42 Bible Verses about Vows

Most Relevant Verses

Deuteronomy 23:21-23

When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner. If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful. Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the Lord your God as a freewill offering.

Numbers 30:2

If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.

Proverbs 20:25

It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, "Holy!" and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.

Malachi 1:14

"There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord who rules over all, "and my name is awesome among the nations."

Numbers 30:3-8

"If a young woman who is still living in her father's house makes a vow to the Lord or places herself under an obligation, and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand. But if her father overrules her when he hears about it, then none of her vows or her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. And the Lord will release her from it, because her father overruled her.read more.
"And if she marries a husband while under a vow, or she uttered anything impulsively by which she has pledged herself, and her husband hears about it, but remains silent about her when he hears about it, then her vows will stand and her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. But if when her husband hears it he overrules her, then he will nullify the vow she has taken, and whatever she uttered impulsively which she has pledged for herself. And the Lord will release her from it.

Numbers 30:10-15

If she made the vow in her husband's house or put herself under obligation with an oath, and her husband heard about it, but remained silent about her, and did not overrule her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation which she pledged for herself will stand. But if her husband clearly nullifies them when he hears them, then whatever she says by way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her from them.read more.
"Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her, her husband can confirm or nullify. But if her husband remains completely silent about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about when he heard them. But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity."

Leviticus 22:17-19

The Lord spoke to Moses: "Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and tell them, 'When any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners in Israel presents his offering for any of the votive or freewill offerings which they present to the Lord as a burnt offering, if it is to be acceptable for your benefit it must be a flawless male from the cattle, sheep, or goats.

Leviticus 7:16

"'If his offering is a votive or freewill sacrifice, it may be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, and also the leftovers from it may be eaten on the next day,

Leviticus 22:21

If a man presents a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord for a special votive offering or for a freewill offering from the herd or the flock, it must be flawless to be acceptable; it must have no flaw.

Leviticus 27:9

"'If what is vowed is a kind of animal from which an offering may be presented to the Lord, anything which he gives to the Lord from this kind of animal will be holy.

Numbers 15:2-4

"Speak to the Israelites and tell them, 'When you enter the land where you are to live, which I am giving you, and you make an offering by fire to the Lord from the herd or from the flock (whether a burnt offering or a sacrifice for discharging a vow or as a freewill offering or in your solemn feasts) to create a pleasing aroma to the Lord, then the one who presents his offering to the Lord must bring a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of finely ground flour mixed with one fourth of a hin of olive oil.

Deuteronomy 12:6

And there you must take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

Psalm 66:13

I will enter your temple with burnt sacrifices; I will fulfill the vows I made to you,

Proverbs 7:14

"I have fresh meat at home; today I have fulfilled my vows!

Leviticus 27:1-25

The Lord spoke to Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and tell them, 'When a man makes a special votive offering based on the conversion value of persons to the Lord, the conversion value of the male from twenty years old up to sixty years old is fifty shekels by the standard of the sanctuary shekel.read more.
If the person is a female, the conversion value is thirty shekels. If the person is from five years old up to twenty years old, the conversion value of the male is twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. If the person is one month old up to five years old, the conversion value of the male is five shekels of silver, and for the female the conversion value is three shekels of silver. If the person is from sixty years old and older, if he is a male the conversion value is fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. If he is too poor to pay the conversion value, he must stand the person before the priest and the priest will establish his conversion value; according to what the man who made the vow can afford, the priest will establish his conversion value. "'If what is vowed is a kind of animal from which an offering may be presented to the Lord, anything which he gives to the Lord from this kind of animal will be holy. He must not replace or exchange it, good for bad or bad for good, and if he does indeed exchange one animal for another animal, then both the original animal and its substitute will be holy. If what is vowed is an unclean animal from which an offering must not be presented to the Lord, then he must stand the animal before the priest, and the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. According to the assessed conversion value of the priest, thus it will be. If, however, the person who made the vow redeems the animal, he must add one fifth to its conversion value. "'If a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand. If the one who consecrates it redeems his house, he must add to it one fifth of its conversion value in silver, and it will belong to him. "'If a man consecrates to the Lord some of his own landed property, the conversion value must be calculated in accordance with the amount of seed needed to sow it, a homer of barley seed being priced at fifty shekels of silver. If he consecrates his field in the jubilee year, the conversion value will stand, but if he consecrates his field after the jubilee, the priest will calculate the price for him according to the years that are left until the next jubilee year, and it will be deducted from the conversion value. If, however, the one who consecrated the field redeems it, he must add to it one fifth of the conversion price and it will belong to him. If he does not redeem the field, but sells the field to someone else, he may never redeem it. When it reverts in the jubilee, the field will be holy to the Lord like a permanently dedicated field; it will become the priest's property. "'If he consecrates to the Lord a field he has purchased, which is not part of his own landed property, the priest will calculate for him the amount of its conversion value until the jubilee year, and he must pay the conversion value on that jubilee day as something that is holy to the Lord. In the jubilee year the field will return to the one from whom he bought it, the one to whom it belongs as landed property. Every conversion value must be calculated by the standard of the sanctuary shekel; twenty gerahs to the shekel.

2 Kings 12:4-5

Jehoash said to the priests, "I place at your disposal all the consecrated silver that has been brought to the Lord's temple, including the silver collected from the census tax, the silver received from those who have made vows, and all the silver that people have voluntarily contributed to the Lord's temple. The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover."

Deuteronomy 23:18

You must never bring the pay of a female prostitute or the wage of a male prostitute into the temple of the Lord your God in fulfillment of any vow, for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.

1 Samuel 1:11

She made a vow saying, "O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut."

Genesis 28:20-22

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, and I return safely to my father's home, then the Lord will become my God. Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me."

Numbers 21:2

So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, "If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, then we will utterly destroy their cities."

Judges 11:30-40

Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, "If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites -- he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice." Jephthah approached the Ammonites to fight with them, and the Lord handed them over to him.read more.
He defeated them from Aroer all the way to Minnith -- twenty cities in all, even as far as Abel Keramim! He wiped them out! The Israelites humiliated the Ammonites. When Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter hurrying out to meet him, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines. She was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter. When he saw her, he ripped his clothes and said, "Oh no! My daughter! You have completely ruined me! You have brought me disaster! I made an oath to the Lord, and I cannot break it." She said to him, "My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites." She then said to her father, "Please grant me this one wish. For two months allow me to walk through the hills with my friends and mourn my virginity." He said, "You may go." He permitted her to leave for two months. She went with her friends and mourned her virginity as she walked through the hills. After two months she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She died a virgin. Her tragic death gave rise to a custom in Israel. Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.

2 Samuel 15:7-8

After four years Absalom said to the king, "Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: 'If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.'"

Psalm 66:13-14

I will enter your temple with burnt sacrifices; I will fulfill the vows I made to you, which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.

Psalm 116:12-14

How can I repay the Lord for all his acts of kindness to me? I will celebrate my deliverance, and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord before all his people.

Psalm 56:12

I am obligated to fulfill the vows I made to you, O God; I will give you the thank-offerings you deserve,

Psalm 116:17-18

I will present a thank offering to you, and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord before all his people,

Psalm 22:25

You are the reason I offer praise in the great assembly; I will fulfill my promises before the Lord's loyal followers.

Psalm 61:8

Then I will sing praises to your name continually, as I fulfill my vows day after day.

Psalm 65:1

For the music director; a psalm of David, a song. Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion. Vows made to you are fulfilled.

Numbers 6:1-21

Then the Lord spoke to Moses: "Speak to the Israelites, and tell them, 'When either a man or a woman takes a special vow, to take a vow as a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, he must separate himself from wine and strong drink, he must drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from strong drink, nor may he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins.read more.
All the days of his separation he must not eat anything that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin. "'All the days of the vow of his separation no razor may be used on his head until the time is fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord. He will be holy, and he must let the locks of hair on his head grow long. "'All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he must not contact a dead body. He must not defile himself even for his father or his mother or his brother or his sister if they die, because the separation for his God is on his head. All the days of his separation he must be holy to the Lord. "'If anyone dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he must shave his head on the day of his purification -- on the seventh day he must shave it. On the eighth day he is to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then the priest will offer one for a purification offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because of his transgression in regard to the corpse. So he must reconsecrate his head on that day. He must rededicate to the Lord the days of his separation and bring a male lamb in its first year as a reparation offering, but the former days will not be counted because his separation was defiled. "'Now this is the law of the Nazirite: When the days of his separation are fulfilled, he must be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and he must present his offering to the Lord: one male lamb in its first year without blemish for a burnt offering, one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish for a purification offering, one ram without blemish for a peace offering, and a basket of bread made without yeast, cakes of fine flour mixed with olive oil, wafers made without yeast and smeared with olive oil, and their grain offering and their drink offerings. "'Then the priest must present all these before the Lord and offer his purification offering and his burnt offering. Then he must offer the ram as a peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of bread made without yeast; the priest must also offer his grain offering and his drink offering. "'Then the Nazirite must shave his consecrated head at the entrance to the tent of meeting and must take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire where the peace offering is burning. And the priest must take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one cake made without yeast from the basket, and one wafer made without yeast, and put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated head; then the priest must wave them as a wave offering before the Lord; it is a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the raised offering. After this the Nazirite may drink wine.' "This is the law of the Nazirite who vows to the Lord his offering according to his separation, as well as whatever else he can provide. Thus he must fulfill his vow that he makes, according to the law of his separation."

Judges 13:2-5

There was a man named Manoah from Zorah, from the Danite tribe. His wife was infertile and childless. The Lord's angelic messenger appeared to the woman and said to her, "You are infertile and childless, but you will conceive and have a son. Now be careful! Do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat any food that will make you ritually unclean.read more.
Look, you will conceive and have a son. You must never cut his hair, for the child will be dedicated to God from birth. He will begin to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines."

Psalm 132:2-5

and how he made a vow to the Lord, and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob. He said, "I will not enter my own home, or get into my bed. I will not allow my eyes to sleep, or my eyelids to slumber,read more.
until I find a place for the Lord, a fine dwelling place for the powerful ruler of Jacob."

Acts 18:18

Paul, after staying many more days in Corinth, said farewell to the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because he had made a vow.

Acts 21:24-26

take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with the law. But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided that they should avoid meat that has been sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality." Then Paul took the men the next day, and after he had purified himself along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice of the completion of the days of purification, when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.

Matthew 15:5-6

But you say, 'If someone tells his father or mother, "Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God," he does not need to honor his father.' You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition.

Mark 7:11-13

But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother, 'Whatever help you would have received from me is corban' (that is, a gift for God), then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this."

Jeremiah 44:25-28

The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, 'You women have confirmed by your actions what you vowed with your lips! You said, "We will certainly carry out our vows to sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven." Well, then fulfill your vows! Carry them out!' But listen to what the Lord has to say, all you people of Judah who are living in the land of Egypt. The Lord says, 'I hereby swear by my own great name that none of the people of Judah who are living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name in their oaths! Never again will any of them use it in an oath saying, "As surely as the Lord God lives." I will indeed see to it that disaster, not prosperity, happens to them. All the people of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will die in war or from starvation until not one of them is left.read more.
Some who survive in battle will return to the land of Judah from the land of Egypt. But they will be very few indeed! Then the Judean remnant who have come to live in the land of Egypt will know whose word proves true, mine or theirs.'

From Thematic Bible


Vows » Sacred, to be kept

Ecclesiastes 5:4

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

Numbers 30:2

If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.

Job 22:27

You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.

Deuteronomy 23:21

When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner.

More verses: Matthew 5:33 Psalm 76:11

Vows » Examples of

1 Samuel 1:11

She made a vow saying, "O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut."

Acts 18:18

Paul, after staying many more days in Corinth, said farewell to the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because he had made a vow.

Genesis 28:20

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear,

Numbers 21:2

So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, "If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, then we will utterly destroy their cities."

More verses: Judges 11:30 Acts 21:23

Vows » All things dedicated by, to be brought to the tabernacle

Deuteronomy 12:6

And there you must take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

Deuteronomy 12:11

Then you must come to the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to reside, bringing everything I am commanding you -- your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, and all your choice votive offerings which you devote to him.

Deuteronomy 12:17-18

You will not be allowed to eat in your villages your tithe of grain, new wine, olive oil, the firstborn of your herd and flock, any votive offerings you have vowed, or your freewill and personal offerings. Only in the presence of the Lord your God may you eat these, in the place he chooses. This applies to you, your son, your daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages. In that place you will rejoice before the Lord your God in all the output of your labor.

Deuteronomy 12:26

Only the holy things and votive offerings that belong to you, you must pick up and take to the place the Lord will choose.

Vows » Were made in reference to » Offering sacrifices

Leviticus 22:22

"'You must not present to the Lord something blind, or with a broken bone, or mutilated, or with a running sore, or with a festering eruption, or with a feverish rash. You must not give any of these as a gift on the altar to the Lord.

Leviticus 7:16

"'If his offering is a votive or freewill sacrifice, it may be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, and also the leftovers from it may be eaten on the next day,

Leviticus 22:18

"Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and tell them, 'When any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners in Israel presents his offering for any of the votive or freewill offerings which they present to the Lord as a burnt offering,

Vows » To be performed without delay

Deuteronomy 23:23

Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the Lord your God as a freewill offering.

Deuteronomy 23:21

When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner.

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of jacob

Genesis 31:13

I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the sacred stone and made a vow to me. Now leave this land immediately and return to your native land.'"

Genesis 28:20-22

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, and I return safely to my father's home, then the Lord will become my God. Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me."

Vows » Of things corrupt or blemished an insult to God

Malachi 1:14

"There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord who rules over all, "and my name is awesome among the nations."

Leviticus 22:23

As for an ox or a sheep with a limb too long or stunted, you may present it as a freewill offering, but it will not be acceptable for a votive offering.

Vows » Instances of » Of hannah, to consecrate to the lord the child for which she prayed

1 Samuel 1:11

She made a vow saying, "O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut."

1 Samuel 1:27-28

I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. Now I dedicate him to the Lord. From this time on he is dedicated to the Lord." Then they worshiped the Lord there.

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of certain jews with paul

Acts 21:26

Then Paul took the men the next day, and after he had purified himself along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice of the completion of the days of purification, when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.

Acts 21:23-24

So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with the law.

Vows » Rash » The israelites, to destroy the benjamites

Judges 21:5-6

The Israelites asked, "Who from all the Israelite tribes has not assembled before the Lord?" They had made a solemn oath that whoever did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must certainly be executed. The Israelites regretted what had happened to their brother Benjamin. They said, "Today we cut off an entire tribe from Israel!

Judges 20:21

The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day.

Vows » Mosaic laws concerning

Numbers 29:39

"'These things you must present to the Lord at your appointed times, in addition to your vows and your freewill offerings, as your burnt offerings, your grain offerings, your drink offerings, and your peace offerings.'"

Leviticus 23:37-38

"'These are the appointed times of the Lord that you must proclaim as holy assemblies to present a gift to the Lord -- burnt offering, grain offering, sacrifice, and drink offerings, each day according to its regulation, besides the Sabbaths of the Lord and all your gifts, votive offerings, and freewill offerings which you must give to the Lord.

Vows » To be voluntary

Deuteronomy 23:21-22

When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner. If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful.

Vows » Things offered in, to be brought to the tabernacle or temple

Deuteronomy 12:6

And there you must take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

Deuteronomy 12:11

Then you must come to the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to reside, bringing everything I am commanding you -- your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, and all your choice votive offerings which you devote to him.

Deuteronomy 12:17-18

You will not be allowed to eat in your villages your tithe of grain, new wine, olive oil, the firstborn of your herd and flock, any votive offerings you have vowed, or your freewill and personal offerings. Only in the presence of the Lord your God may you eat these, in the place he chooses. This applies to you, your son, your daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages. In that place you will rejoice before the Lord your God in all the output of your labor.

Deuteronomy 12:26

Only the holy things and votive offerings that belong to you, you must pick up and take to the place the Lord will choose.

Vows » The hire of a prostitute or price of a dog could not be the subject of

Deuteronomy 23:18

You must never bring the pay of a female prostitute or the wage of a male prostitute into the temple of the Lord your God in fulfillment of any vow, for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.

Vows » Clean beasts the subjects of, not to be redeemed

Leviticus 27:9-10

"'If what is vowed is a kind of animal from which an offering may be presented to the Lord, anything which he gives to the Lord from this kind of animal will be holy. He must not replace or exchange it, good for bad or bad for good, and if he does indeed exchange one animal for another animal, then both the original animal and its substitute will be holy.

Vows » Might be redeemed by paying a suitable compensation

Leviticus 27:1-8

The Lord spoke to Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and tell them, 'When a man makes a special votive offering based on the conversion value of persons to the Lord, the conversion value of the male from twenty years old up to sixty years old is fifty shekels by the standard of the sanctuary shekel. read more.
If the person is a female, the conversion value is thirty shekels. If the person is from five years old up to twenty years old, the conversion value of the male is twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. If the person is one month old up to five years old, the conversion value of the male is five shekels of silver, and for the female the conversion value is three shekels of silver. If the person is from sixty years old and older, if he is a male the conversion value is fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. If he is too poor to pay the conversion value, he must stand the person before the priest and the priest will establish his conversion value; according to what the man who made the vow can afford, the priest will establish his conversion value.

Vows » Of wives, could only be objected to at the time of making

Numbers 30:14-15

But if her husband remains completely silent about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about when he heard them. But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity."

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of lemuel's mother

Proverbs 31:1-2

The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him: O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of jephthah

Judges 11:30-31

Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, "If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites -- he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice."

Vows » Of married women void without consent of husbands

Numbers 30:6-8

"And if she marries a husband while under a vow, or she uttered anything impulsively by which she has pledged herself, and her husband hears about it, but remains silent about her when he hears about it, then her vows will stand and her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. But if when her husband hears it he overrules her, then he will nullify the vow she has taken, and whatever she uttered impulsively which she has pledged for herself. And the Lord will release her from it.

Vows » Of children void without the consent of parents

Numbers 30:3-5

"If a young woman who is still living in her father's house makes a vow to the Lord or places herself under an obligation, and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand. But if her father overrules her when he hears about it, then none of her vows or her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. And the Lord will release her from it, because her father overruled her.

Vows » Danger of inconsiderately making

Proverbs 20:25

It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, "Holy!" and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.

Vows » Were made in reference to » Dedicating children to God

1 Samuel 1:11

She made a vow saying, "O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut."

Vows » Were made in reference to » Devoting property to God

Genesis 28:22

Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me."

Vows » Were made in reference to » Afflicting the soul

Numbers 30:13

"Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her, her husband can confirm or nullify.

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of elkanah

1 Samuel 1:24

Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a container of wine. She brought him to the Lord's house at Shiloh, even though he was young.

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of hannah

1 Samuel 1:11

She made a vow saying, "O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut."

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of david

Psalm 132:2-5

and how he made a vow to the Lord, and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob. He said, "I will not enter my own home, or get into my bed. I will not allow my eyes to sleep, or my eyelids to slumber, read more.
until I find a place for the Lord, a fine dwelling place for the powerful ruler of Jacob."

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of israelites

Numbers 21:2

So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, "If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, then we will utterly destroy their cities."

Vows » Of widows and women divorced from their husbands binding

Numbers 30:9

"But every vow of a widow or of a divorced woman which she has pledged for herself will remain intact.

Vows » To be performed faithfully

Numbers 30:2

If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.

Vows » Were made in reference to » Devoting the person to God

Numbers 6:2

"Speak to the Israelites, and tell them, 'When either a man or a woman takes a special vow, to take a vow as a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord,

Vows » Instances of » Of the jews, to kill paul

Acts 23:12-15

When morning came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to partake of anything until we have killed Paul. read more.
So now you and the council request the commanding officer to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine his case by conducting a more thorough inquiry. We are ready to kill him before he comes near this place."

Vows » Instances of » Of jacob, see above

Genesis 28:20-22

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, and I return safely to my father's home, then the Lord will become my God. Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me."

Vows » Rash » By jephthah, in consecration of his daughter as a sacrafice, if his campaign against the ammonites were successful

Judges 11:29-40

The Lord's spirit empowered Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites. Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, "If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites -- he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice." read more.
Jephthah approached the Ammonites to fight with them, and the Lord handed them over to him. He defeated them from Aroer all the way to Minnith -- twenty cities in all, even as far as Abel Keramim! He wiped them out! The Israelites humiliated the Ammonites. When Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter hurrying out to meet him, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines. She was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter. When he saw her, he ripped his clothes and said, "Oh no! My daughter! You have completely ruined me! You have brought me disaster! I made an oath to the Lord, and I cannot break it." She said to him, "My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites." She then said to her father, "Please grant me this one wish. For two months allow me to walk through the hills with my friends and mourn my virginity." He said, "You may go." He permitted her to leave for two months. She went with her friends and mourned her virginity as she walked through the hills. After two months she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She died a virgin. Her tragic death gave rise to a custom in Israel. Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.

Vows » The redemption price of the offering of real estate, to be valued by the priest

Leviticus 27:14-15

"'If a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand. If the one who consecrates it redeems his house, he must add to it one fifth of its conversion value in silver, and it will belong to him.

Vows » Of a field

Leviticus 27:16-25

"'If a man consecrates to the Lord some of his own landed property, the conversion value must be calculated in accordance with the amount of seed needed to sow it, a homer of barley seed being priced at fifty shekels of silver. If he consecrates his field in the jubilee year, the conversion value will stand, but if he consecrates his field after the jubilee, the priest will calculate the price for him according to the years that are left until the next jubilee year, and it will be deducted from the conversion value. read more.
If, however, the one who consecrated the field redeems it, he must add to it one fifth of the conversion price and it will belong to him. If he does not redeem the field, but sells the field to someone else, he may never redeem it. When it reverts in the jubilee, the field will be holy to the Lord like a permanently dedicated field; it will become the priest's property. "'If he consecrates to the Lord a field he has purchased, which is not part of his own landed property, the priest will calculate for him the amount of its conversion value until the jubilee year, and he must pay the conversion value on that jubilee day as something that is holy to the Lord. In the jubilee year the field will return to the one from whom he bought it, the one to whom it belongs as landed property. Every conversion value must be calculated by the standard of the sanctuary shekel; twenty gerahs to the shekel.

Vows » Solemn promises made to God

Psalm 76:11

Make vows to the Lord your God and repay them! Let all those who surround him bring tribute to the awesome one!

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of mariners who cast out jonah

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of paul

Acts 18:18

Paul, after staying many more days in Corinth, said farewell to the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because he had made a vow.

Vows » Instances of » Of absalom

2 Samuel 15:7-8

After four years Absalom said to the king, "Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: 'If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.'"

Vows » Edible things offered in, to be eaten the same day they were offered

Leviticus 7:16-18

"'If his offering is a votive or freewill sacrifice, it may be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, and also the leftovers from it may be eaten on the next day, but the leftovers from the meat of the sacrifice must be burned up in the fire on the third day. If some of the meat of his peace offering sacrifice is ever eaten on the third day it will not be accepted; it will not be accounted to the one who presented it, since it is spoiled, and the person who eats from it will bear his punishment for iniquity.

Vows » A minor, of himself

Mark 7:11-13

But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother, 'Whatever help you would have received from me is corban' (that is, a gift for God), then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this."

Vows » Recorded in scripture » Of jonah

Vows » Instances of » Of ananias and sapphira, in the dedication of the proceeds of the sale of their land

Acts 5:1-11

Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife's knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? read more.
Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!" When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it. So the young men came, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened. Peter said to her, "Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?" Sapphira said, "Yes, that much." Peter then told her, "Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!" At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things.

Vows » Instances of » Of the mother of micah, in the dedication of silver for the making of an idol

Judges 17:2-3

He said to his mother, "You know the eleven hundred pieces of silver which were stolen from you, about which I heard you pronounce a curse? Look here, I have the silver. I stole it, but now I am giving it back to you." His mother said, "May the Lord reward you, my son!" When he gave back to his mother the eleven hundred pieces of silver, his mother said, "I solemnly dedicate this silver to the Lord. It will be for my son's benefit. We will use it to make a carved image and a metal image."

Vows » Instances of » Of job, not to entertain thoughts of fornication

Vows » Instances of » Of elkanah

1 Samuel 1:21

This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow,

Vows » Instances of » Of david

Psalm 132:2

and how he made a vow to the Lord, and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob.

Vows » Belonged to the priests

Numbers 18:14

"Everything devoted in Israel will be yours.

Topics on Vows

Making Vows

Ecclesiastes 5:4-8

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

Vows

Proverbs 20:25

It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, "Holy!" and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.

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