Numbers30
New Living Translation
1Then Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “This is what the Lord has commanded:
2A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.
3“If a young woman makes a vow to the Lord or a pledge under oath while she is still living at her father’s home,
4and her father hears of the vow or pledge and does not object to it, then all her vows and pledges will stand.
5But if her father refuses to let her fulfill the vow or pledge on the day he hears of it, then all her vows and pledges will become invalid. The Lord will forgive her because her father would not let her fulfill them.
6“Now suppose a young woman makes a vow or binds herself with an impulsive pledge and later marries.
7If her husband learns of her vow or pledge and does not object on the day he hears of it, her vows and pledges will stand.
8But if her husband refuses to accept her vow or impulsive pledge on the day he hears of it, he nullifies her commitments, and the Lord will forgive her.
9If, however, a woman is a widow or is divorced, she must fulfill all her vows and pledges.
10“But suppose a woman is married and living in her husband’s home when she makes a vow or binds herself with a pledge.
11If her husband hears of it and does not object to it, her vow or pledge will stand.
12But if her husband refuses to accept it on the day he hears of it, her vow or pledge will be nullified, and the Lord will forgive her.
13So her husband may either confirm or nullify any vows or pledges she makes to deny herself.
14But if he does not object on the day he hears of it, then he is agreeing to all her vows and pledges.
15If he waits more than a day and then tries to nullify a vow or pledge, he will be punished for her guilt.”
16These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and a young daughter who still lives 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