# Numbers 30 📖: Laws About Vows [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Numbers Overview]] | [[Numbers 29]] | [[Numbers 31]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Vows Made by Men [[#Verse 01.]]  Moses told the leaders of the tribes concerning the Israelites, “This is what the Lord has commanded: [[#Verse 02.]] If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised. ### Vows Made by Single Women [[#Verse 03.]] “If a young woman who is still living in her father’s house makes a vow to the Lord or places herself under an obligation,  [[#Verse 04.]] and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand.  [[#Verse 05.]] But if her father overrules her when he hears about it, then none of her vows or her obligations that she has pledged for herself will stand. And the Lord will release her from it, because her father overruled her. ### Vows Made by Married Women [[#Verse 06.]] “And if she marries a husband while under a vow, or she uttered anything impulsively by which she has pledged herself,  [[#Verse 07.]] and her husband hears about it but remains silent about her when he hears about it, then her vows will stand and her obligations that she has pledged for herself will stand.  [[#Verse 08.]] But if when her husband hears it he overrules her, then he will nullify the vow she has taken, and whatever she uttered impulsively that she has pledged for herself. And the Lord will release her from it. ### Vows Made by Widows [[#Verse 09.]] “But every vow of a widow or of a divorced woman which she has pledged for herself will remain intact.  [[#Verse 10.]] If she made the vow in her husband’s house or put herself under obligation with an oath,  [[#Verse 11.]] and her husband heard about it, but remained silent about her, and did not overrule her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation which she pledged for herself will stand.  [[#Verse 12.]] But if her husband clearly nullifies them when he hears them, then whatever she says by way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her from them. [[#Verse 13.]] “Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her, her husband can confirm or nullify.  [[#Verse 14.]] But if her husband remains completely silent about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about her when he heard them.  [[#Verse 15.]] But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.” [[#Verse 16.]] These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses, relating to a man and his wife, and a father and his young daughter who is still living in her father’s house. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. A vow was a solemn promise made to the Lord, often tied to a request or thanksgiving. 2. Men were bound by their vows without exception (30:2). 3. A young woman's vow could be canceled by her father on the day he heard it (30:3-5). 4. A wife's vow could be canceled by her husband on the day he heard it (30:6-8). 5. If he said nothing that day, the vow stood (30:7, 14). 6. A widow or divorced woman was fully bound by her own vow (30:9). 7. If a husband canceled the vow later, he would bear her guilt (30:15). 8. In the Hebrew Bible, English 29:40 is numbered 30:1, so the verse numbers are shifted by one. 9. Jephthah's rash vow (Judges 11:30-31) shows the danger of careless vows. 10. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 says it is better not to vow than to vow and not pay. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the faithful One whose word never fails. Israel was told to keep every vow (30:2), and Jesus, the faithful and true witness, calls His people to let their yes be yes (Matthew 5:37; Revelation 3:14). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. A man who made a vow had to do everything he said (30:2). How seriously do you take your words and promises? 2. A father or husband could cancel a rash vow on the day he heard it (30:5, 8). What does this teach about responsibility in a household? 3. If a husband canceled the vow later, he bore her guilt (30:15). How does that point to the idea of someone bearing another's responsibility? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 2: A man must not break his word but do everything he vowed. - 📖 verse 5: A father may overrule his daughter's vow on the day he hears it, and the Lord will forgive her. - 📖 verse 9: A widow or divorced woman is bound by her vow. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[Deuteronomy 23#Verse 21.|Deuteronomy 23:21-23]] - Do not delay paying a vow. - 🔗 [[Ecclesiastes 05#Verse 04.|Ecclesiastes 5:4-5]] - Better not to vow than to fail to pay. - 🔗 [[Judges 11#Verse 30.|Judges 11:30-35]] - Jephthah's rash vow. - 🔗 [[Matthew 05#Verse 33.|Matthew 5:33-37]] - Let your yes be yes. - 🔗 [[James 05#Verse 12.|James 5:12]] - Do not swear by heaven or earth. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 📂 Internal Notes