📖 Biblical Definition
The unfulfilled vow before God. Scripture treats vow-breaking as a serious matter, not lightly. Leviticus 5:4-5 prescribes the trespass offering for one who has sworn rashly: Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing. Numbers 30:13-15 covers conditions for the head of household to disallow a vow. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6: When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it... Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error. The biblical remedy for a broken vow is confession, restitution where possible, and the trespass-offering posture (which Christ's sacrifice fulfills). The category extends to broken marriage vows, baptismal vows, ordination vows, and any explicit promise made before God.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
An unfulfilled vow requiring confession and restoration.
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A vow once sworn but not paid; serious in Scripture's reckoning, requiring confession ('he shall confess') and where possible the trespass offering for cleansing; in marriage, broken vows are still vows that wounded those who trusted.
📖 Key Scripture
Leviticus 5:4-5 — "Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good... and he shall be guilty in one of these: And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned."
Ecclesiastes 5:6 — "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error."
Malachi 2:14 — "Yet she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Treated as ordinary breakage in modern fluid culture; Scripture treats unfulfilled vows with great gravity.
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Marriage covenants, ministry vows, financial commitments, baptismal pledges — all weigh more than modern culture treats them. When broken, the path forward is confession, restoration where possible, and grace through the cross. The remedy is not to pretend the vow did not exist.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew naqar — to fail.
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['Hebrew', 'H5088', 'neder', 'vow']
['Hebrew', 'H6565', 'parar', 'to break']
Usage
"Confess broken vows; do not pretend."
"Restoration where possible; grace where not."