Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 30:3
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. in her youth ] Old unmarried women are not mentioned. But since marriage was, in the eyes of a Jew, a religious duty, this class of women must have been very small, and would probably be subject to the same rule as widows.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Being in her fathers house in her youth – It was not ordinarily until her betrothal or marriage, that the female passed (some suppose by purchase) from the power of her father to that of her husband.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. In her youth] That is, say the rabbins, under twelve years of age; and under thirteen in case of a young man. Young persons of this age were considered to be under the authority of their parents, and had consequently no power to vow away the property of another. A married woman was in the same circumstances, because she was under the authority of her husband. If however the parents or the husband heard of the vow, and objected to it in the same day in which they heard of it, (Nu 30:5), then the vow was annulled; or, if having heard of it, they held their peace, this was considered a ratification of the vow.
A rash vow was never to be kept; “for,” says Philo, and common sense and justice say the same, “he who commits an unjust action because of his vow adds one crime to another,
1. By making an unlawful vow;
2. By doing an unlawful action.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If a woman, or a man in the same circumstances, a son or a servant, as plainly appears from hence, because the reason of this law is perfectly the same in both sexes, which is, that such persons have given away what was not their own, but anothers, even their superiors right, which is against the rule and law of natural reason, and against the word of God, which binds all persons to give to every one their due. He instanceth only in the woman, because that sex is both by creation and sin put into a state of subjection, but under the chief and most unquestionable kind all other subjects in like circumstances are comprehended, as is very usual.
Being in her fathers house, i.e. under his care, power, and government, which she is whilst she continues in her fathers house, being a virgin, as appears by the opposition of a married woman, Num 30:6, and of a widow, and divorced woman, Num 30:9, and by this phrase of being in her fathers house, for when she marries, she is removed into her husbands house, Rth 1:9. Or, being in, or of her fathers family, the word house being commonly used for family; for when she marries, she is translated and removed into another family.
In her youth; when not only her sex, but her age, disenables her for vowing; and this clause is added not by way of restriction, as if virgins in their riper years were freed from their parents jurisdiction, and at their own disposal, (which undoubtedly they are not,) but by way of addition, or amplification, q.d. especially (which particle is here to be understood, such defects of particles being frequent in the Hebrew tongue) in her youth, which is commonly reckoned about her twelfth or thirteenth year.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. If a woman also vow a vow untothe Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house inher youthGirls only are specified; but minors of the othersex, who resided under the parental roof, were included, according toJewish writers, who also consider the name “father” ascomprehending all guardians of youth. We are also told that the ageat which young people were deemed capable of vowing was thirteen forboys and twelve for girls. The judgment of a father or guardian onthe vow of any under his charge might be given either by an expressedapproval or by silence, which was to be construed as approval. But inthe case of a husband who, after silence from day to day, shouldultimately disapprove or hinder his wife’s vow, the sin ofnon-performance was to be imputed to him and not to her [Nu30:15].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord,…. Who has not passed thirteen years, as the Targum of Jonathan:
[and] bind [herself] by a bond; lay herself under obligation to perform her vow by an oath: being in her father’s house; unto the twelfth year, as the same Targum; that is, that is under his care, tuition, and jurisdiction, whether she literally, or properly speaking, is in the house or no at the time she vows; so Jarchi interprets it of her being in the power of her father, though not in his house, she being not at age to be at her own disposal, but at his: wherefore it is added,
in her youth; which, as the same writer explains it, signifies that she is
“neither a little one, nor at age; for a little one’s vow is no vow, and one at age is not in the power of her father to make void her vow: who is a little one? our Rabbins say, one of eleven years of age and one day, her vows are examined, whether she knows on whose account she vows and consecrates, or devotes anything; one vows a vow that is twelve years and one day old, there is no need to examine them.”
He seems to refer to a passage in the Misnah t,
“a daughter of eleven years and one day, her vows are examined; a daughter of twelve years and one day, her vows are firm, but they are to be examined through the whole twelfth year.”
t Niddah, c. 5. sect. 6.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Num 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 (Num 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 (Num 30:6-8) was that of a vow of performance or abstinence, made by a woman before her marriage, and brought along with her ( , “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. , gossip of her lips, that which is uttered thoughtlessly or without reflection (cf. Lev 5:4). This expression implies that vows of abstinence were often made by unmarried women without thought or reflection. – The third case (Num 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 (Num 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 (Num 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. , 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 (Lev 5:4.); or if this was omitted, in the punishment which God suspended over the sin (Lev 5:1).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
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; 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 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. 6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; 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 But 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, 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.
It is here taken for granted that all such persons as are sui juris–at their own disposal, and are likewise of sound understanding and memory, are bound to perform whatever they vow that is lawful and possible; but, if the person vowing be under the dominion and at the disposal of another, the case is different. Two cases much alike are here put and determined:–
I. The case of a daughter in her father’s house: and some think, probably enough, that it extends to a son likewise, while he is at home with his father, and under tutors and governors. Whether the exception may thus be stretched I cannot say. Non est distinguendum, ubi lex non distinguit–We are not allowed to make distinctions which the law does not. The rule is general, If a man vow, he must pay. But for a daughter it is express: her vow is nugatory or in suspense till her father knows it, and (it is supposed) knows it from her; for, when it comes to his knowledge, it is in his power either to ratify or nullify it. But in favour of the vow, 1. Even his silence shall suffice to ratify it: If he hold his peace, her vows shall stand, v. 4. Qui tacet, consentire videtur–Silence gives consent. Hereby he allows his daughter the liberty she has assumed, and, as long as he says nothing against her vow, she shall be bound by it. But, 2. His protestation against it shall perfectly disannul it, because it is possible that such vow may by prejudicial to the affairs of the family, break the father’s measures, perplex the provision made for his table if the vow related to meats, or lessen the provision made for his children if the vow would be more expensive than his estate would bear; however, it was certain that it was an infringement of his authority over his child, and therefore, if he disallow it, she is discharged, and the Lord shall forgive her, that is, she shall not be charged with the guilt of violating her vow; she showed her good-will in making the vow, and, if her intentions therein were sincere, she shall be accounted better than sacrifice. This shows how great a deference children owe to their parents, and how much they ought to honour them and be obedient to them. It is for the interest of the public that the paternal authority be supported; for, when children are countenanced in their disobedience to their parents (as they were by the tradition of the elders, Mat 15:5; Mat 15:6), they soon become in other things children of Belial. If this law be not to be extended to children’s marrying without their parents’ consent so far as to put it in parents’ power to annul the marriage and dissolve the obligation (as some have thought it does), yet certainly it proves the sinfulness of it, and obliges the children that have thus done foolishly to repent and humble themselves before God and their parents.
II. The case of a wife is much the same. As for a woman that is a widow or divorced, she has neither father nor husband to control her, so that, whatever vows she binds her soul with, they shall stand against her (v. 9), it is at her peril if she run back; but a wife, who has nothing that she can strictly call her own, but with her husband’s allowance, cannot, without that, make any such vow. 1. The law is plain in case of a wife that continues so long after the vow. If her husband allow her vow, though only by silence, it must stand, Num 30:6; Num 30:7. If he disallow it, since her obligation to that which she had vowed arose purely from her own act, and not from any prior command of God, her obligation to her husband shall take place of it, for to him she ought to be in subjection as unto the Lord; and now it is so far from being her duty to fulfil her vow that it would be her sin to disobey her husband, whose consent perhaps she ought to have asked before she made the vow; therefore she needs forgiveness, v. 8. 2. The law is the same in case of a wife that soon after becomes a widow, or is put away. Though, if she return to her father’s house, she does not therefore so come again under his authority as that he has power to disannul hew vows (v. 9), yet if the vow was made while she was in the house of her husband, and her husband disallowed it, it was made void and of no effect for ever, and she does not return under the law of her vow when she is loosed from the law of her husband. This seems to be the distinct meaning of v. 10-14, which otherwise would be but a repetition of v. 6-8. But it is added (v. 15) that, if the husband make void the vows of his wife, he shall bear her iniquity; that is, if the thing she had vowed was really good, for the honour of God and the prosperity of her own soul, and the husband disallowed it out of covetousness, or humour, or to show his authority, though she be discharged from the obligation of her vow, yet he will have a great deal to answer for. Now here it is very observable how carefully the divine law consults the good order of families, and preserves the power of superior relations, and the duty and reverence of inferiors. It is fit that every man should bear rule in his own house, and have his wife and children in subjection with all gravity; and rather than this great rule should be broken, or any encouragement given to inferior relations to break those bonds asunder, God himself would quit his right, and release the obligations even of a solemn vow; so much does religion strengthen the ties of all relations, and secure the welfare of all societiesd, that in it the families of the earth are blessed.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 3-5:
There were three instances in which a vow could be disallowed, all three pertaining to vows made by women.
The first: a vow made by a young, unmarried woman living at home under the authority of her father. She might make a vow and bind herself under an oath. If her father heard this vow and said nothing, the vow was binding upon her; she must fulfill it. However, if he for some reason deemed the vow improper or unwise, he might disallow it and it would not be binding upon her.
The reason for this: the young woman had no property of her own, thus she could not obligate what did not belong to her. Also, her personal services were due her father, and she could not bind them with a vow.
If the father of the young woman did not disallow her vow, the responsibility for fulfilling it fell upon her. If he did disallow the vow, the responsibility was his as the God-appointed authority over his daughter.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. If a woman also vow. He now proceeds to the point of which he proposed to treat, i.e., that vows made by persons who are not their own masters do not hold good; and he mentions two cases. For, in the first place, he teaches that if a daughter, whilst living with her father, has vowed anything without his knowledge, it is of no force. He lays down the same rule, if the father, hearing the vow, has disallowed it; but if he has held his peace, it is declared that his silence is equivalent to consent. Hence we gather that all those who are possessed of power do not do their duty unless they frankly and discreetly express their opposition whenever anything displeases them; since their connivance is a kind of tacit approbation. In the second place, he treats of married women, whose vows, made in the absence or with the disapproval of their husbands, he commands to be of none effect; but if the husbands have known of them, and been silent, he obliges their performance. For many deceptions might have thus arisen; since it is usual with many when they wish to gratify their wives, to conceal their opinion for the time, but, when the period of actual performance arrives, to elude what may have been promised. But unless they use their privilege in proper time, God would have them bear the punishment of their servile indulgence and dissimulation; but because women are often urged to deceive by their levity and inconstancy, this danger is also anticipated. It may also happen (326) that a woman, when subject to her husband, may make a vow in the precipitate fervor of her zeal, and when he is dead, may retract it under the specious pretext that she was not then free and her own mistress; the same thing may occur when a divorced woman shall bind herself, and then when she has married, shall appear to herself to be released. Since instances of this wicked change of mind are too frequent, no wonder that this special precaution should be added, to prevent frauds. Wherefore God declares that the period when the vow was made is to be considered, so that they are no less liable than as if their condition had remained the same. He therefore condemns to the performance of their vow those women who have been emancipated from their fathers’ authority by marriage, and also who have been set free by death or divorce; yet it appears from the last verse of the chapter, that two exceptions, modifying the general law, are here peculiarly treated of.
(326) The Lat. is, “ Accidet ut mulier in vidaitate viro non subjecta, praecipiti zeli fervore voveat, eo mortuo retractet specioso praetextu, quia tunc libera non erat, nec sui juris.” The Fr., “ Il adviendra qu’une femme estante en sujection de mari, vouera par une ardeur hastive de zele, le marl trespasse, elle prendra honneste couverture de se retracter, d’autant qu’elle n’estoit pas libre pour lors.” I have translated the latter, not being able to understand the original, nor to reconcile them.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) If a woman also . . . Four distinct cases are contemplated in the following verses in regard to vows taken by women:(1) that of an unmarried woman, living, in her youth, in the house of her father; (2) that of a woman who is unmarried at the time of making a vow, but enters into the state of marriage before the vow is fulfilled; (3) that of a widow, or of a divorced woman; and (4) that of a married woman. The sanctity and obligations of the fifth commandment are distinctly recognised and enforced in these verses. (See Mat. 15:4-5.) Whenever the vow which the young daughter had made should come to the ears of her father, he had the power either to ratify or to disannul it. If he remained silent the vow was ratified; if he disallowed the vow, the obligation to fulfil it no longer remained in force.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE MAID’S VOW, Num 30:3-5.
3. If a woman vow Both Judaism and Christianity recognise the religious nature and rights of woman, in marked contrast to the denial of those rights by paganism. Even girls in their minority are here recognised as capable of assuming religious obligations.
In her youth Not in her childhood. The Hebrew canons thus define youth: “A young man, the son of twelve years and one day, and a young woman, the daughter of eleven years and one day, who vow either vows of abstinence or of consecration, they examine and question. If they know to whose name they have vowed, then their vows are established; but if they know not, then there is nothing in their vows or words.” This examination they are subject to during one year; afterward their vows are binding without examination, except that the daughter’s may be annulled by the father in accordance with the law.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(i) A young unmarried woman living in her father’s house ( Num 30:3-5 ).
Num 30:3-4
‘Also when a woman vows a vow to Yahweh, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father’s house, in her youth, and her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound herself, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound herself shall stand.’
The first example was of a young woman still unmarried and living at home under her father’s jurisdiction. Note that she was ‘in her youth’. She was in expectancy of marriage. Normally such a young woman would be in her early teens, or younger. When she vowed a vow it was subject to the agreement of her father. If when he first heard of it he said nothing then he was seen as approving of the vow and the vow became firm and could not afterwards be rescinded. By his silence he was seen as having given his approval. The vow stood and any bond had to be fulfilled. Note that the positive aspect comes first. Making vows of dedication was still in mind as something positive and meaningful.
Num 30:5
‘But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound herself, shall stand: and Yahweh will forgive her, because her father disallowed her.’
However, if her father immediately rescinded her vows on the day that he heard of them then none of her vows would officially stand. She would not be bound to them by God or man. And Yahweh would forgive her because it was her father’s decision. She could, of course, still act in accordance with them, but the point is that neither God nor man would hold her bound to them.
This must not be assumed to be an easy get out. The father would be seen as responsible to honour vows that were made which were positive and sensible. He would not be expected to hinder his daughter’s dedication to Yahweh. But the point is that the vows may have been the rash act of a young teenager, or may have affected things outside her own life. Thus the father was put in a position to decide whether they should have been made, and to confirm or deny them accordingly
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Regarding Vows of Persons in Dependent Positions
v. 3. If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord and hind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth, v. 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, v. 5. But if her father disallow her, v. 6. And if she had (at all) an husband when she vowed, or uttered aught out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, v. 7. and her husband, v. 8. But if her husband disallowed her, v. 9. But every vow of a widow and of her that is divorced, v. 10. And if she vowed in her husband’s house or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, v. 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 hound her soul shall stand.
v. 12. But it her husband hath utterly made them void, v. 13. Every vow and every binding oath to afflict the soul, v. 14. But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, v. 15. But if he shall anyways make them void after that he hath heard them, v. 16. These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Num 30:3-8. If a woman also, &c. Two cases are next put, of persons who are under authority, and not entirely at their own disposal; and, by a very equitable law, it is determined, that their vows shall not stand, if disallowed by those under whose authority they are. The same law, founded in natural reason, extends to all under authority; nobody who is subject to another having any right to dispose of those things which are in that other’s power. Puffendorf judiciously remarks, that this power was fitly reserved to parents, &c. lest women, in their imprudent years, should ruin themselves by vowing more than their fortunes could bear, and lest the paternal estate should be burdened by such vows. See his Law of Nat. and Nations, book 6: ch. 2 sect. 11.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The particular case of an unmarried woman’s vow, being still under age, and under subjection to her father, is here set forth. It serves to show the spiritual, as well as natural authority of the parent, as pointed out by the LORD himself; and may, by the way, indirectly teach what sentiments the LORD would have entertained of parental power. That precept of the apostle’s is founded upon this ground: Eph 6:1-3 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
and = or.
bind . . . a bond. Figure of speech Polyptoton = make a solemn bond.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Reciprocal: Num 30:2 – to bind 1Sa 1:11 – vowed 1Co 14:34 – as