SERIES F --- WILDERNESS WANDERINGS --- LESSON 09

WOMEN’S VOWS

LAWS CONCERNING VOWS

From Numbers 30

One day Moses called together the tribal leaders and told them what Adonai had Commanded concerning vows. Adonai says that a man who makes a vow must keep his promise to Adonai and not break it. He must do what he has vowed to do. When a woman living at home with her father promises Adonai something, her vow will stand if her father hears it and remains silent. But if her father does not approve of her vow or the penalties she has invoked, he may cancel her vow. The father must say that he does not approve on the day he hears of it and then Adonai will forgive the woman because the father did not approve of her vow. If an unmarried woman makes a vow or a foolish promise and later marries, her vow will remain if her husband remains silent when he hears of it. But if her husband does not approve of the vow on the day that he hears of it, he may cancel it and Adonai will forgive the woman. If a widow or divorced woman makes a vow, she must keep her promise to Adonai. If a married woman living with her husband makes a vow, it must stand if the husband remains silent on the day, he first hears of it, thereby showing his approval of it. But if the husband does not approve of the vow on the day, he first hears of it, the vow will be cancelled and Adonai will forgive her. If her husband waits as much as a day, he thereby shows his approval of his wife’s vow. If he then tries to cancel it, the penalties attached to it will come upon him. These are the Laws which Adonai gave to Moses concerning a woman and her husband or a woman still living at home with her father.

COMMENTARY

MAKING A VOW

An Israelite was not required to make a vow to YHVH, but if he did, it was solemnly binding. A woman’s vow could be cancelled by her husband or father as soon as he heard it. Vows made by men must be kept. A vow could not promise YHVH something that already belonged to Him, such as a tithe. Anything earned by illegal means, such as from stealing, was also unacceptable to YHVH. If an animal was promised, it had to be valuable and in perfect condition. Sometimes vows were bargains with YHVH. Hannah promised YHVH her son, if He would give her one. When Samuel was born, Hannah presented him for service in the tabernacle. Samuel lived there and became a prophet and a judge over Israel. Samson’s mother made a similar vow and Samson grew up under the Nazirite vow. He too, became a judge over Israel. Jacob promised to build a shrine at Bethel if YHVH would bless him on his journey. Later Jacob returned and fulfilled his vow. But some people made rash or foolish vows and sorrowfully learned that a promise must be fulfilled, even though it was a foolish promise. In exchange for his victory over his enemies, a man named Jephthah promised to sacrifice to YHVH the first thing that met him on his return home. He probably expected a choice animal to run from the doorway, but instead, his only daughter came to meet him. Jephthah had to keep his vow. King Saul foolishly vowed that if YHVH would give him victory, his troops would not eat that day and anyone who broke the fast would be put to death. That foolish vow almost cost Saul his son Jonathan. A vow could be made for self-discipline, as when David swore not to rest until he brought the Ark of YHVH back to Jerusalem. But foolish or wise, noble or selfish, vows to YHVH were taken seriously and considered binding.