Leviticus 27:1

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, etc.] After he had delivered the body of laws in the preceding chapter, which by the close of the last seem to have been finished; but here some rules and instructions concerning vows are given, which a man was not obliged to make, but which he did of his own freewill and good pleasure: saying; as follows.”

“CONCERNING VOWS. (Lev. 27:1-18) When a man shall make a singular vow, &c.--Persons have, at all times and in all places, been accustomed to present votive offerings, either from gratitude for benefits received, or in the event of deliverance from apprehended evil. And Moses was empowered, by divine authority, to prescribe the conditions of this voluntary duty. the persons shall be for the Lord, &c.--better rendered thus:--"According to thy estimation, the persons shall be for the Lord." Persons might consecrate themselves or their children to the divine service, in some inferior or servile kind of work about the sanctuary (Sa1 3:1). In the event of any change, the persons so devoted had the…”

“Dues. The position which this chapter holds after the formal conclusion, Leviticus 26:46, suggests that it is of a supplementary character. There seems, however, no reason to doubt its Mosaic origin. return to 'Top of Page'”

“27:1-34 As a conclusion to the book, this chapter discusses various types of vows and ends with a provision for redeeming one’s tithes (see also ch 25). Under certain circumstances, such as an emergency, an individual might make a vow promising something to God, usually in exchange for God’s answering his or her prayer (see Jon 2:9). Once the prayer is answered, the individual might be tempted to discount the vow. Scripture requires that vows be made carefully (see Lev 5:4; Eccl 5:4-6) and then carried out. Jesus taught that oaths should not be commonly or carelessly made (Matt 5:33-37; 23:16-22).”

“The directions concerning vows follow the express termination of the Sinaitic lawgiving ( Lev 26:46), as an appendix to it, because vows formed no integral part of the covenant laws, but were a freewill expression of piety common to almost all nations, and belonged to the modes of worship current in all religions, which were not demanded and might be omitted altogether, and which really lay outside the law, though it was necessary to bring them into harmony with the demands of the law upon Israel. Making a vow, therefore, or dedicating anything to the Lord by vowing, was not commanded, but was presupposed as a manifestation of reverence for God, sanctified by ancient tradition, and was…”