Would Jacob's vow in Genesis 28:20-22 also be a vow that "demostrates piety toward God"?

Question

In light of @dottard interesting posted response( https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/a/49820/19810 ) ----------------------------Excerpt of @dottard interesting posted response---------------------

Contracts in the Bible are of three types:

1. Those initiated by God, eg, with Noah and all mankind, Abrahamic covenant, Israelite covenant, Levitical covenant, etc. This type is usually called a "Covenant".
2. Those contracted between equal parties, eg, the agreement between Israel and the Gibeonites. This is usually called a Treaty (between nations), or a simply an agreement, eg, between David and Jonathon.
3. Those initiated by a human to demonstrate piety toward God. These are usually called a vow; eg, the Nazarite vow (eg, Samson and others), Paul's vow to shave his head in Acts 21:24, etc.

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Genesis 28:20-22 (NASB) 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I [a]take, and will give me [b]food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in [c]safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

I suppose I might be asking the obvious, but would Jacob's vow also fall into the 3rd contract category listed by @dottard ?

Answer 1

If we read Bereishit (Genesis) 28:18-22, we find out that Yaqov (יַֽעֲקֹב֘) is making a Vow ( נֶ֜דֶר) after pouring oil on the stone - referenced later in Bamidbar (Numbers) 30:3.

[Bereishit 28:18] "And Yaqov arose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had placed at his head, and he set it up as a monument, and he poured oil on top of it." (וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ )

[Bereishit 28:22] " Then this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of God, and everything that You give me, I will surely tithe to You. " ( וְהָאֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֨מְתִּי֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה יִֽהְיֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י עַשֵּׂ֖ר אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ)

[Bamidbar 30:3] "If a man makes a vow to YHVH or makes an oath to prohibit himself, he shall not violate his word; according to whatever came out of his mouth, he shall do." (אִישׁ֩ כִּֽי־יִדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֽוֹ־הִשָּׁ֤בַע שְׁבֻעָה֙ לֶאְסֹ֤ר אִסָּר֙ עַל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ לֹ֥א יַחֵ֖ל דְּבָר֑וֹ כְּכָל־הַיֹּצֵ֥א מִפִּ֖יו יַֽעֲשֶֽׂה )

Answer 2

In brief, "Yes", a vow falls into that third category of "votive" offerings. In Gen 28:20, the word translated (correctly) "vow" is נֶדֶר which BDB gives 6 meanings, the first few of which are reproduced below:

1 of personal service to ׳י Genesis 28:20; Genesis 31:13 (of Jacob at Bethel), 2 Samuel 15:7,8; (at Hebron); Leviticus 27:2 (P, any one), of Nazirite Numbers 6:2,5,21; Hannah's consecration of her son 1 Samuel 1:11, compare בר נדרי Proverbs 31:2.

2 in General of any kind of votive offerings or promised gifts to ׳י Numbers 30:3; Numbers 30:4; Numbers 30:5 (twice in verse); Numbers 30:6; Numbers 30:7; Numbers 30:8; Numbers 30:9; Numbers 30:10; Numbers 30:12; Numbers 30:13; Numbers 30:14; Numbers 30:15 (P) Deuteronomy 12:11,17,26; Deuteronomy 23:19; Deuteronomy 23:22; Isaiah 19:21; Nahum 2:1; Psalm 22:26; Psalm 61:6; Psalm 61:9; Psalm 65:2; Psalm 116:14; Psalm 116:18; Proverbs 20:25; Job 22:27; Ecclesiastes 5:3.

3 Jephthah's daughter as עולה Judges 11:30,39.

Thus, in Jacob's case in Gen 28:20ff, he makes a vow to pay a tithe of his income/increase. Note that this was not required of him by law or anything else, but it was a personal decision (in Jacob's case) to do so.

Later, under the Israelite theocracy, tithe was made a requirement (Deut 14:22) to support the Levitical priesthood.