Deuteronomy 23:21

21 When thou makest a vow to thy Lord God, thou shalt not tarry to yield it, for thy Lord God shall ask that of thee; and if thou tarriest, it shall be reckoned to thee into sin. (When thou makest a vow to the Lord thy God, thou shouldest not delay in fulfilling it, for the Lord thy God shall ask for that of thee; and if thou delayest, it shall be reckoned unto thee as a sin.

Deuteronomy 23:21 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 23:21

When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God
Which must be of things in a man's power to perform, and of what are lawful to be done, and according to the mind and will of God revealed in his word, and agreeably to the manner of worship prescribed by him; as that he will offer such a sacrifice, a freewill offering to him, and the like, besides what he was bound to do, or give such and such things for the repair of the sanctuary, or for the relief of the poor; (See Gill on Numbers 30:2). This law is thought by Aben Ezra to be repeated on the mention of the hire of a whore being forbidden to be brought for a vow, ( Deuteronomy 23:18 ) ;

thou shall not slack to pay it;
or delay the payment of it, but do it immediately; since zeal and affection might abate, and there might not be hereafter an ability to perform, or death might come and prevent it; the Targum of Jonathan adds, at the three feasts, that is, of the passover, pentecost, and tabernacles; and the Jewish writers ^F8 say, that no man transgresses this precept respecting the delay of paying a vow, until the three feasts have passed:

for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee;
exact the payment of it, and expect it, insist upon the performance of it, and punish for neglect:

and it would be sin in thee;
guilt of sin would be contracted, and punishment inflicted; Aben Ezra interprets it of the latter.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Roshhashanah, c. 1. sect. 1. & in Ediot, c. 7. sect. 4.

Deuteronomy 23:21 In-Context

19 Thou shalt not lend to thy brother to usury, money, neither fruits, neither any other thing, (Thou shalt not lend money, or fruits, or any other thing, to thy brother, that is, thy kinsman, and charge him interest,

20 but (thou mayest) to an alien. For thou shalt lend to thy brother without usury that that he needeth, that thy Lord God bless thee in all thy work in the land to which thou shalt enter to wield. (but thou mayest do so to a foreigner, or a stranger. For thou shalt lend to thy brother what he needeth without charging interest, and then the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy work in the land to which thou shalt enter to take.)

21 When thou makest a vow to thy Lord God, thou shalt not tarry to yield it, for thy Lord God shall ask that of thee; and if thou tarriest, it shall be reckoned to thee into sin. (When thou makest a vow to the Lord thy God, thou shouldest not delay in fulfilling it, for the Lord thy God shall ask for that of thee; and if thou delayest, it shall be reckoned unto thee as a sin.

22 If thou wilt not promise, thou shalt be without sin. (If thou maketh no vow, thou hast not sinned.)

23 Forsooth thou shalt keep (thy word), and do that that went out once of thy lips, as thou promisedest to thy Lord God, and hast spoken with thine own will and thy mouth. (But once thy vow hath gone out of thy lips, thou shalt keep thy word, and do it, as thou promisedest to the Lord thy God, and hast spoken with thy own will and thy own mouth.)