Deuteronomy 23:23
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easy to miss is that even though vows are voluntary, once they're made, they become binding obligations. God isn't forcing you to make a promise, but He fully expects you to honor the promises you choose to make to Him. This isn't just about fulfilling an obligation; it's a deep statement of your devotion and commitment to the Lord.
You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a larger section of laws detailing how Israel should live as a holy nation, specifically addressing various regulations concerning relationships, community, and worship. It follows commands about returning runaway slaves, then moves to rules about sexual purity, mixed marriages, and usury before reaching laws about vows and oaths. The immediate context emphasizes that vows are serious commitments made before God, and breaking them dishonors Him.
Have you ever casually promised something to God, only to forget it later? This verse reminds us that vows aren't just polite suggestions.
God's Word here emphasizes that a vow made to Him is a sacred engagement. It's not like a casual conversation between friends. When you speak a vow, you're not just talking to yourself; you're contracting with God Himself. This means that even though the vow might have been a 'freewill offering'—something you chose to promise—once it's spoken, it creates a binding obligation.
Think of it like signing a contract. Before you sign, you're free to negotiate or walk away. But once your signature is on the dotted line, you're committed. The same principle applies here. The act of speaking the vow, especially with the intention of binding yourself to God, makes it a serious commitment that must be performed.
Why does God care so much about vows? It’s not just about keeping your word; it's about honoring His name.
This command is deeply rooted in protecting the honor of God's name. When you make a vow to God, you are essentially invoking His name and His authority. To break that vow is to diminish the glory of God and to treat Him lightly. It's like saying, 'I give my word to God,' and then showing that your word means nothing.
God is upholding His own dignity and expecting you to live with integrity. Your faithfulness in keeping vows reflects your respect for God, while your unfaithfulness can bring His name into disrepute. It's a matter of spiritual integrity – aligning your actions with your spoken commitments to the Almighty.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
saphah · Hebrew Noun
The physical organ of speech, used in Scripture to represent the seat of human intention, promises, and the manifestation of the heart's commitments.
nedabah · Hebrew Noun/Adverbial
An act performed by one's own will without external coercion; it emphasizes the personal responsibility and intent behind a vow made to the Lord.
This passage echoes Deuteronomy's caution, warning that it is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it, highlighting the seriousness of our spoken commitments to God.
Matthew 5:33-37Jesus teaches here about the integrity of our speech, urging us to let our 'yes' be 'yes' and our 'no' be 'no,' which aligns with Deuteronomy's command to be careful to do what we have pledged.
Acts 5:1-11The story of Ananias and Sapphira is a stark example of the consequences of breaking a vow or misrepresenting a commitment made to God, underscoring the divine expectation of faithfulness.
Proverbs 20:25This proverb directly states that it is a snare to rashly dedicate something, or to pay vows only after deliberating, emphasizing the need for careful consideration before making promises to God.
pooleDeuteronomy 23:23: "That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth."
A free-will offering; which though thou didst freely make, yet being made, thou art no longer free, but obliged to perform it.
calvinDeuteronomy 23:21-23: "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee."
- When thou shalt vow a vow. The rule of vowing also pertains to the keeping of the Third Commandment, since, by vowing, men exercise themselves in the sanctification of God's name, and to promise anything to God is a kind of swearing. For what between men is called a covenant or agreement, with respect to Go…
What's easy to miss is that even though vows are voluntary, once they're made, they become binding obligations. God isn't forcing you to make a promise, but He fully expects you to honor the promises you choose to make to Him. This isn't just about fulfilling an obligation; it's a deep statement of your devotion and commitment to the Lord.
This verse is part of a larger section of laws detailing how Israel should live as a holy nation, specifically addressing various regulations concerning relationships, community, and worship. It follows commands about returning runaway slaves, then moves to rules about sexual purity, mixed marriages, and usury before reaching laws about vows and oaths. The immediate context emphasizes that vows are serious commitments made before God, and breaking them dishonors Him.
This verse is part of a larger section of laws detailing how Israel should live as a holy nation, specifically addressing various regulations concerning relationships, community, and worship. It follows commands about returning runaway slaves, then moves to rules about sexual purity, mixed marriages, and usury before reaching laws about vows and oaths. The immediate context emphasizes that vows are serious commitments made before God, and breaking them dishonors Him.
"You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth." — What's easy to miss is that even though vows are voluntary, once they're made, they become binding obligations. God isn't forcing you to make a promise, but He fully expects you to honor the promises…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
