Numbers 30:6

Num 30:6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

Ver. 6. And if she had at all a husband.] Hannah’s vow {1Sa 1:11} was made either by the consent of her husband, or else by peculiar instinct from God.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

THE BETROTHED WIFE’S VOW, Num_30:6-8.

Here the affianced husband seems to sustain to the wife the same relation, in the matter of vows, as the father does to the daughter.

6. If she had at all a husband — The words “at all” are a poor translation of the Hebrew idiom for becoming a wife by betrothal while still in her father’s house for ten months or a year longer. During this period the control of her vows is no longer in her father’s power, but in her husband’s, and her unfaithfulness in this pre-nuptial period was, like adultery, punishable with death. Whether the vow was made before or after the betrothal it was under the control of her husband, and it might be dis-allowed by him as soon as he heard of it, either before or after marriage. Yet the Hebrew doctors say that the period of betrothal is under the joint control of the father and the affianced husband.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30:6-8 When a young Hebrew woman married, she came under the authority of her husband, who could void the obligations of a vow or pledge made by his wife while she was under her father’s authority by nullifying it as soon as he heard about it.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

By not approving or consenting to her vow.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(6) And if she had at all an husband . . . . —Better, And if she should be married to a husband whilst her vows are upon her, or the rash utterance of her lips wherewith she hath bound her soul. The case here contemplated appears to be that of a woman who married whilst under a vow. On the other hand the case of a woman who takes a vow after marriage is treated of further on in Num_30:10-13. The cognate verb of the word mibta, rash utterance, occurs in Lev_5:4, and seems to denote something which is uttered without reflection.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. while her vows are upon her] If at the time of her marriage she was still bound by some vow or pledge of abstinence, which she had previously taken with her father’s approval.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And if she had at all an husband with whom she vowed,.... Or "when her vows were upon her" (w), was either betrothed or married to a man:

or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; uttered anything, either with or without premeditation, either with thought and deliberation, or rashly and imprudently, as the word signifies, yet in such a manner that it was binding upon her.

(w)

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rather, And if she shall at all be an husband’s, and her vows shall be upon her, or a rash utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul, etc. The “at all” intimates that the case of a girl betrothed but not yet actually married is here especially contemplated. After betrothal, a woman continued to reside, until the period of her marriage arrived, in her father’s house; but her property was from that time forward vested in her husband, and she was so far regarded as personally his, that an act of faithlessness to him was, like adultery, punishable with death Deu 22:23-24. Hence, his right to control her vows even before he actually took her home as his wife.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

An husband, to whose will and authority she was thereby made subject.

When she vowed, to wit, when she was in her father’s house, as is evident by comparing Num 30:10; and this clause seems to be added by way of exception to that which was said Num 30:3,4, to signify, that though she were in her father’s house, yet if she were married, her husband only, and not her father, could disoblige her from her vow.

Or uttered ought; either,

1. By way of vow, and so this clause explains and determines the former, i.e. if she express her vow in words. Or,

2. By way of oath, concerning which this same phrase is used Lev 5:4, and so this clause is distinct from the former, which the disjunctive particle or implies.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

If she had at all a husband. Literally, "if being she be to an husband." Septuagint, eanh genhtai andri . Case second, of a married or betrothed woman. As far as the legal status of the woman was concerned, there was little difference under Jewish law whether she were married or only betrothed. In either case she was accounted as belonging to her husband, with all that she had. (cf. Deu_22:23, 24 Mat_1:19, Mat_1:20) When she vowed. Rather, "and her vows be upon her." Septuagint, kai ai eucai authv ep auth . The vows might have been made before her betrothal, and not disallowed by her father; yet upon her coming under the power of her husband he had an absolute right to dissolve the obligation of them; otherwise it is evident that he might suffer loss through an act of which he had no notice. Or uttered ought out of her lips. Rather, "or the rash utterance of her lips." The word afbmi, which is not found elsewhere, (cf. Psa_106:33) seems to have this meaning. Such a vow made by a young girl as would be disallowed by her husband when he knew of it would presumably be a "rash utterance."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

her solemn promises with which she has bound herself

Here Moses speaks of how a woman has committed herself to fulfilling a promise as if her promise were a physical object that she had bound to her body. AT: "her solemn promises which she has committed herself to fulfill" (See: Metaphor)

if he overrules her

Here the father overruling the woman's promise is spoken of as if he were overruling "her." AT: "if her overrules her promise" or "if he cancels her promise" (See: Metonymy)

will not remain in force

This is an idiom. It means that her vows will not remain in effect and she will be not required to fulfill them. AT: "she will not be obligated to fulfill" (See: Idiom)

Yahweh will forgive her

This refers to Yahweh forgiving her for not fulfilling her vows. The full meaning of this statement can be made clear. AT: "Yahweh will forgive her for not fulfilling her vows" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

while she is under those vows

This is an idiom. Being "under" her vows means that she is committed to them and that they are still in effect. AT: "while she is still committed to those vows" (See: Idiom)

rash

something done without thinking

those obligations

The word "obligations" can be expressed with the verb "obligate." AT: "the things she has obligated herself to" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

vow

promise

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ואם הניא אביה אתה BUT IF HER FATHER DISALLOWED HER — The Hebrew signifies, “if he withholds her” from the vow, that is to say, that he annuls it for her. I would not know what this expression הניא, “withholding”, implies (i.e., how he withholds her) — but when it states, (v. 9) “But if on the day that he hears, he withholds her and annuls [her vows]”, one must admit that “the withholding” consists in “annulling the vow” (i.e. in exclaiming מופר לך) (Sifrei Bamidbar 153:6). But still the plain meaning is that it is a term for “withholding” and “removing” (and the word והפר only shows how and by what means she is to be withheld from keeping her vow); and similar is (Numbers 32:7): “And wherefore do you remove (תניאון) [the heart of the children of Israel from the idea of passing over the land]”; and so, too, (Psalms 141:5): “Oil so choice, let not my head turn away (יניא), and similar, also, (Numbers 14:34): “And ye shall know My turning aside (תנואתי)” — i.e. ye shall know that ye have turned aside from Me.

וה' יסלח לה AND THE LORD SHALL FORGIVE HER — Of what is Scripture here speaking? Of a woman who, e.g., vowed that she would become a Nazarite, and whose father heard it and annulled it for her, but she knew it not, and transgressed her vow and drank wine or made herself unclean by means of a corpse. It is such a woman who requires forgiveness even though it (her vow) has been annulled. — And if those whose vows have been annulled require forgiveness in such a case, how much more is this so for those whose vows have not been annulled and have been transgressed! (Sifrei Bamidbar 153:6; cf. Kiddushin 81b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Adonoy will forgive her for her vow, since she is unable to fulfill it,

because her father has restrained her — and she did not know her father’s view about this when she made the vow, and so she had made the vow with the intention of fulfilling it.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.