bound on herself; and Yahweh will forgive her. "But the vow of a widow or a woman who is divorced, all that she binds on herself will stand on her. But if she made a vow [in] her husband's house, or bound herself on a pledge with a sworn oath, and her husband heard [it] but was silent to her, and he did not forbid her, all her vows will stand and every pledge that she bound on herself will stand. But if her husband nullified them on the day he hears [them], all her vows going out of her lips concerning her vows or the pledge on herself will not stand; her husband has nullified them, and Yahweh will forgive her. "Any vow and any sworn oath of a pledge to inflict on herself, her husband can confirm it or her husband can nullify it. But if her husband is completely silent from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all her pledges that [are] on her; he confirms them because he was silent to her on the day he heard [them].
"{When you make a vow} to Yahweh your God, you shall not postpone {fulfillment of it}, [for] certainly Yahweh your God shall require it from you and [if postponed] {you will incur guilt}. And {if you refrain from vowing}, {you shall not incur guilt}. read more. The utterance of your lips {you must perform diligently} [just] as you have vowed freely to Yahweh your God whatever [it was] that you promised with your mouth.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, for {he takes no pleasure} in fools. Fulfill what you vow! It is better that you not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
Look! On the mountains! The feet of the one who brings good tidings, the one who proclaims peace! "Celebrate [a festival], O Judah, Fulfill your vows! For he will not invade you again; the wicked one is cut off completely!"
So Paul, [after] remaining many days longer, said farewell to the brothers [and] sailed away to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved [his] head at Cenchrea, because he had [taken] a vow.
Therefore do this that we tell you: {we have} four men who have [taken] a vow upon themselves.
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 early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up [as] a stone pillar, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel; however, the name of the city [was] formerly Luz. read more. And Jacob made a vow saying, "If God will be with me and protect me on this way that I am going, and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, and [if] I return in peace to the house of my father, then Yahweh will become my God. And this stone that I have set up [as] a pillar shall be the house of God, and [of] all that you give to me I will certainly give a tenth to you."
I [am] the God of Bethel where you anointed a stone pillar, where you made a vow to me. Now get up, go out from this land and return to the land of your birth.'"
" 'And if [it is] a domestic animal from which they present an offering for Yahweh, all that he gives from it for Yahweh shall be a holy object.
However, anything devoted that a man has devoted to Yahweh {from all that he has}, from human or animal, or from the field of his property, may not be sold, and it may not be redeemed; anything devoted [is] {a most holy thing} for Yahweh.
if a man makes a vow for Yahweh or swears an oath with a binding pledge on himself, he must not render his word invalid; he must do all that went out from his mouth. "If a woman makes a vow to Yahweh, and she binds a pledge [on herself] in her father's house in your childhood, read more. but if her father hears her vow or her pledge that she bound on herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows will stand, and every pledge that she binds on her life will stand. If her father forbids her on the day he hears [of it], all her vows or her pledges that she bound on herself will not stand, and Yahweh will forgive her because her father has forgiven her. "If {she has a husband} while bound by her vows or a rash promise of her lips, and her husband hears [of it] and is silent on the day he hears [it], her vows will stand, and her pledge that she bound upon herself will stand. But if on the day her husband hears [of it], he forbids her, then he will nullify her vow that she is under, and the rash promise of her lips that she bound on herself; and Yahweh will forgive her. "But the vow of a widow or a woman who is divorced, all that she binds on herself will stand on her. But if she made a vow [in] her husband's house, or bound herself on a pledge with a sworn oath, and her husband heard [it] but was silent to her, and he did not forbid her, all her vows will stand and every pledge that she bound on herself will stand. But if her husband nullified them on the day he hears [them], all her vows going out of her lips concerning her vows or the pledge on herself will not stand; her husband has nullified them, and Yahweh will forgive her. "Any vow and any sworn oath of a pledge to inflict on herself, her husband can confirm it or her husband can nullify it. But if her husband is completely silent from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all her pledges that [are] on her; he confirms them because he was silent to her on the day he heard [them]. But if he indeed nullifies them after he hears them, then he will bear her guilt." These [are] the decrees that Yahweh commanded Moses, as between a husband and his wife, and between a father and his daughter, [while] her childhood [is in] her father's house.
You may not bring the {hire} of a prostitute or {the earnings of a male prostitute} [into] the house of Yahweh your God, for any vow offerings, because {both} are a detestable thing to Yahweh your God.
"{When you make a vow} to Yahweh your God, you shall not postpone {fulfillment of it}, [for] certainly Yahweh your God shall require it from you and [if postponed] {you will incur guilt}.
for your servant made a vow while I [was] staying in Geshur in Aram, saying, '{If Yahweh will indeed let me return} to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'"
Anyone who did not come within three days, by decision of the officials and elders, all of his possessions would be devoted to God, and he himself would be excluded from the assembly of exiles.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, for {he takes no pleasure} in fools. Fulfill what you vow!
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for your horn I will make [as] iron and your hooves [as] bronze. And you will break many peoples in pieces, and their gain you will devote to destruction to Yahweh, and their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth."
So Paul, [after] remaining many days longer, said farewell to the brothers [and] sailed away to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved [his] head at Cenchrea, because he had [taken] a vow.
Take these [men] [and] purify yourself along with them and {pay their expenses} so that they can shave [their] heads, and everyone will know that [the things] which they had been informed about you are nothing, but you yourself also agree with observing the law.