Numbers 30

30:11 Moses told the leaders2 of the tribes concerning the Israelites, “This is what3 the Lord has commanded: 30:2 If a man4 makes a vow5 to the Lord or takes an oath6 of binding obligation on himself,7 he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.8

Vows Made by Single Women

30:3 “If a young9 woman who is still living10 in her father’s house makes a vow to the Lord or places herself under an obligation, 30:4 and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her,11 then all her vows will stand,12 and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand. 30:5 But if her father overrules her when he hears13 about it, then none14 of her vows or her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. And the Lord will absolve15 her, because her father overruled her.

Vows Made by Married Women

30:6 “And if she has a husband, while under a vow,16 or she uttered17 anything impetuously by which she has pledged herself, 30:7 and her husband hears about it, but remains silent about her when he hears about it, then her vows will stand and her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. 30:8 But if when her husband hears it he overrules her, then he will nullify18 her vow she has taken,19 and whatever she uttered impetuously which she has pledged for herself. And the Lord will absolve her.

Vows Made by Widows

30:9 “But every vow of a widow or of a divorced woman which she has pledged for herself will remain intact.20 30:10 If she made the vow in her husband’s house or put herself under obligation with an oath, 30:11 and her husband heard about it, but remained silent about her, and did not overrule her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation which she pledged for herself will stand. 30:12 But if her husband clearly nullifies21 them when he hears them, then whatever she says22 in the way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will absolve her.

30:13 “Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her,23 her husband can confirm or nullify.24 30:14 But if her husband remains completely silent25 about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about when he heard them. 30:15 But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.”26

30:16 These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses, relating to27 a man and his wife, and a father and his young daughter who is still living in her father’s house.

The Midianite War

Next Chapter