“When a young woman still living in her
father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge and her
father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows
and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her
father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by
which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her
father has forbidden her. Numbers 30:3-5
This
section in Numbers 30 talks about a young woman living in her father’s
household and also a married woman living with her husband. The Bible says if she made a vow rashly,
without thinking, that vow didn’t stand without her father or husband’s
approval. However, a widow or divorced
woman (verse 9) would be bound to her vows.
This
regulation was a back up system to make sure the family was on board with the
woman’s vows. It made sure her father
and husband supported her vow. She could
make vows, but she needed to make sure the family was onboard before she made a
promise she couldn’t keep.
These are
the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man
and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at
home. Numbers 30:16
So she
could make vows. She just needed to get
approval and support, which is still good advice for men and woman in families
today. The Bible always wants families
to be at peace.