The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 30
Chapter XXX · Vol. I, pp. 464–465
1 Vows are not to be broken. 3 The exceptions of a maid's vow, 6 of a wife's, 9 of a widow's, or of her that is divorced.
1 AND Moses spake unto the a heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, b This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded.
a ch. 1.4,16; 34.17-28. De. 1.13, 14. Ex. 18.25.
b Is. 8.20. De. 5.32; 11.32; 12.32. Mat. 28.20.
2 If a man c vow a vow unto the LORD,1 or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break2 his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
c Ge. 28.20. ch. 21.2. Le. 27.1-29. Je. 4.2. Ec. 5.4,5. De. 23.21, 22. Pr. 20.25. Ps. 76.11; 119.106; 116.14,18; 66.13; 50.14; 56.12; 61.5,8. A vow is a solemn promise to God, by which we bind ourselves to do or forbear such and such things.
1 From a reference to the foregoing chap. ver. 30, it will appear that the vows here intended are chiefly vows of things to be dedicated to God, as they are placed in contact with free-will offerings and sacrifices positively enjoined. In this case, the vow being found lawful, a man is bound, even were he a son in his father's house, provided the vow were of his own property.—C.
2 Heb. profane.
3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;3
3 A daughter un-
4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
5 But if d her father disallow her in the day that he heareth, not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul,e shall stand; and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed,4 or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
A.M. 2552. B.C. 1452.
4 Heb. her vows were upon her.
7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.
9 Butf every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.
10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;
11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.
13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, g 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 h bear her iniquity.5
h ver. 5,8,12. Le. 5.1; 20.17-20. Ge. 4.13.
5 Boothroyd translates it 'his iniquity,' which seems the true sense, for if the wife intended to fulfil the vow, and was prevented, she cannot be charged with iniquity; whereas the husband is guilty by going beyond the authority conferred by the law of God. C.—'Her iniquity.' The pronoun shows in the Hebrew that the woman is meant. In the case cited, should the husband by any act of arbitrary power prevent his wife from fulfilling a just vow, then he would bear the sin which she would have had to bear had she broken the vow of her own accord.—P.
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.
Notes
Reflections.—In order to our more perfectly obeying what the Lord requires of us by his gracious authority, it is often useful and necessary that we bind ourselves by new bonds of self-engagement: and the obligation of such engagements is solemn and awful, and therefore should be made with great deliberation, and care be taken that fulfilment thereof no way interfere with any relative duty. God hates robbery for burnt-offering, and pays the strictest attention to the peace and order of families. Let therefore all my vows be well considered and important. Let them proceed from a serious consulting with Jesus Christ, as my father and husband, in solemn prayer and careful searching of his word. In all my religious concerns let me pay the strictest regard to relative duties; and having opened my mouth unto the Lord, never dare to go back again from my vows.