Numbers30
English Standard Version
1 to the of the of the of , , is the Lord has .
2 a a to the Lord, an to by a , he shall his . He shall according to that out of his .
3 a a to the Lord and herself by a , while within her in her ,
4and her of her and of her by she has says nothing to , then her shall , and by she has shall .
5But her her on the that he of it, of hers, by she has shall . And the Lord will her, her her.
6 she marries a , while under her any thoughtless of her by which she has ,
7and her of it and says nothing to her the that he , then her shall , and her by which she has shall .
8But , on the that her comes to of it, he her, then he makes her that was on her, and the of her by which she . And the Lord will her.
9(But any of a or of a , by which she has , shall her.)
10And she in her or by a with an ,
11and her of it and to her and did oppose , then her shall , and every by which she shall .
12But her makes them and on the that he them, then out of her concerning her or concerning her of shall . Her has made them , and the Lord will her.
13 and to , her may , or her may make .
14But her to her from to , then he her or her are her. He has them, he to her on the that he of them.
15But he makes them and he has of them, then he shall her .
16 are the the Lord a and his and a and his while she is in her within her .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 30.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Vows to be kept. (1, 2). The cases wherein vows might be released. (3–16).
vv1-2
No man can be bound by his own promise to do what he is already, by the Divine precept, forbidden to do. In other matters the command is, that he shall not break his words, through he may change his mind.
vv3-16
Two cases of vows are determined. The case of a daughter in her father's house. When her vow comes to his knowledge, it is in his power either to confirm it or do it away. The law is plain in the case of a wife. If her husband allows her vow, though only by silence, it stands. If he disallows it, her obligation to her husband takes place of it; for to him she ought to be in subjection, as unto the Lord. The Divine law consults the good order of families. It is fit that every man should bear rule in his own house, and have his wife and children in subjection; rather than that this great rule should be broken, or any encouragement be given to inferior relations to break those bonds asunder, God releases the obligation even of a solemn vow. So much does religion secure the welfare of all societies; and in it the families of the earth have a blessing.
Key Words
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
רֹאשׁ: the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
מַטֶּה: a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
צָוָה: (intensively) to constitute, enjoin
Cross References
Numbers 30Establishes the command to pay vows to God without delay, echoing the absolute binding nature.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Exhorts keeping vows to God immediately, as God has no pleasure in fools who delay.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Condemns the Pharisaic abuse of vows (Corban) to escape duties to parents, violating parental authority.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates the meaning of 'profaning' or breaking a covenant or spoken word.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reiterates the obligation to perform what has freely gone out of one's lips.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Defines the phrase 'to afflict the soul' as self-denial, especially fasting.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Grounds the husband's veto power in the creation order of marital subjection.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the responsibility of bearing iniquity for silent complicity in a vow or oath.
Supported by Matthew Poole