Numbers 30

King James Version

Full text for Numbers Chapter 30

1¶ And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This [is] the thing which the LORD hath commanded.

2If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

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;

4And 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.

5But if 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, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

6And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

7And 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.

8But 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.

9But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

10And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;

11And 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.

12But 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.

13Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

14But 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].

15But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard [them]; then he shall bear her iniquity.

16These [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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Numbers 30 outlines the divine laws concerning vows and oaths made to the LORD, emphasizing their binding nature. While a man's vow is always absolute, a woman's vow is conditional upon the immediate consent or disallowance of her father if she is unmarried, or her husband if she is married. Vows made by widows or divorced women, however, are always fully binding upon them.

Medium Summary

This chapter details the specific statutes given by the LORD through Moses regarding vows and oaths. It establishes that a man who makes a vow or swears an oath must fulfill it precisely as spoken. For a young woman in her father's house, her vow stands if her father hears and does not object on the same day; otherwise, it is voided, and she is forgiven. Similarly, a married woman's vow is valid if her husband hears it and remains silent, but he can nullify it on the day he hears, absolving her. Vows made by a widow or a divorced woman are always binding upon them, as they are not under such authority. A husband's continued silence confirms his wife's vows, but if he voids them after a delay, he bears the consequence.

Long Summary

Numbers chapter 30 presents the LORD's detailed commands to the heads of the tribes of Israel concerning the solemnity and conditions of vows and oaths. The foundational principle states that any man who vows a vow unto the LORD or swears an oath to bind his soul must not break his word, but must do according to all that proceeds from his mouth. The chapter then delineates specific rules for women's vows, which are subject to different conditions based on their marital status. If a young woman in her father's house makes a vow, it stands if her father hears it and does not disallow it on that same day. However, if her father disallows it upon hearing, the vow is made void, and the LORD forgives her. For a married woman, her vow stands if her husband hears it and holds his peace on the day he hears it, signifying his consent. Conversely, if her husband disallows her vow on the day he hears it, it is rendered of none effect, and she is forgiven by the LORD. A significant distinction is made for widows and divorced women, whose vows are always binding upon themselves, as they are not under the authority of a father or husband in this regard. The husband retains the authority to either establish or make void any vow or binding oath his wife makes. Furthermore, if a husband hears his wife's vows and remains silent from day to day, his silence confirms and establishes all her vows and bonds. However, if he attempts to make them void after a period of having heard and remained silent, he shall bear her iniquity, indicating a shift in responsibility. These statutes were commanded by the LORD to Moses, specifically addressing the relationships between a man and his wife, and a father and his daughter.

Core Concepts

  • Sanctity of VowsThis concept emphasizes that a vow or oath made by a man to the LORD is an unbreakable commitment, requiring strict adherence to every word spoken.
  • Conditional Vows for WomenUnlike men's vows, a woman's vow is not always unilaterally binding but is contingent upon the immediate approval or disallowance of her father (if unmarried) or husband (if married).
  • Paternal AuthorityA father has the authority to nullify a vow made by his young, unmarried daughter if he hears it and disallows it on the same day, thereby releasing her from the obligation.
  • Spousal AuthorityA husband possesses the power to either establish or make void his wife's vows; his immediate disallowance renders her vow invalid, and she is forgiven by the LORD.
  • Binding Vows of Independent WomenVows made by widows and divorced women are fully binding upon them, as they are no longer under the direct authority of a father or husband concerning such matters.
  • Consequences of Delayed ActionIf a husband hears his wife's vow and remains silent, thereby confirming it, but later attempts to void it, he himself will bear the iniquity, highlighting the importance of timely decision.
  • Divine MandateAll the regulations concerning vows and oaths, including the specific conditions for men and women, are presented as direct statutes commanded by the LORD through Moses.