3 If a woman also vow a vow to Jehovah, and bind herself by a bond, in her father's house in her youth, 4 and her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall be silent at her, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 5 But if her father prohibited her in the day that he heard, none of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand; and Jehovah shall pardon her, because her father prohibited her. 6 And if she have a husband, when she hath her vow upon her or ought that hath passed her lips wherewith she hath bound her soul, 7 and her husband hear it and be silent at her in the day that he heareth it, then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. 8 But if her husband prohibit her on the day that he heareth it, and annul her vow which is upon her, and what hath passed her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul, then Jehovah shall pardon her. 9 But the vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced,—everything wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand against her. 10 And if she have vowed in her husband's house, or have bound her soul by an oath with a bond, 11 and her husband have heard it, and been silent at her, and hath not prohibited her, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 12 But if her husband have expressly annulled them on the day that he heard them, then nothing of that which is gone out of her lips as to her vows or the bond on her soul, shall stand: her husband hath annulled them; and Jehovah will pardon her. 13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband can establish it, or her husband can annul it. 14 And if her husband be altogether silent at her from day to day, then he hath established all her vows or all her bonds which are upon her; he hath confirmed them, for he hath been silent at her in the day that he heard them. 15 But if he in any way annul them after he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity. 16 These are the statutes, which Jehovah commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, in her youth in her father's house.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 30:3-16
Commentary on Numbers 30:3-16
(Read Numbers 30:3-16)
Two cases of vows are determined. The case of a daughter in her father's house. When her vow comes to his knowledge, it is in his power either to confirm it or do it away. The law is plain in the case of a wife. If her husband allows her vow, though only by silence, it stands. If he disallows it, her obligation to her husband takes place of it; for to him she ought to be in subjection, as unto the Lord. The Divine law consults the good order of families. It is fit that every man should bear rule in his own house, and have his wife and children in subjection; rather than that this great rule should be broken, or any encouragement be given to inferior relations to break those bonds asunder, God releases the obligation even of a solemn vow. So much does religion secure the welfare of all societies; and in it the families of the earth have a blessing.