If 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears 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.
- KJV If a man vow a vow unto 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 proceedeth out of his mouth.
- NKJV If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
- NASB If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to put himself under a binding obligation, he shall not break his word; he shall act in accordance with everything that comes out of his mouth.
- NLT A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A man who vows or swears an oath to the Lord must not break his word but must do all he has said.
Overview
Vows were voluntary, but once made to God they were binding, and the man was obligated to fulfill exactly what he promised. This taught Israel the gravity of words spoken before a faithful God who keeps His own word. The principle calls believers to integrity and warns against careless promises; Christ urges that our 'yes' be truly yes (Matthew 5:37).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 35
- Ps 50:14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
- Ps 116:14I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people.
- Eccl 5:4–5When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
- Job 22:27You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
- Ps 66:13–14I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You—
- Acts 23:12When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
- Prov 20:25It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
- Ps 116:18I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people,
- Acts 23:21Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”
- Lev 5:4Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.
- Ps 55:20My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
- Num 30:3–4And if a woman in her father’s house during her youth makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge,
- Ps 22:25My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.
- Matt 5:33–34Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- Nah 1:15Look to the mountains—the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows. For the wicked will never again march through you; they will be utterly cut off.
- 2 Cor 1:23I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
- Ps 76:11Make and fulfill your vows to the LORD your God; let all the neighboring lands bring tribute to Him who is to be feared.
- 2 Cor 9:9–11As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
- Acts 23:14They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
- Ps 56:12Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You.
- Matt 14:7–9so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked.
- Num 30:10If a woman in her husband’s house has made a vow or put herself under an obligation with an oath,
- Num 21:2So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”
- Deut 23:21–23If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.
- Matt 23:16Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
- Judg 11:11So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.
- Ps 119:106I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.
- Matt 23:18And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’
- Exod 20:7You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
- Lev 27:2–34“Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When someone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the value of persons,
- Judg 11:39After two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she had never had relations with a man. So it has become a custom in Israel
- Gen 28:20–22Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear,
- Judg 11:35–36As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”
- Judg 11:30–31Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand,
- Ps 15:3who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend,
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 30:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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