Numbers 30, Vows by Women

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

Numbers 30:1-2, A man is responsible for his oath

Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the LORD commands: When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

One should take oaths seriously. But vows by women are different than vows by men....

Numbers 30:3-5, Oaths by a daughter

"When a young woman still living in her father's house makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the LORD will release her because her father has forbidden her.

A woman living in her father's house is filtered through her father. The father can forbid that oath and thus release her from it.

(One is sharply reminded, throughout this chapter, that the Israelites were immersed in the culture of the ANE, which was patriarchal. No attempt will be made to overthrow that culture but instead to navigate it.)

Numbers 30:6-8, A married woman

"If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the LORD will release her.

The vow of a married woman is filtered through her husband. If she made a vow before she married, the husband can over rule it or nullify it.

Numbers 30:9, Widow or divorced woman

"Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her."

The woman who is single, due to divorce or widowhood, is responsible for her own vows.

Numbers 30:10-15, Married woman (part 2

If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will release her. Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he is responsible for her guilt."

The vow of a married woman is filtered through her husband.

Numbers 30:16, Regulations for women

These are the regulations the LORD gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living in his house.

The chapter summarizes the rules for vows for women.

Some Random Thoughts

As mentioned above, we are sharply reminded, throughout this chapter, that the Israelites were immersed in the culture of the ANE, which was patriarchal. No attempt will be made to overthrow that culture but instead to navigate it. 

Implied in this chapter (but not explicitly stated) is that a woman fell into one of three classes: daughter, wife, or single but recently married. There is no place for "single, never married, living independently." In the ANE, a single woman, unprotected by father or husband, was likely not to survive, unless she turned to prostitution.

Although this chapter protects a woman from rash vows, nothing in this chapter protects a man frrom rash vows! See Jepthah's vow in Judges 11 for a warning!

First published October 4, 2025; updated October 4, 2025