Numbers 30

1 Then Moses [the Israelite leader, mediator] said to the heads [leaders, rulers] of the tribes [family groups, clans] of Israel [God’s chosen people], “This is what [the thing which, the command] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has commanded [given orders, appointed]: word study 2 If a man makes a vow [a solemn promise, a binding oath] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of covenant] or swears an oath [a pledge, a guarantee] to obligate himself by a pledge [a promise, a commitment], he must not break his word [fail to keep his promise]; he must do everything he has promised [according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth, as he has spoken]. word study 3 And if a woman [in her youthful years, still under her father’s authority] in her father’s house [the home of her family, her place of upbringing] during her youth [the time of her life before marriage, her formative years] makes a vow [a solemn promise, a binding oath] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God] or obligates herself [binds her soul, takes upon herself a pledge] by a pledge [a promise, a guarantee, an undertaking], word study 4 and her father [the one who has authority over her] hears about her vow [a promise to God, a solemn pledge] or pledge [a binding obligation, an undertaking] but says nothing [remains silent, does not object] to her, then all the vows [promises, solemn obligations] or pledges [binding agreements, commitments] by which she has bound [dedicated, committed] herself shall stand [be valid, remain in effect]. word study 5 But if her father [who has authority over her] prohibits her on the day he hears [listens and gives attention] about it, then none of the vows [promises made to God] or pledges [binding obligations] by which she has bound [tied or dedicated] herself shall stand. The LORD [the covenant-keeping God] will absolve [release from obligation] her because her father has prohibited [disallowed or forbidden] her. word study 6 If a woman marries [or is betrothed, engaged to be married] while under a vow [a promise to God, a sacred obligation] or rash promise [a thoughtless, unconsidered utterance] by which she has bound [committed, obligated] herself [her soul, her very being], word study 7 and her husband [the man she is married to, her male partner] hears of it [learns about, is informed] but says nothing [remains silent, does not object] to her on that day [at that time, in that moment], then the vows [promises, oaths] or pledges [commitments, binding agreements] by which she has bound [restricted, obligated] herself [her soul, her very being] shall stand [be valid, remain in effect]. word study 8 But if her husband [the male person, or individual] prohibits her when he hears [listens and gives attention] of it, he nullifies [makes void, disallows] the vow [a promise made to God, a binding obligation] that binds [ties, obligates] her or the rash [thoughtless, impulsive] promise she has made, and the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will absolve [forgive, release from obligation] her. word study 9 Every [solemn, sacred] vow [promise, oath] a widow [a woman whose husband has died] or divorced [separated, no longer married] woman pledges [promises, binds herself] to fulfill [keep, carry out] is binding [obligatory, in force] on her [upon her soul, as a personal responsibility]. word study 10 If a woman [in a married state, under her husband’s authority] in her husband’s house [as a wife, in her marital home] has made a vow [a promise to God, a solemn pledge] or put herself under an obligation [bound her soul, taken an oath] with an oath [a sworn promise, a binding commitment], word study 11 and her husband [man, the male partner] hears of it [learns, becomes aware] but says nothing [remains silent, does not object] to her and does not prohibit [disallow, refuse] her, then all the vows [promises, oaths] or pledges [binding agreements, commitments] by which she has bound [tied, obligated] herself shall stand [remain valid, be established]. word study 12 But if her husband [her male partner, the one she is married to] nullifies [makes void, disallows] them on the day he hears [listens, gives attention to] of them, then nothing [not a single thing] that came from her lips [her words, her promises], whether her vows [pledges, promises to God] or pledges [binding obligations], shall stand [be valid, be in effect]. Her husband has nullified [made them of no effect] them, and the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will absolve [forgive, release from obligation] her. word study 13 Her husband [the man, her male partner] may confirm [establish, make valid] or nullify [break, make void] any vow [pledge, promise to God] or any sworn pledge [binding oath, solemn promise] to deny [afflict, humble] herself [her soul, her very being]. word study 14 But if her husband says nothing [remains completely silent, holds his peace] to her from day to day, then he confirms [establishes, gives his approval] all the vows [promises, solemn oaths] and pledges [binding obligations, commitments] that bind [obligate, restrict] her. He has confirmed [established, ratified] them, because he said nothing [did not object, remained silent] to her on the day he heard [became aware, learned] about them. word study 15 But if [in the event that, when] he nullifies [makes void, disallows] them [her vows, obligations] after [following, subsequent to] he hears [listens to, is informed of] of them, then [at that time, subsequently] he will bear [take upon himself, be responsible for] her iniquity [sin, guilt, wrongdoing].” word study 16 These are the statutes [regulations, laws] that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] commanded Moses concerning the relationship [covenant, agreement] between a man and his wife [spouse, partner], and between a father and a young [in her youth, still under his care] daughter still in his home [house, family]. word study