2 Samuel 21

"Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his blood thirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” " v.1


Read chapter 21

So to get a little back story on the Gibeionites we can read Joshua 9. The Israelites were entering Caanan and great fear was on all the surrounding nations of Israel so the Gibeonites disguised themselves and said they were from a distant land and wanted to make a treaty with Israel to become their servants and spare their lives. So the men of Israel agreed and made this treaty with them instead of inquiring of the Lord (they should never have made this vow) that they would never destroy the Gibeonites. The Lord blessed this vow so when Saul broke the vow in killing Gibeonites the Lord responded out of a broken vow and put a famine for three years. Even though Saul was dead the Lord didn't just forget God didn't forget the Gibeonites even though it had been 300 years since the vow and still held Israel to that vow. How it was reconciled was the death of seven of Saul's descendants, being handed over to the Gibeonites to be hanged. There are vows people make that they don't realize the dedication and commitment it takes and break that vow. I know I have made vows that I have broken even after just a couple days of making the vow, but once a vow is broken the Lord still lets us recommit. It's not just once mess up might as well stay in it but repent and recommit. "Better not to vow than to vow and not pay" (Ecclesiastes 5:5). Do you have any vows that are broken that you desire to recommit to?