“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.” (Numbers 30:2)

G od is very serious about words. It is written in ­Proverbs 18:21 that death and life are in the power of the tongue. When giving Israel instructions about making vows, God wanted the Israelites to know that what they spoke was important, and they would be accountable for the words they spoke in an ­agreement.