Numbers 30
New American Standard Bible
The Law of Vows
30 [a]Then Moses spoke to (A)the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the Lord has commanded: 2 (B)If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to [b]put himself under a binding obligation, he shall not break his word; he shall act in accordance with everything that comes out of his mouth.
3 “And if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and puts herself under a binding obligation in her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears her vow and her obligation under which she has put herself, and her father [c]says nothing to her, then all her vows shall [d]remain valid and every binding obligation under which she has put herself shall [e]remain valid. 5 But if her father expresses disapproval to her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations under which she has put herself shall remain valid; and the Lord will [f]forgive her because her father has expressed disapproval to her.
6 “However, if she happens to [g]marry while [h]under her vows or the impulsive statement of her lips by which she has obligated herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears it, then her vows shall remain valid and her binding obligations under which she has put herself shall remain valid. 8 But if on the day her husband hears of it, he expresses disapproval to her, then he will annul her vow which [i]she is under and the impulsive statement of her lips by which she has obligated herself; and the Lord will [j]forgive her.
9 “But as for the vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, every binding obligation under which she has put herself, shall remain valid against her. 10 However, if a married woman vowed in her husband’s house, or put herself under a binding obligation with an oath, 11 and her husband heard it, but said nothing to her and did not express disapproval to her, then all her vows shall remain valid and every binding obligation under which she put herself shall remain valid. 12 But if her husband actually annuls them on the day he hears them, then no utterance from her lips concerning her vows or the obligation she put on herself shall remain valid; her husband has annulled them, and the Lord will [k]forgive her.
13 “Every vow and every binding oath to humble herself, her husband may confirm it or her husband may annul it. 14 But if her husband in fact says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all her binding obligations which are on her; he has confirmed them, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard them. 15 However, if he actually annuls them [l]after he has heard them, then he shall bear the responsibility for her guilt.”
16 These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses concerning matters between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter while she is in her youth in her father’s house.
Footnotes
- Numbers 30:1 Ch 30:2 in Heb
- Numbers 30:2 Lit bind on his soul, and similarly throughout the ch
- Numbers 30:4 Lit is silent to her, and so throughout the ch
- Numbers 30:4 Lit stand, and so throughout the ch
- Numbers 30:4 Lit stand, and so throughout the ch
- Numbers 30:5 I.e., for not fulfilling them
- Numbers 30:6 Lit become a husband’s
- Numbers 30:6 Lit her vows are on her
- Numbers 30:8 Lit is on her
- Numbers 30:8 I.e., for not fulfilling them
- Numbers 30:12 I.e., for not fulfilling them
- Numbers 30:15 I.e., perhaps a long delay before he annuls them
Numbers 30
Living Bible
30 1-2 Now Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes and told them, “The Lord has commanded that when anyone makes a promise to the Lord, either to do something or to quit doing something, that vow must not be broken: the person making the vow must do exactly as he has promised.
3 “If a woman promises the Lord to do or not do something, and she is still a girl at home in her father’s home, 4 and her father hears that she has made a vow with penalties, but says nothing, then her vow shall stand. 5 But if her father refuses to let her make the vow, or feels that the penalties she has agreed to are too harsh, then her promise will automatically become invalid. Her father must state his disagreement on the first day he hears about it; and then Jehovah will forgive her because her father would not let her do it.
6 “If she takes a vow or makes a foolish pledge, and later marries, 7 and her husband learns of her vow and says nothing on the day he hears of it, her vow shall stand. 8 But if her husband refuses to accept her vow or foolish pledge, his disagreement makes it void, and Jehovah will forgive her.
9 “But if the woman is a widow or is divorced, she must fulfill her vow.
10 “If she is married and living in her husband’s home when she makes the vow, 11 and her husband hears of it and does nothing, the vow shall stand; 12 but if he refuses to allow it on the first day he hears of it, her vow is void and Jehovah will forgive her. 13 So her husband may either confirm or nullify her vow, 14 but if he says nothing for a day, then he has already agreed to it. 15 If he waits more than a day and then refuses to permit the vow, whatever penalties to which she agreed shall come upon him—he shall be responsible.”
16 These, then, are the commandments the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife and between a father and his daughter who is living at home.
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The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.