Dictionaries :: Vows

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Vows:

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 (Gen 28:18-22; Lev 7:16; Num 30:2-13; Deu 23:18; Jdg 11:30,39; 1Sa 1:11; Jon 1:16; Act 18:18; 21:23).

Nave's Topical Bible

Vows: Mosaic Laws Concerning

Lev 23:37, 38; Num 29:39

Must be voluntary, see below.
Must be performed, see below.

Vows: Rash:

By Jephthah, in consecration of his daughter as a sacrafice, if his campaign against the Ammonites were successful,

Jdg 11:29-40;

the Israelites, to destroy the Benjamites,

Jdg 21:5, 6; with Jdg 20; 21.

Vows: Things Forbidden to Be Offered In:

Receipts of the whore and the price of a "dog" (male prostitute of a pagan shrine),

Deu 23:18;

a minor, of himself,

Mar 7:11-13.

Vows: Edible Things Offered In

To be eaten the same day they were offered,

Lev 7:16-18.

Vows: Things Offered In

To be brought to the tabernacle or temple,

Deu 12:6, 11, 17, 18, 26;

belonged to the priests,

Num 18:14.

Vows: Estimation of the Redemption Price

Of things offered in vows, to be made by the priest, according to age and sex of the person making the offering,

Lev 27:1-13.

Vows: The Redemption Price

Of the offering of real estate, to be valued by the priest,

Lev 27:14, 15;

of a field,

Lev 27:16-25.

Vows: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To:

Gen 28:20, 21; 31:13; Lev 5:4-13; 22:18-25; Num 15:2-16; 30:1-16; Deu 23:18, 21-23; Job 22:27; Psa 22:25; 50:14, 15; 56:12; 61:5, 8; 65:1; 66:13, 14; 76:11; 116:14-19; Pro 20:25; Ecc 5:4-6; Jon 2:9; Nah 1:15

See CONTRACT; COVENANT

Vows: Instances Of:

Of Jacob, see above,

Gen 28:20-22.

Of the mother of Micah, in the dedication of silver for the making of an idol,

Jdg 17:2, 3.

Of Hannah, to consecrate to the Lord the child for which she prayed,

1Sa 1:11; with 1Sa 1:27, 28.

Of Elkanah,

1Sa 1:21.

Of Absalom,

2Sa 15:7, 8.

Of Job, not to entertain thoughts of fornication,

Job 31:1.

Of David,

Psa 132:2.

Of Ananias and Sapphira, in the dedication of the proceeds of the sale of their land,

Act 5:1-11.

Of the Jews, to kill Paul,

Act 23:12-15.

Of Jephthah, and of the Israelites,

see RASH VOWS, above

See NAZARITE

Thematic Subject Guide

Vows:

Gen 28:20-21Lev 5:4-13; Lev 7:16-18; Lev 22:18-25; Lev 23:37-38; Lev 27:1-25Num 15:2-16; Num 18:14; Num 29:39; Num 30:2-16Deu 12:6; Deu 12:11; Deu 12:17-18; Deu 12:26; Deu 23:18; Deu 23:21-23Jdg 11:29-40; Jdg 21:5-6Job 22:27Psa 22:25; Psa 50:14-15; Psa 56:12; Psa 61:5; Psa 61:8; Psa 66:13; Psa 76:11; Psa 116:14-19Pro 20:25Ecc 5:4-6Jon 2:9Nah 1:15Mar 7:11-13

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

Vows: Solemn Promises Made to God

Psa 76:11

Vows: Were Made in Reference To

Devoting the person to God

Num 6:2

Dedicating children to God

1Sa 1:11

Devoting property to God

Gen 28:22

Offering sacrifices

Lev 7:16; 22:18,22; Num 15:3

Afflicting the soul

Num 30:13

Vows: To Be Voluntary

Deu 23:21,22

Vows: To Be Performed Faithfully

Num 30:2

Vows: To Be Performed without Delay

Deu 23:21,23

Vows: Danger of Inconsiderately Making

Pro 20:25

Vows: Of Children Void without the Consent of Parents

Num 30:3-5

Vows: Of Married Women Void without Consent of Husbands

Num 30:6-8,10-13

Vows: Of widows and women divorced from their husbands binding

Num 30:9

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

Num 30:14,15

Vows: Might be redeemed by paying a suitable compensation

Lev 27:1-8,11-23

Vows: Clean Beasts the Subjects Of, Not to Be Redeemed

Lev 27:9,10

Vows: Recorded in Scripture

Of Jacob

Gen 28:20-22; 31:13

Of Israelites

Num 21:2

Of Jephthah

Jdg 11:30,31

Of Hannah

1Sa 1:1

Of Elkanah

1Sa 1:24

Of David

Psa 132:2-5

Of mariners who cast out Jonah

Jon 1:16

Of Jonah

Jon 2:9

Of Lemuel's mother

Pro 31:1,2

Of Paul

Act 18:18

Of certain Jews with Paul

Act 21:23,24,26

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

Deu 12:6,11,17,18,26

Vows: Of Things Corrupt or Blemished an Insult to God

Lev 22:23; Mal 1:14

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

Deu 23:18

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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 (Genesis 28:18-22; 31:13). Vows in general are also mentioned in the book of Job (Job 22:27). 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 (Leviticus 27:28).

(a). If he vowed land, he might either redeem it or not Leviticus 25, 27.

(b). Animals fit for sacrifice if devoted, were not to be redeemed or changed (Leviticus 27:9-10, 33) 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 (2 Samuel 15:8). Otherwise he might be redeemed at a valuation according to age and sex, on the scale given in Leviticus 27:1-7. Among general regulations affecting vows the following may be mentioned:

(1). Vows were entirely voluntary but once made were regarded as compulsory (Numbers 30:2; 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:4).

(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 (Numbers 30:3-15).

(3). Votive offerings arising from the produce of any impure traffic were wholly forbidden (Deuteronomy 23:18).

(2.) For vows of abstinence, SEE [CORBAN].

(3.) For vows of extermination SEE [ANATHEMA]. (Ezra 10:8; Micah 4:13). It seems that the practice of shaving the head at the expiration of a votive period was not limited to the Nazaritic vow (Acts 18:18; 21:24).