1 So Moses gave the children of Israel all these directions as the Lord had given him orders.
2 And Moses said to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, This is the order of the Lord.
3 When a man takes an oath to the Lord, or gives an undertaking having the force of an oath, let him not go back from his word, but let him do whatever he has said he will do.
4 If a woman, being young and under the authority of her father, takes an oath to the Lord or gives an undertaking;
5 If her father, hearing of her oath or the undertaking she has given, says nothing to her, then all her oaths and every undertaking she has given will have force.
6 But if her father, hearing of it, makes her take back her word, then the oaths or the undertakings she has given will have no force; and she will have forgiveness from the Lord, because her oath was broken by her father.
7 And if she is married to a husband at the time when she is under an oath or an undertaking given without thought;
8 If her husband, hearing of it, says nothing to her at the time, then the oaths she made and the undertakings she gave will have force.
9 But if her husband, hearing of it, makes her take it back, then the oath she made and the undertaking she gave without thought will have no force or effect, and she will have the Lord's forgiveness.
10 But an oath made by a widow or one who is no longer married to her husband, and every undertaking she has given, will have force.
11 If she made an oath while she was under the authority of her husband,
12 And her husband, hearing of it, said nothing to her and did not put a stop to it, then all her oaths and every undertaking she gave will have force.
13 But if her husband, on hearing of it, made them without force or effect, then whatever she has said about her oaths or her undertaking has no force: her husband has made them without effect, and she will have the Lord's forgiveness.
14 Every oath, and every undertaking which she gives, to keep herself from pleasure, may be supported or broken by her husband.
15 But if the days go on, and her husband says nothing whatever to her, then he is giving the support of his authority to her oaths and undertakings, because at the time of hearing them he said nothing to her.
16 But if at some time after hearing of them, he makes them without force, then he is responsible for her wrongdoing.
17 These are the laws which the Lord gave Moses in relation to a man and his wife, or a father and a young daughter who is under his authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main subject of Numbers 30?
How could a father or husband affect a woman's vow in this chapter?
Did every woman's vow depend on a man's approval in this chapter?
Today's Verse
For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.
Verse Of The DayA young woman's or wife's vow can stand or be voided by her father or husband, but only if he objects the very day he hears of it, while a widow or divorced woman's vow always stands, a principle later reflected in Psalms 50:14. Midian's judgment follows in Numbers 31.
