Numbers 30

If a Man Makes a Vow, He Must Keep It

1 Moses spoke to the leaders of Israel, telling them what the Lord commanded.

2 “If a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself to something, he must not break his word. Whatever he promised, he must do.”

If a Young Woman Makes a Vow, Her Father Can Approve or Cancel It

3 “If a young woman makes a vow to the Lord while still living in her father’s house.”

4 “And her father hears about it but says nothing, then her vow stands, she must keep it.”

5 “But if her father hears it and says, ‘Nope, not happening,’ then her vow is canceled. The Lord will forgive her because her father overruled it.”

If a Married Woman Makes a Vow, Her Husband Can Approve or Cancel It

6 “If a woman makes a vow after she gets married.”

7 “And her husband hears it but does not say anything, then her vow stands.”

8 “But if her husband hears it and cancels it the same day, then her vow is void, and the Lord will forgive her.”

Widowed or Divorced Women Must Keep Their Vows

9 “If a widow or divorced woman makes a vow, she must keep it. There is no one to cancel it for her.”

If a Husband Hears His Wife’s Vow & Says Nothing, It Stands

10 “If a married woman makes a vow to the Lord and binds herself to something.”

11 “And her husband hears about it but says nothing, then her vow stands.”

12 “But if her husband cancels it the day he hears about it, then her vow is canceled, and the Lord will forgive her.”

A Husband Cannot Change His Mind Later

13 “A husband can either confirm or cancel any vow his wife makes.”

14 “If he hears it and says nothing for a while, then later tries to cancel it, he is guilty of breaking her vow.”

Final Words on Vows

15 “If he cancels her vow later on, he is responsible for her breaking it.”

16 “These are the commands the Lord gave Moses concerning vows made by men, women, and married couples.”