Numbers 30:4
“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.”
Numbers 30:4 in 7 translations
- KJVKing James Version
- 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.
- DRADouay–Rheims
- Whatsoever she promised and swore, she shall fulfil in deed.
- ASVAmerican Standard Version
- and her father heareth her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father holdeth his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
- DARBYDarby
- 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.
- WEBThe World English Bible
- and her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand.
- YLTYoung's Literal Translation
- 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.
- BPVBiblePics Version
- And her father hears her vow and the bond she has made, and he remains silent about it, then all her vows will stand, and every bond she has made will be upheld.
Context: Numbers 30
2If 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.
3If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;
4And 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.
5But 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.
6And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
About Numbers 30: The Law of Vows
God commands that a person's vow must be fulfilled, but also commands that a parent or husband has the right to nullify a vow made by a woman under their authority.
Commentary
In Numbers 30, we see the Lord giving Moses instructions on how to handle vows and oaths. The Lord is very clear that if a man makes a vow or an oath, he must keep it. If a woman makes a vow or an oath, her father or husband can nullify it if he so chooses. This is an interesting distinction, as it shows that the Lord is aware of the power dynamics between men and women in the ancient world.