Topical Bible: Vowed

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, a vow 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 activities. Vows are considered sacred and binding, reflecting a deep sense of devotion and accountability to God. The practice of making vows is evident throughout the Scriptures, highlighting the importance of integrity and faithfulness in one's relationship with the Divine.

Old Testament Context

The concept of vows is prominently featured in the Old Testament, where individuals made vows as expressions of gratitude, devotion, or desperation. In Numbers 30:2 , the seriousness of vows is underscored: "When a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised." This passage emphasizes the binding nature of vows and the expectation that they be fulfilled.

One notable example is the vow of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. In 1 Samuel 1:11 , Hannah makes a vow to the Lord, saying, "O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head." Hannah's vow reflects her deep faith and commitment, and upon the birth of Samuel, she fulfills her vow by dedicating him to the Lord's service.

The Nazarite vow, detailed in Numbers 6, is another significant example. This vow involved a period of consecration to the Lord, during which the individual abstained from wine, avoided contact with the dead, and refrained from cutting their hair. Samson, one of the judges of Israel, was a lifelong Nazarite, as described in Judges 13:5 : "For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall come over his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, Jesus addresses the issue of vows in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:33-37 , He teaches, "Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.' But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' Anything more comes from the evil one." Here, Jesus emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity, suggesting that one's word should be sufficient without the need for additional vows or oaths.

The Apostle Paul also encountered vows in his ministry. In Acts 18:18 , it is noted that "Paul stayed on in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken." This indicates that vows continued to be a part of Jewish-Christian practice in the early church.

Theological Implications

Vows in the Bible underscore the importance of sincerity and commitment in one's relationship with God. They serve as a reminder of the seriousness with which one should approach promises made to the Almighty. The biblical narrative consistently portrays vows as acts of worship and devotion, reflecting a heart fully committed to God's will and purposes. The fulfillment of vows is seen as an expression of faithfulness and integrity, qualities that are highly valued in the biblical tradition.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(imp. & p. p.) of Vow.

Strong's Hebrew

5087. nadar -- to vow
... 5086, 5087. nadar. 5088 . to vow. Transliteration: nadar Phonetic Spelling:
(naw-dar') Short Definition: vowed. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5087.htm - 6k

5088. neder -- a vow
... vowed. Or neder {nay'-der}; from nadar; a promise (to God); also (concretely)
a thing promised -- vow((-ed)). see HEBREW nadar. 5087, 5088. ...
/hebrew/5088.htm - 6k

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 ...
/hebrew/7650.htm - 6k

Library

Whether He who Has Vowed to Enter Religion is Bound to Remain in ...
... OF THE ENTRANCE INTO RELIGIOUS LIFE (TEN ARTICLES) Whether he who has vowed to
enter religion is bound to remain in religion in perpetuity? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether he who has vowed.htm

That what any one Has Vowed to God, He must Quickly Repay.
... Third Book. 30. That what any one has vowed to God, he must quickly repay.
In Solomon: "According as thou hast vowed a vow to God ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/30 that what any one.htm

If, Therefore, You had not as yet Vowed unto God Widowed ...
... Section 23. If, therefore, you had not as yet vowed unto God widowed
continence? 23. If, therefore, you had not as yet vowed unto ...
/.../augustine/on the good of widowhood /section 23 if therefore you.htm

Scriptural Uses of the General Words for Prayer
... The passage runs: And Jacob vowed a vow (prayed a prayer), saying"If the Lord God
will be with me, and guard me in this way that I am going, and give me ...
/.../origen/origen on prayer/chapter ii scriptural uses of.htm

Psalm CXXXII.
... "How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob"
(ver.2). Therefore remember for this, that he may fulfil what he hath promised. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxxxii.htm

Whether all Vows are Binding?
... Now sometimes that which a man has vowed becomes impossible to him, either because
it depends on another's decision, as when, for instance, a man vows to enter ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether all vows are binding.htm

Whether it is Expedient to Take Vows?
... Hence Augustine says (Ep. 127, ad Arment. et Paulin.): "Since thou hast vowed,
thou hast bound thyself, thou canst not do otherwise. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is expedient to.htm

It Is, Therefore, the Present Necessity that we are to Avoid...
... all who shall live for ever, but unto certain there; in order to obtain which it
is not enough to have been set free from sins, unless there be vowed unto Him ...
/.../augustine/of holy virginity /section 14 it is therefore.htm

Whether it is Requisite for Religious Perfection that Poverty ...
... Objection 2: Further, a vow is a promise made to God, wherefore (Eccles.5:3) the
wise man after saying: "If thou hast vowed anything to God, defer not to pay it ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is requisite for 2.htm

Whether it is Lawful to Pass from one Religious Order to Another?
... Objection 3: Further, a person is bound to fulfil what he has vowed, as long as
he is able lawfully to do so; thus if a man has vowed to observe continence, he ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful to 28.htm

Thesaurus

Vowed (34 Occurrences)
... & pp) of Vow. Multi-Version Concordance Vowed (34 Occurrences). ... Genesis 31:13 I am
the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. ...
/v/vowed.htm - 17k

Vow (49 Occurrences)
... 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 ...
/v/vow.htm - 27k

Uttered (60 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Numbers 30:6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered
ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; (KJV WBS). ...
/u/uttered.htm - 23k

Nazarite (8 Occurrences)
... Numbers 6:21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering
unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get ...
/n/nazarite.htm - 13k

Consecration (22 Occurrences)
... Numbers 6:21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed: his offering to Jehovah
for his consecration, beside what his hand is able to get; according to ...
/c/consecration.htm - 18k

Vows (38 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Voluntary promises which, when once made, were
to be kept if the thing vowed was right. They were made ...
/v/vows.htm - 19k

Jephthah (26 Occurrences)
... The people obeyed his summons, and "the spirit of the Lord came upon him." Before
engaging in war he vowed that if successful he would offer as a "burnt ...
/j/jephthah.htm - 20k

Wherewith (182 Occurrences)
... Numbers 30:6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought
out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; (KJV JPS ASV DBY). ...
/w/wherewith.htm - 38k

Vowest (3 Occurrences)
... (DBY YLT). Ecclesiastes 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it;
for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. ...
/v/vowest.htm - 7k

Valuation (22 Occurrences)
... he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the
priest shall value him; according to the ability of him who vowed shall the ...
/v/valuation.htm - 14k

Resources

Who was Jacob in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Did Jephthah sacrifice his daughter to the Lord? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of Jacob wrestling with God? | GotQuestions.org

Vowed: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Vowed (34 Occurrences)

Mark 6:23
He swore to her, "Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."
(See RSV)

Acts 23:21
I beg you not to comply; for more than forty men among them are lying in wait for him, who have solemnly vowed that they will neither eat nor drink till they have assassinated him; and even now they are ready, in anticipation of receiving that promise of you."
(WEY)

Genesis 28:20
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,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.'"
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Leviticus 23:38
beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
(See NIV)

Leviticus 27:8
But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to the ability of him who vowed shall the priest value him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Leviticus 27:9
"'If it is an animal, of which men offer an offering to Yahweh, all that any man gives of such to Yahweh becomes holy.
(See NIV)

Leviticus 27:11
If it is any unclean animal, of which they do not offer as an offering to Yahweh, then he shall set the animal before the priest;
(See NIV)

Numbers 6:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If a man or a woman have vowed the special vow of a Nazarite, to consecrate themselves to Jehovah;
(DBY)

Numbers 6:21
This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Numbers 21:2
Israel vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, "If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Numbers 30:6
And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
(KJV WBS)

Numbers 30:10
"If she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 12:6
and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock;
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 12:11
then it shall come to pass that the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 12:17
Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thine oil, or the firstlings of thy herd or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill-offerings, nor the offering of thy hand;
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 12:26
But thy hallowed things which thou hast, and what thou hast vowed, thou shalt take, and come to the place which Jehovah will choose;
(DBY NIV)

Deuteronomy 23:23
That which is gone out of your lips you shall observe and do; according as you have vowed to Yahweh your God, a freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Judges 11:30
Jephthah vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, "If you will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Judges 11:39
It happened at the end of two months, that she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she was a virgin. It was a custom in Israel,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NIV)

1 Samuel 1:11
She vowed a vow, and said, "Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come on his head."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

1 Samuel 19:6
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, "As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death."
(See NAS)

1 Samuel 20:3
David swore moreover, and said, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says,'Don't let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved:' but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."
(See NAS)

1 Samuel 28:10
Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, "As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing."
(See NAS)

2 Samuel 3:35
All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."
(See NAS)

2 Samuel 15:7
It happened at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Samuel 15:8
For your servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying,'If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.'"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

1 Kings 1:29
The king swore, and said, "As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
(See NAS)

1 Kings 1:30
most certainly as I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying,'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place;' most certainly so will I do this day."
(See NAS)

Ezra 7:16
and all the silver and gold that you shall find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;
(See RSV)

Psalms 132:2
how he swore to Yahweh, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ecclesiastes 5:4
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Isaiah 19:21
And known hath been Jehovah to Egypt, And the Egyptians have known Jehovah in that day, And done sacrifice and present, And vowed a vow to Jehovah, and completed 'it'.
(YLT)

Jonah 2:9
But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to Yahweh."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Vowed

Related Terms

Vowed (34 Occurrences)

Vowest (3 Occurrences)

Nativity (9 Occurrences)

Beth-el (65 Occurrences)

Anointedst (1 Occurrence)

Kindred (41 Occurrences)

Depart (211 Occurrences)