Numbers 30:5

_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._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

5._But if her father disallow her. _The expression is remarkable, “And the Lord shall forgive her,” whereby Moses gently reproves the foolish thoughtlessness of the girl; and soon afterwards the same thing is spoken of married women. And surely their rashness is worthy of reprehension, if unmindful of their condition, they, as it were, shake off the yoke and hastily commit themselves. God therefore hints that they are not without blame; but lest they should be tormented by secret remorse, He removes every scruple, declaring that He will forgive, if the performance of the vow shall have been prevented in any other quarter. When the dissent of the father or the husband is required on the same day, it is tantamount to saying that what they have once approved of cannot be disallowed. Further, to “hold his peace” to a wife or daughter, signifies that he does not oppose, but give by silence a...

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....

THE LORD SHALL FORGIVE HER - i. e., shall remit the obligation. (Compare 2 Kings 5:18.)...

EXPOSITION OF VOWS MADE BY WOMEN (Numbers 30:1). NUMBERS 30:1 AND MOSES SPAKE UNTO THE HEADS OF THE TRIBES. The regulations here laid down about vows follow with a certain propriety upon those concerning the ordinary routine of sacrifices, but we cannot conclude with any assurance that they were actually given at this particular period. It would appear upon the lace of it that we have in Leviticus 27:1, and in this chapter two fragments of Mosaic legislation dealing with the same subject, but, for some reason which it is useless to attempt to discover, widely separated in the

BUT IF HER FATHER DISALLOW HER IN THE DAY THAT HE HEARETH,.... Disapproves of her vow, and expresses his dislike of it, and declares it null and void; which, if done at all, is to be done on the same day he hears it, and not on another day, as Aben Ezra observes; not the day following, and much less on a third or fourth day, c. and it might be done on a sabbath day u: NOT ANY OF HER VOWS, OR OF HER BONDS WHEREWITH SHE BOUND HER SOUL, SHALL STAND but become null and void, she being at the control of her father, and having nothing in her own power, and at her own disposal, to vow or consecrate, but wholly in the power and at the disposal of her father: AND THE LORD SHALL FORGIVE HER; the breach of her vow, it shall not be imputed to her as a sin: BECAUSE HER FATHER DISALLOWED HER; so that it was no fault of hers that it was not fulfilled; though she might be blameworthy to make one, wi...

6. CONCERNING VOWS CHAPTER 30 _ 1. The vow of a man (Numbers 30:1)_ 2. The vows of women (Numbers 30:3) The entire chapter treats of vows. It also has a deeper meaning. There is a sharp contrast between the vow of a man and the vows of virgins, widows or wives. The vows of women could be set aside under certain conditions. The husband or the father could disallow the vow. But if they kept their peace or if she was a widow or divorced, she had to keep the vow. It was different with the man; he was not to break his word, but to do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. The man who keeps his word, who does all that he vowed, typifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He has completely done the work He voluntarily bound Himself to do. The woman represents the nation Israel. T

THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH VOWS ARE BINDING. The vows coming under review are of two kinds: (_a)_ promises to give or dedicate something to Yahweh, (_b_) pledges to practise some form of abstinence. These, if undertaken by men, or by women in positions of independence, are unconditionally binding. But young unmarried women (under the control of their fathers) and married women (under control of their husbands) are only to be bound by their vows if, when the vows were undertaken, no objection was raised. Interference by father or husband at a later date entails guilt on the man. The case of unmarried women who have passed their youth is not expressly considered. See p. 105. NUMBERS 30:9. Apparently misplaced, since Numbers 30:10 continues the subject of...

_disallow her_ lit. -oppose her," express disapproval....

IF A WOMAN ALSO, &C.— Two cases are next put, of persons who are under authority, and not entirely at their own disposal; and, by a very equitable law, it is determined, that their vows shall not stand, if disallowed by those under whose authority they are. The same law, founded in natural reason, extends to all under authority; nobody who is subject to another having any right to dispose of those things which are in that other's power. Puffendorf judiciously remarks, that this power was fitly reserved to parents, &c. lest women, in their imprudent years, should ruin themselves by vowing more than their fortunes could bear, and lest the paternal estate should be burdened by such vows. See his Law of Nat. and Nations, book 6: ch. 2 sect. 11....