Numbers 30:1-16
“And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded. If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” (Numbers 30:1-2)
A person was obligated to fulfill his agreement, whether there was a written contract or not. This is very different than today’s practice, when unless there is a written contract, most people feel they have no responsibility, and even a contract may be broken with the assumption it will not stand up in court.
Jesus said the very idea that a contract or oath is needed indicates the intent to lie in Matthew 5:34-37. “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”
“If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.” (Numbers 30:3-8)
Because the parent or husband bore the responsibility for the oversight of the family, he had the right to refuse allow his wife or daughter to make certain commitments that he felt were contrary to the family‘s good, but he had to make his decision immediately. He could not reap the benefits, and then cancel the agreement. If he overrode her decision, he assumed responsibility for her failure to perform, but if he allowed it, it was her responsibility to fulfill it.
“But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.” (Numbers 30:9-12)
Divorced women and widows were not responsible to a parent or father, and had to take responsibility for their own decisions. If the commitment had been made prior to the death or separation, then the husband’s decision still stood. The other party could not force her to honor an agreement that had been overridden.
“Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.” (Numbers 30:13-15)
The principle is restated, that the husband had the right to void his wife or daughter’s commitments if he acts immediately upon learning of them. Delay in voiding them implies he has approved them. He will be held responsible for her failure to live up to her responsibility if he voids her commitment.
“These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.” (Numbers 30:16)
This is the standard of responsibility for the husband or father as head of the home. He has the right to override the decisions of his wife or children, because he bears the ultimate responsibility, but he must take responsibility for his decisions, both to God and to other people. Today, many women rebel at having to consider their husband’s wishes, while many men make selfish and capricious decisions with no thought of accountability.
“And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded. If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” (Numbers 30:1-2)
A person was obligated to fulfill his agreement, whether there was a written contract or not. This is very different than today’s practice, when unless there is a written contract, most people feel they have no responsibility, and even a contract may be broken with the assumption it will not stand up in court.
Jesus said the very idea that a contract or oath is needed indicates the intent to lie in Matthew 5:34-37. “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”
“If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.” (Numbers 30:3-8)
Because the parent or husband bore the responsibility for the oversight of the family, he had the right to refuse allow his wife or daughter to make certain commitments that he felt were contrary to the family‘s good, but he had to make his decision immediately. He could not reap the benefits, and then cancel the agreement. If he overrode her decision, he assumed responsibility for her failure to perform, but if he allowed it, it was her responsibility to fulfill it.
“But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.” (Numbers 30:9-12)
Divorced women and widows were not responsible to a parent or father, and had to take responsibility for their own decisions. If the commitment had been made prior to the death or separation, then the husband’s decision still stood. The other party could not force her to honor an agreement that had been overridden.
“Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.” (Numbers 30:13-15)
The principle is restated, that the husband had the right to void his wife or daughter’s commitments if he acts immediately upon learning of them. Delay in voiding them implies he has approved them. He will be held responsible for her failure to live up to her responsibility if he voids her commitment.
“These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.” (Numbers 30:16)
This is the standard of responsibility for the husband or father as head of the home. He has the right to override the decisions of his wife or children, because he bears the ultimate responsibility, but he must take responsibility for his decisions, both to God and to other people. Today, many women rebel at having to consider their husband’s wishes, while many men make selfish and capricious decisions with no thought of accountability.
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