The Lord never requires bargaining for his favor. People made vows in different situations, often giving gifts to the Lord in gratitude for his help (compare Genesis 28:20–22). Before battles, people usually offered priestly sacrifices (1 Samuel 13:8–12). Jephthah's vow risked making someone in his household a human sacrifice, which Israelite law strictly forbids (Deuteronomy 18:10).