Numbers30
New International Version
1Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: “This is what the Lord commands:
2When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.
3“When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge
4and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand.
5But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.
6“If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself
7and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand.
8But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.
9“Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.
10“If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath
11and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand.
12But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her.
13Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself.
14But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them.
15If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”
16These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at home.
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