Topical Encyclopedia
A vow in the biblical context is a solemn promise or commitment made to God, often involving a pledge to perform a specific act, offer a sacrifice, or abstain from certain behaviors. Vows are a significant aspect of the religious and spiritual life in the Bible, reflecting a deep sense of devotion and accountability to God.
Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, vows are frequently mentioned and are considered binding commitments. The Hebrew word for vow, "neder," signifies a promise made to God, often in the context of seeking divine favor or intervention. The seriousness of vows is underscored by the requirement to fulfill them once made.
Numbers 30:2 states, "If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to bind himself with a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised."
Vows could be made for various reasons, including thanksgiving, supplication, or dedication. For instance, Hannah made a vow to dedicate her son Samuel to the Lord if He granted her a child (
1 Samuel 1:11). Similarly, Jacob vowed to give a tenth of all he received if God would protect and provide for him (
Genesis 28:20-22).
The Law provided specific regulations regarding vows, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling them.
Leviticus 27 outlines the procedures for making and redeeming vows, particularly those involving the dedication of persons, animals, or property to the Lord.
New Testament ContextIn the New Testament, the concept of vows continues, though with a shift in emphasis. Jesus addresses the issue of oaths and vows in the Sermon on the Mount, urging His followers to be people of integrity whose simple "Yes" or "No" should suffice (
Matthew 5:33-37). This teaching highlights the importance of truthfulness and the avoidance of rash or unnecessary vows.
The Apostle Paul also encountered vows in his ministry. In
Acts 18:18, Paul is described as having taken a vow, which some scholars suggest may have been a Nazirite vow, a special form of dedication to God involving abstinence from wine and not cutting one's hair (
Numbers 6:1-21).
Types of Vows1.
Nazirite Vow: A special vow of separation and dedication to God, characterized by abstaining from wine, avoiding contact with the dead, and not cutting one's hair (
Numbers 6:1-21). Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist are notable biblical figures associated with Nazirite vows.
2.
Vows of Dedication: These involve dedicating something or someone to God, as seen in Hannah's vow regarding Samuel (
1 Samuel 1:11).
3.
Vows of Abstinence: These vows involve refraining from certain activities or substances, often as a form of spiritual discipline or devotion.
Warnings and ConsiderationsThe Bible warns against making rash or thoughtless vows.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 advises, "When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it." This underscores the gravity of making promises to God and the importance of careful consideration before doing so.
ConclusionVows in the Bible are a profound expression of faith and commitment to God. They serve as a reminder of the believer's responsibility to live a life of integrity and devotion, honoring the promises made to the Almighty.
Topical Bible Verses
Numbers 30:2If a man vow a vow to 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 proceeds out of his mouth.
Topicalbible.orgEphesians 5:33
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
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1 Timothy 3:8
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Topicalbible.org
Matthew 5:32
But I say to you, That whoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.
Topicalbible.org
Matthew 19:9
And I say to you, Whoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoever marries her which is put away does commit adultery.
Topicalbible.org
ATS Bible Dictionary
VowA promise made to God of doing some good thing or abstaining from some lawful enjoyment, under the influence of gratitude for divine goodness, of imminent danger, the apprehension of future evils, or the desire of future blessings. To fulfill a vow binding one to sin, was to all sin to sin; but no considerations of inconvenience or loss could absolve one from a vow,Psalm 15:4Malachi 1:14. Jacob, going into Mesopotamia, vowed the tenth of his estate, and promised to offer it at Beth-el, to the honor of God,Genesis 28:20-22. Moses enacted several laws for the regulation and execution of vows. "If thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee; that which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform," De 23:21,23Ecclesiastes 5:4-5.
The vows of minors, etc., were not binding without the consent of the head of the family,Numbers 30:1-16. A man might devote himself or his children to the Lord,Numbers 6:2. Jephthah devoted his daughter, Jud 11:30-40; and Samuel was vowed and consecrated to the service of the Lord,1 Samuel 1:11,27,28. If men or women vowed themselves to the Lord, they were obliged to adhere strictly to his service, according to the conditions of the vow; but in some cases they might be redeemed, Le 27:1-34. These selfimposed services were more in keeping with the ancient dispensation, in which outward sacrifices and observances had so large a share, than with enlightened Christianity. SeeCORBAN, andNAZARITES.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A solemn promise made to God, or to some deity; an act by which one consecrates or devotes himself, absolutely or conditionally, wholly or in part, for a longer or shorter time, to some act, service, or condition; a devotion of one's possessions; as, a baptismal vow; a vow of poverty.
2. (n.) Specifically, a promise of fidelity; a pledge of love or affection; as, the marriage vow.
3. (n.) To give, consecrate, or dedicate to God, or to some deity, by a solemn promise; to devote; to promise solemnly.
4. (n.) To assert solemnly; to asseverate.
5. (v. i.) To make a vow, or solemn promise.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
VOWvou (nedher; euche; 'iccar, found only inNumbers 30:6, 8, 10 and translated horismos, by the Septuagint: A vow could be positive (nedher) and included all promises to perform certain things for, or bring certain offerings to, God, in return for certain benefits which were hoped for at His hand (Genesis 28:20-22, Jacob;Leviticus 27:2, 8Numbers 30Judges 11:30, Jephthah; 1 Samuel 1:11, Hannah; 2 Samuel 15:8, Absalom; Jonah 1:16, vows of heathen); or negative ('iccar), and included promises by which a person bound himself or herself to abstain from certain things (Numbers 30:3). Nowhere in the Old Testament do we find the making of vows regarded as a religious duty (Deuteronomy 23:22), but the fulfilling of a vow was considered as a sacred and binding duty (Deuteronomy 23:21-23Judges 11:35Ecclesiastes 5:4; comparePsalm 22:25;Psalm 66:13;Psalm 76:11;Psalm 116:18). A vow was as binding as an oath (see OATH) and therefore to be kept to the letter; and it was not to be lightly made (Proverbs 20:25). A father could veto a daughter's vow, and a husband a wife's. If a husband did not veto a wife's vow, and then caused her to break it, the sin was his and not hers (Numbers 30, passim). It seems that vows were considered binding only when actually uttered (Deuteronomy 23:23). Persons, including one's self, animals, land and other possessions, could be vowed, but all these could be redeemed with money (see JEPHTHAH), which money was to be estimated by the priest, except in the case of a clean animal. In the case of land, houses and unclean animals a fifth part of the estimated value was to be added to make up the redemption money. In the case of land the sum was greater or smaller as the coming year of Jubilee was far off or near (Leviticus 27, passim). Nothing which was by nature holy could be made the object of a vow, e.g. firstlings, tithes, etc. (Leviticus 27:26, 28, 30); and, on the other hand, an abomination, e.g. the hire of a prostitute, could not be made the object of a vow (Deuteronomy 23:18). InMalachi 1:14 the offering of what was of less value than what had been vowed is vigorously condemned.
In the New Testament Jesus refers to vows only to condemn the abuse of them (Matthew 15:4-6Mark 7:10-13; compare Talmud, Nedharim, and see CORBAN). InActs 18:18 (compareActs 21:23, 24) Paul desires to show his Jewish brethren that he is willing to keep the forms of Jewish piety so long as they do not clash with his Christian conscience (compare1 Corinthians 9:21). For the vow of the Nazirite, see NAZIRITE.
Paul Levertoff
Greek
2171. euche -- a prayer... a prayer. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: euche Phonetic Spelling:
(yoo-khay') Short Definition: a prayer,
vow Definition: a prayer comprising a
...332. anathematizo -- to declare anathema, devote to destruction
... curse, bind with an oath. From anathema; to declare orvow under penalty of execration --
(bind under a) curse, bind with an oath. see GREEK anathema....
Strong's Hebrew
5087. nadar -- tovow... 5086, 5087. nadar. 5088 . to
vow. Transliteration: nadar Phonetic Spelling:
(naw-dar') Short Definition: vowed. Word Origin a prim.
...5088. neder -- avow
neder or neder. 5087, 5088. neder or neder. 5089 . avow. Transliteration:
neder or neder Phonetic Spelling: (neh'-der) Short Definition:vow....
632. issar -- a bond, binding obligation
... binding, bond. Or riccar {is-sawr'}; from 'acar; an obligation orvow (of abstinence) --
binding, bond. see HEBREW 'acar. 631, 632. issar. 633 ....
4008. mibta -- rash utterance
... a rash utterance. From bata'; a rash utterance (hastyvow) -- (that which...) Uttered
(out of). see HEBREW bata'. 4007, 4008. mibta. 4009 . Strong's Numbers
7650. shaba -- to swear
... 62), sworn (41), take an oath (2), take the oath (1), take oath (1), takes (1),
took an oath (3), took the oath (1), under oath (3), used (1),vow (1), vowed (6...
Library
A RashVow
... A RASHVOW. 'Jesus answered him, Wilt them lay down thy life for My sake?
Verily, verily I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow...
A ForgottenVow
... GENESIS A FORGOTTENVOW. 'Arise, go up... XXXV.1. Thirty years at least had passed
since Jacob'svow; ten or twenty since his return. He...
A LoyalVow
... THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL A LOYALVOW. 'And the king's servants said unto
the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever...
Whether aVow is an Act of Latria or Religion?
... SERVICE BY PROMISE (Q ) Whether avow is an act of latria or religion? Objection
1: It would seem that avow is not an act of latria or religion....
Whether aVow is Solemnized by the Reception of Holy Orders, and...
... SERVICE BY PROMISE (Q ) Whether avow is solemnized by the reception of holy
orders, and by the profession of a certain rule? Objection...
Whether theVow of Obedience is the Chief of the Three Religious...
... OF THOSE THINGS IN WHICH THE RELIGIOUS STATE PROPERLY CONSISTS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether
thevow of obedience is the chief of the three religious vows?...
Whether one who is Bound by aVow to Enter Religion is under an...
... OF THE ENTRANCE INTO RELIGIOUS LIFE (TEN ARTICLES) Whether one who is bound by a
vow to enter religion is under an obligation of entering religion?...
Whether aVow Should Always be About a Better Good?
... SERVICE BY PROMISE (Q ) Whether avow should always be about a better good? Objection
1: It would seem that avow need not be always about a better good....
Whether one Ought to be Bound byVow to Enter Religion?
... OF THE ENTRANCE INTO RELIGIOUS LIFE (TEN ARTICLES) Whether one ought to
be bound byvow to enter religion? Objection 1: It would...
Baptism Renewal of theVow.
... Baptism Renewal of theVow. V. Renewal of theVow. 8,8,8,8,8,8.... Away vain World,
Sin, leave me now,. I turn from you; God hears myvow....
Thesaurus
Vow (49 Occurrences)... conditionally, wholly or in part, for a longer or shorter time, to some act, service,
or condition; a devotion of one's possessions; as, a baptismal
vow; a
vow...Nazarite (8 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews form Nazirite), the name of such Israelites
as took on them thevow prescribed in Numbers 6:2-21....
Vowed (34 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) ofVow. Multi-Version Concordance... Genesis 31:13 I am the God of Bethel,
where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed avow to me....
Voweth (8 Occurrences)
... Genesis 28:20 And Jacob voweth avow, saying, 'Seeing God is with me, and hath kept
me in this way which I am going, and hath given to me bread to eat, and a...
Votive (13 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Consecrated by avow; devoted; as, votive offerings;
a votive tablet. Multi-Version Concordance Votive (13 Occurrences)....
Freewill (27 Occurrences)
... A spontaneous gift (Exodus 35:29), a voluntary sacrifice (Leviticus 22:23; Ezra
3:5), as opposed to one in consequence of avow, or in expiation of some offence...
Singular (2 Occurrences)
... In Leviticus 27:2 by "when a man shall make a singularvow" the King James Version
seems to have understood a "personal" or "private"vow....
Nazirite (10 Occurrences)
... naz'-i-rit (nazir, connected with nadhar, "tovow"; nazeir, nazeiraios, as also
various words indicating "holiness" or "devotion"; the King James Version...
Obligation (17 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) That which obligates or constrains; the binding power of a promise, contract,
oath, orvow, or of law; that which constitutes legal or moral duty....
Defer (7 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 23:21 When thou shaltvow avow to the LORD thy God, thou shalt not
defer to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it...
Resources
What is the Nazirite/Nazarite vow? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about keeping your vows / oaths? | GotQuestions.orgWas Jesus a Nazirite? | GotQuestions.orgVow: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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