What does the Bible say about vows and promises?

The Scripture instructs us to take our vows seriously, as emphasized in passages like Leviticus 19:12 and Ecclesiastes 5:2. While the Bible acknowledges the practice of making vows, Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:34 is a call to a deeper sincerity in our speech. He warns against making rash promises or swearing by anything, indicating that the integrity of our word should suffice without additional oaths. The idea is that our commitments should reflect the truthfulness of our character, not just our legalistic promises to God.