13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.
16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.
13 Every vow, H5088 and every binding H632 oath H7621 to afflict H6031 the soul, H5315 her husband H376 may establish H6965 it, or her husband H376 may make it void. H6565
14 But if her husband H376 altogether H2790 hold his peace H2790 at her from day H3117 to day; H3117 then he establisheth H6965 all her vows, H5088 or all her bonds, H632 which are upon her: he confirmeth H6965 them, because he held his peace H2790 at her in the day H3117 that he heard H8085 them.
15 But if he shall any ways H6565 make them void H6565 after H310 that he hath heard H8085 them; then he shall bear H5375 her iniquity. H5771
16 These are the statutes, H2706 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses, H4872 between a man H376 and his wife, H802 between the father H1 and his daughter, H1323 being yet in her youth H5271 in her father's H1 house. H1004
13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he hath established them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
15 But if he shall make them null and void after that he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.
16 These are the statutes, which Jehovah commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father's house.
13 `Every vow and every oath -- a bond to humble a soul -- her husband doth establish it, or her husband doth break it;
14 and if her husband certainly keep silent at her, from day unto day, then he hath established all her vows, or all her bonds which `are' upon her; he hath established them, for he hath kept silent at her in the day of his hearing;
15 and if he doth at all break them after his hearing, then he hath borne her iniquity.'
16 These `are' the statutes which Jehovah hath commanded Moses between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, in her youth, `in' the house of her father.
13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband can establish it, or her husband can annul it.
14 And if her husband be altogether silent at her from day to day, then he hath established all her vows or all her bonds which are upon her; he hath confirmed them, for he hath been silent at her in the day that he heard them.
15 But if he in any way annul them after he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.
16 These are the statutes, which Jehovah commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, in her youth in her father's house.
13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are on her: he has established them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
15 But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.
16 These are the statutes, which Yahweh commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father's house.
13 But if her husband, on hearing of it, made them without force or effect, then whatever she has said about her oaths or her undertaking has no force: her husband has made them without effect, and she will have the Lord's forgiveness.
14 Every oath, and every undertaking which she gives, to keep herself from pleasure, may be supported or broken by her husband.
15 But if the days go on, and her husband says nothing whatever to her, then he is giving the support of his authority to her oaths and undertakings, because at the time of hearing them he said nothing to her.
16 But if at some time after hearing of them, he makes them without force, then he is responsible for her wrongdoing.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 30
Commentary on Numbers 30 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The rules by which vows were to be legally regulated, so far as their objects and their discharge were concerned, has been already laid down in Lev; but the chapter before us contains instructions with reference to the force of vows and renunciations. These are so far in place in connection with the general rules of sacrifice, that vows related for the most part to the presentation of sacrifices; and even vows of renunciation partook of the character of worship. The instructions in question were addressed (Numbers 30:1) to “the heads of the tribes,” because they entered into the sphere of civil rights, namely, into that of family life.
At the head there stands the general rule, “ If any one vow a vow to Jehovah, or swear an oath, to bind his soul to abstinence, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that has gone out of his mouth: ” i.e., he shall keep or fulfil the vow, and the promise of abstinence, in perfect accordance with his word. נדר is a positive vow, or promise to give or sanctify any part of one's property to the Lord. אסּר , from אסר , to bind or fetter, the negative vow, or vow of abstinence. על־נפשׁו אסּר אסר , to take an abstinence upon his soul. In what such abstinence consisted is not explained, because it was well understood from traditional customs; in all probability it consisted chiefly in fasting and other similar abstinence from lawful things. The Nazarite's vow, which is generally reckoned among the vows of abstinence, is called neder in Numbers 6:2., not issar , because it consisted not merely in abstinence from the fruit of the vine, but also in the positive act of permitting the hair to grow freely in honour of the Lord. The expression “swear an oath” (Numbers 30:2; cf. Numbers 30:13) shows that, as a rule, they bound themselves to abstinence by an oath. The inf. constr ., השּׁבא , is used here, as in other places, for the inf. abs . (cf. Ges. §131, 4, note 2). יחל , from חלל , for יחל , as in Ezekiel 39:7 (cf. Ges. §67, note 8), to desecrate (his word), i.e., to leave it unfulfilled or break it.
Numbers 30:3-15 contain the rules relating to positive and negative vows made by a woman, and four different examples are given. The first case (Numbers 30:3-5) is that of a woman in her youth, while still unmarried, and living in her father's house. If she made a vow of performance or abstinence, and her father heard of it and remained silent, it was to stand, i.e., to remain in force. But if her father held her back when he heard of it, i.e., forbade her fulfilling it, it was not to stand or remain in force, and Jehovah would forgive her because of her father's refusal. Obedience to a father stood higher than a self-imposed religious service. - The second case (Numbers 30:6-8) was that of a vow of performance or abstinence, made by a woman before her marriage, and brought along with her ( עליה , “upon herself”) into her marriage. In such a case the husband had to decide as to its validity, in the same way as the father before her marriage. In the day when he heard of it he could hold back his wife, i.e., dissolve her vow; but if he did not do this at once, he could not hinder its fulfilment afterwards. שׂפתיה מבטא , gossip of her lips, that which is uttered thoughtlessly or without reflection (cf. Leviticus 5:4). This expression implies that vows of abstinence were often made by unmarried women without thought or reflection. - The third case (Numbers 30:9) was that of a vow made by a widow or divorced woman. Such a vow had full force, because the woman was not dependent upon a husband. - The fourth case (Numbers 30:10-12) was that of a vow made by a wife in her married state. Such a vow was to remain in force if her husband remained silent when he heard of it, and did not restrain her. On the other hand, it was to have no force if her husband dissolved it at once. After this there follows the general statement (Numbers 30:13-16), that a husband could establish or dissolve every vow of performance or abstinence made by his wife. If, however, he remained silent “from day to day,” he confirmed it by his silence; and if afterwards he should declare it void, he was to bear his wife's iniquity. עונה , the sin which the wife would have had to bear if she had broken the vow of her own accord. This consisted either in a sin-offering to expiate her sin (Leviticus 5:4.); or if this was omitted, in the punishment which God suspended over the sin (Leviticus 5:1).
Numbers 30:16, concluding formula.