2 'When a man voweth a vow to Jehovah, or hath sworn an oath to bind a bond on his soul, he doth not pollute his word; according to all that is going out from his mouth he doth.
3 'And when a woman voweth a vow to Jehovah, and hath bound a bond in the house of her father in her youth, 4 and her father hath heard her vow, and her bond which she hath bound on her soul, and her father hath kept silent at her, then have all her vows been established, and every bond which she hath bound on her soul is established. 5 'And if her father hath disallowed her in the day of his hearing, none of her vows and her bonds which she hath bound on her soul is established, and Jehovah is propitious to her, for her father hath disallowed her. 6 'And if she be at all to a husband, and her vows 'are' on her, or a wrongful utterance 'on' her lips, which she hath bound on her soul, 7 and her husband hath heard, and in the day of his hearing, he hath kept silent at her, then have her vows been established, and her bonds which she hath bound on her soul are established. 8 'And if in the day of her husband's hearing he disalloweth her, then he hath broken her vow which 'is' on her, and the wrongful utterance of her lips which she hath bound on her soul, and Jehovah is propitious to her. 9 'As to the vow of a widow or cast-out woman, all that she hath bound on her soul is established on her. 10 'And if 'in' the house of her husband she hath vowed, or hath bound a bond on her soul with an oath, 11 and her husband hath heard, and hath kept silent at her—he hath not disallowed her—then have all her vows been established, and every bond which she hath bound on her soul is established. 12 'And if her husband doth certainly break them in the day of his hearing, none of the outgoing of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, is established—her husband hath broken them—and Jehovah is propitious to her. 13 'Every vow and every oath—a bond to humble a soul—her husband doth establish it, or her husband doth break it;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 30:2-13
Commentary on Numbers 30:1-2
(Read Numbers 30:1-2)
No man can be bound by his own promise to do what he is already, by the Divine precept, forbidden to do. In other matters the command is, that he shall not break his words, through he may change his mind.
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.