Amsal 20:25

20:25 It is a snare ¹  for a person ²  to rashly cry, ³  “Holy!”

and only afterward to consider ⁴  what he has vowed. ⁵ 

Yehezkiel 20:39

20:39 “‘As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Each of you go and serve your idols, ⁶  if you will not listen to me. ⁷  But my holy name will not be profaned ⁸  again by your sacrifices ⁹  and your idols.

Yakobus 1:13-15

1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, ¹⁰  and he himself tempts no one. 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. 1:15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

[20:25]  ¹ sn It would be a “snare” because it would lead people into financial difficulties; Leviticus 27 talks about foolish or rash vows.

[20:25]  ² tn Heb “a man.”

[20:25]  ³ tn The verb is from לוּע (lu’) or לָעַע (la’a’); it means “to talk wildly” (not to be confused with the homonym “to swallow”). It occurs here and in Job 6:3.

[20:25]  sn This refers to speaking rashly in dedicating something to the sanctuary by calling it “Holy.”

[20:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “reflect on.” The person is to consider the vows before making them, to ensure that they can be fulfilled. Too many people make their vow or promise without thinking, and then later worry about how they will fulfill their vows.

[20:25]  ⁵ tn Heb “the vows” (so NASB); CEV “promises.”

[20:39]  ⁶ sn Compare the irony here to Amos 4:4 and Jer 44:25.

[20:39]  ⁷ tn Heb “and after, if you will not listen to me.” The translation leaves out “and after” for smoothness. The text is difficult. M. Greenberg (Ezekiel [AB], 1:374) suggests that it may mean “but afterwards, if you will not listen to me…” with an unspoken threat.

[20:39]  ⁸ sn A similar concept may be found in Lev 18:21; 20:3.

[20:39]  ⁹ tn Or “gifts.”

[1:13]  ¹⁰ tn Or “God must not be tested by evil people.”