Numbers 30 - Introduction

P.

The performance of vows by women

The chapter opens with the command (Numbers 30:2) that a man shall always observe a vow which he has made. But the rest of the chapter deals with vows made by women. The following rules are laid down: (1) an unmarried woman living in her father's house, or a married woman living with her husband, is bound to perform her vow only if the father or the husband respectively raises no objection at the time that he hears of the vow having being made (Numbers 30:3; Numbers 30:10); (2) a widow or a divorced woman must perform her vow (Numbers 30:9); (3) if the father, or husband, makes no objection at the time, but subsequently prevents his daughter, or wife, from performing her vow, the guilt rests upon him.