Laws about Vows

¹Then Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded:

²If 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.

³And if a woman in her father’s house during her youth makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge,

⁴and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand.

⁵But if her father prohibits her on the day he hears about it, then none of the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. The LORD will absolve her because her father has prohibited her.

⁶If a woman marries while under a vow or rash promise by which she has bound herself,

⁷and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her on that day, then the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand.

⁸But if her husband prohibits her when he hears of it, he nullifies the vow that binds her or the rash promise she has made, and the LORD will absolve her.

⁹Every vow a widow or divorced woman pledges to fulfill is binding on her.

¹⁰If a woman in her husband’s house has made a vow or put herself under an obligation with an oath,

¹¹and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her and does not prohibit her, then all the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand.

¹²But if her husband nullifies them on the day he hears of them, then nothing that came from her lips, whether her vows or pledges, shall stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will absolve her.

¹³Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow or any sworn pledge to deny herself.

¹⁴But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all the vows and pledges that bind her. He has confirmed them, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard about them.

¹⁵But if he nullifies them after he hears of them, then he will bear her iniquity.”

¹⁶These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the relationship between a man and his wife, and between a father and a young daughter still in his home.

Naboth’s Vineyard

¹Some time after these events, Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

²So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

³But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

⁴So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.

⁵Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?”

⁶Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’”

⁷But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

Jezebel’s Plot

⁸Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.

⁹In the letters she wrote:“Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people.

¹⁰But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”

¹¹So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them.

¹²They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.

¹³And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!”So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

¹⁴Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

¹⁵When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”

¹⁶And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Elijah Denounces Ahab and Jezebel

¹⁷Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

¹⁸“Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it.

¹⁹Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”

²⁰When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.”He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.

²¹This is what the LORD says:‘I will bring calamity on youand consume your descendants;I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel,both slave and free.

²²I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebatand like that of Baasha son of Ahijah,because you have provoked My angerand caused Israel to sin.’

²³And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel:‘The dogs will devour Jezebelby the wall of Jezreel.’

²⁴Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the citywill be eaten by dogs,and anyone who dies in the fieldwill be eaten by the birds of the air.”

Ahab’s Repentance

²⁵(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.

²⁶He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)

²⁷When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

²⁸Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying:

²⁹“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”

The Restoration of Israel and Judah

¹This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

²“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.

³For behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore from captivityMy people Israel and Judah, declares the LORD. I will restore them to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it.’”

⁴These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah.

⁵Yes, this is what the LORD says:“A cry of panic is heard—a cry of terror, not of peace.

⁶Ask now, and see:Can a male give birth?Why then do I see every manwith his hands on his stomach like a woman in laborand every face turned pale?

⁷How awful that day will be!None will be like it!It is the time of Jacob’s distress,but he will be saved out of it.

⁸On that day,declares the LORD of Hosts,I will break the yoke off their necksand tear off their bonds,and no longer will strangers enslave them.

⁹Instead, they will serve the LORD their Godand David their king,whom I will raise up for them.

¹⁰As for you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid,declares the LORD,and do not be dismayed,O Israel.For I will surely save you out of a distant place,your descendants from the land of their captivity!Jacob will return to quiet and ease,with no one to make him afraid.

¹¹For I am with you to save you,declares the LORD.Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have scattered you,I will not completely destroy you.Yet I will discipline you justly,and will by no means leave you unpunished.”

¹²For this is what the LORD says:“Your injury is incurable;your wound is grievous.

¹³There is no one to plead your cause,no remedy for your sores,no recovery for you.

¹⁴All your lovers have forgotten you;they no longer seek you,for I have struck you as an enemy would,with the discipline of someone cruel,because of your great iniquityand your numerous sins.

¹⁵Why do you cry out over your wound?Your pain has no cure!Because of your great iniquityand your numerous sinsI have done these things to you.

¹⁶Nevertheless, all who devour you will be devoured,and all your adversaries—every one of them—will go off into exile.Those who plundered you will be plundered,and all who raided you will be raided.

¹⁷But I will restore your health and heal your wounds,declares the LORD,because they call you an outcast,Zion, for whom no one cares.”

¹⁸This is what the LORD says:“I will restore the fortunes ofJacob’s tentsand have compassion on his dwellings.And the city will be rebuilt on her own ruins,and the palace will stand in its rightful place.

¹⁹Thanksgiving will proceed from them,a sound of celebration.I will multiply them, and they will not be decreased;I will honor them, and they will not be belittled.

²⁰Their children will be as in days of old,and their congregation will be established before Me;and I will punish all their oppressors.

²¹Their leader will be one of their own,and their ruler will arise from their midst.And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me,for who would dare on his own to approach Me?”declares the LORD.

²²“And you will be My people,and I will be your God.”

²³Behold, the storm of the LORDhas gone out with fury,a whirlwind swirling downupon the heads of the wicked.

²⁴The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn backuntil He has fully accomplished the purposes of His heart.In the days to comeyou will understand this.

The LORD Has Chosen Zion

¹O LORD, remember on behalf of Davidall the hardships he endured,

²how he swore an oath to the LORD,and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

³“I will not enter my houseor get into my bed,

⁴I will not give sleep to my eyesor slumber to my eyelids,

⁵until I find a place for the LORD,a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶We heard that the ark was in Ephrathah;we found it in the fields of Jaar.

⁷Let us go to His dwelling place;let us worship at His footstool.

⁸Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place,You and the ark of Your strength.

⁹May Your priests be clothed with righteousness,and Your saints shout for joy.

¹⁰For the sake of Your servant David,do not reject Your anointed one.

¹¹The LORD swore an oath to David,a promise He will not revoke:“One of your descendantsI will place on your throne.

¹²If your sons keep My covenantand the testimony I will teach them,then their sons will also sit on your throneforever and ever.”

¹³For the LORD has chosen Zion;He has desired it for His home:

¹⁴“This is My resting place forever and ever;here I will dwell, for I have desired this home.

¹⁵I will bless her with abundant provisions;I will satisfy her poor with bread.

¹⁶I will clothe her priests with salvation,and her saints will sing out in joy.

¹⁷There I will make a horn grow for David;I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.

¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame,but the crown upon him will gleam.”