נָדַר (na.dar)
na.dar
to vow
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nādar means to make a solemn promise or vow. It appears eighteen times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Numbers, Judges, and Second Samuel. This word describes a formal commitment made to God, often involving specific actions or offerings.
In its primary sense, nādar involves binding oneself to a course of action. For example, Jephthah’s vow in Judges 11:30-31 demonstrates the serious nature of such commitments, where a person pledges something significant in exchange for divine help. The legal texts in Numbers emphasize that once a vow is spoken, it must be fulfilled; failing to do so is treated as sin.
The word carries weight because it links human speech directly to divine expectation. It is not a casual wish but a contractual agreement with God. Translators typically render nādar as "vow" or "make a vow," preserving the legal and religious gravity of the original term. This usage highlights the importance of integrity in biblical faith, where words spoken before God are held to be binding.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Making a promise to God is a serious act of faith. The Hebrew word nādar describes a solemn vow, a binding commitment where a person pledges something specific in return for divine help or as an act of worship. This was not a casual wish but a contractual agreement that carried legal and religious weight. When you speak to God, You hear it, and Your expectation is that your words will be kept.
Scripture shows us both the beauty and the gravity of this practice. Hannah’s vow in 1 Samuel 1:11 reveals a heart desperate for connection, promising her son back to You if He would listen to her affliction. Similarly, Jephthah’s vow in Judges 11:30 highlights the intense, sometimes dangerous, nature of human promises made in crisis. These stories remind us that integrity is central to our relationship with God.
Understanding this word encourages honesty in prayer. It invites you to be deliberate about what you ask and promise. While we do not need to make elaborate vows to be heard, we can learn from the biblical examples of speaking truth to You. This practice deepens trust, knowing that Your character is faithful to fulfill what You have promised, even as we strive to keep our own commitments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you will vow2×
- he will vow2×
- he vowed2×
- and/ he vowed2×
- you vowed1×
- we have vowed1×
- to/ vow1×
- the/ [one who] vows1×
- he had vowed1×
- and/ they will vow1×
- and/ they vowed1×
- and/ she vowed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּדַּ֨ר2×
- תִּדֹּ֔ר1×
- תִּדְּר֖וּ1×
- נָדָ֑ר1×
- נָדַ֥רְתָּ1×
- נָדַ֥רְתִּי1×
- נָדַ֣ר1×
- נָדַ֙רְנוּ֙1×
- נָ֝דַ֗ר1×
- לִ/נְדֹּר֙1×
- יִדֹּר֒1×
- יִדֹּ֔ר1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 11:30
Jephthah vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, “If you will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,
This verse shows the desperate and binding nature of a vow made in crisis, illustrating the serious weight nādar carries when humans pledge specific outcomes to God.
-
I Samuel 1:11
She vowed a vow, and said, “Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”
Hannah’s vow demonstrates how nādar is used in personal prayer, linking a heartfelt request for a child with a lifelong commitment to dedicate that child to Yahweh.
-
Numbers 6:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: ‘When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh,
This legal text establishes the formal structure of the Nazirite vow, showing that nādar involves specific restrictions and offerings required by the law of separation.
-
Malachi 1:14
“But the deceiver is cursed who has in his flock a male, and vows and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”
Here the word highlights God’s displeasure with insincere vows, warning that offering defective sacrifices while making promises is an act of deceit rather than worship.