Deuteronomy 23:21-23

(4) MAKING AND KEEPING VOWS (Deuteronomy 23:21-23)

21 When thou shalt vows a vow unto Jehovah thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it: for Jehovah thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. 22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed unto Jehovah thy God, a freewill-offering, which thou, hast promised with thy mouth.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:21-23

401.

Jephthah was not the only man who opened his mouth unto Jehovah and could not go back. A promise to God is no light matter.

402.

In what sense is a vow a free-will offering?

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 23:21-23

21 When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not be slack in paying it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and slackness would be sin in you.
22 But if you refrain from vowing, it will not be sin in you.
23 The vow which has passed your lips you shall be watchful to perform, a voluntary offering which you have made to the Lord your God, which you have promised with your mounth.

COMMENT 23:21-23

See also Numbers 30:1-2, Ecclesiastes 5:4-5. This passage apparently applies to those freewill offerings and vows an Israelite could make to God. An Israelite was to be a man of his wordwhat he said he was to do!

A terrible example of a man who rashly vowed is found in the case of Jephthah, Judges 11:29-30.