16 These are the statutes, H2706 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses, H4872 between a man H376 and his wife, H802 between the father H1 and his daughter, H1323 being yet in her youth H5271 in her father's H1 house. H1004
This is the law H8451 of the beasts, H929 and of the fowl, H5775 and of every living H2416 creature H5315 that moveth H7430 in the waters, H4325 and of every creature H5315 that creepeth H8317 upon the earth: H776 To make a difference H914 between the unclean H2931 and the clean, H2889 and between the beast H2416 that may be eaten H398 and the beast H2416 that may not be eaten. H398
This is the law H8451 of the plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 in a garment H899 of woollen H6785 or linen, H6593 either in the warp, H8359 or woof, H6154 or any thing H3627 of skins, H5785 to pronounce it clean, H2891 or to pronounce it unclean. H2930
This is the law H8451 for all manner of plague H5061 of leprosy, H6883 and scall, H5424 And for the leprosy H6883 of a garment, H899 and of a house, H1004 And for a rising, H7613 and for a scab, H5597 and for a bright spot: H934 To teach H3384 when H3117 it is unclean, H2931 and when H3117 it is clean: H2889 this is the law H8451 of leprosy. H6883
This is the law H8451 of him that hath an issue, H2100 and of him whose seed H2233 H7902 goeth H3318 from him, and is defiled H2930 therewith; And of her that is sick H1739 of her flowers, H5079 and of him that hath H2100 an issue, H2101 of the man, H2145 and of the woman, H5347 and of him H376 that lieth H7901 with her that is unclean. H2931
This is the law H8451 of jealousies, H7068 when a wife H802 goeth aside H7847 to another instead of her husband, H376 and is defiled; H2930 Or when the spirit H7307 of jealousy H7068 cometh H5674 upon him, H376 and he be jealous H7065 over his wife, H802 and shall set H5975 the woman H802 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and the priest H3548 shall execute H6213 upon her all this law. H8451
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 30
Commentary on Numbers 30 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 30
Nu 30:1-16. Vows Are Not to Be Broken.
1. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded—The subject of this chapter relates to vowing, which seems to have been an ancient usage, allowed by the law to remain, and by which some people declared their intention of offering some gift on the altar or abstaining from particular articles of meat or drink, of observing a private fast, or doing something to the honor or in the service of God, over and above what was authoritatively required. In Nu 29:39, mention was made of "vows and freewill offerings," and it is probable, from the explanatory nature of the rules laid down in this chapter, that these were given for the removal of doubts and difficulties which conscientious persons had felt about their obligation to perform their vows in certain circumstances that had arisen.
2. If a man vow a vow unto the Lord—A mere secret purpose of the mind was not enough to constitute a vow; it had to be actually expressed in words; and though a purely voluntary act, yet when once the vow was made, the performance of it, like that of every other promise, became an indispensable duty—all the more because, referring to a sacred thing, it could not be neglected without the guilt of prevarication and unfaithfulness to God.
he shall not break his word—literally, "profane his word"—render it vain and contemptible (Ps 55:20; 89:34). But as it would frequently happen that parties would vow to do things which were neither good in themselves nor in their power to perform, the law ordained that their natural superiors should have the right of judging as to the propriety of those vows, with discretionary power to sanction or interdict their fulfilment. Parents were to determine in the case of their children, and husbands in that of their wives—being, however, allowed only a day for deliberation after the matter became known to them; and their judgment, if unfavorable, released the devotee from all obligation [Nu 30:3-8].
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—Girls only are specified; but minors of the other sex, who resided under the parental roof, were included, according to Jewish writers, who also consider the name "father" as comprehending all guardians of youth. We are also told that the age at which young people were deemed capable of vowing was thirteen for boys and twelve for girls. The judgment of a father or guardian on the vow of any under his charge might be given either by an expressed approval or by silence, which was to be construed as approval. But in the case of a husband who, after silence from day to day, should ultimately disapprove or hinder his wife's vow, the sin of non-performance was to be imputed to him and not to her [Nu 30:15].
9. every vow of a widow—In the case of a married woman, who, in the event of a separation from her husband, or of his death, returned, as was not uncommon, to her father's house, a doubt might have been entertained whether she was not, as before, subject to paternal jurisdiction and obliged to act with the paternal consent. The law ordained that the vow was binding if it had been made in her husband's lifetime, and he, on being made aware of it, had not interposed his veto [Nu 30:10, 11]; as, for instance, she might have vowed, when not a widow, that she would assign a portion of her income to pious and charitable uses, of which she might repent when actually a widow; but by this statute she was required to fulfil the obligation, provided her circumstances enabled her to redeem the pledge. The rules laid down must have been exceedingly useful for the prevention or cancelling of rash vows, as well as for giving a proper sanction to such as were legitimate in their nature, and made in a devout, reflecting spirit.