Numbers 30

1 Moses/I spoke with the leaders of the Israeli tribes. He/I told them these commands that Yahweh had given to him/me:

And he said to the princes of the tribes of the children of Israel: This is the word that the Lord hath commanded:

2 “If a man solemnly promises Yahweh that he will do something, he must do what he promised.

If any man make a vow to the Lord, or bind himself by an oath: he shall not make his word void but shall fulfill all that he promised.

3 “If a young woman who is still living with her parents solemnly promises to Yahweh to do something,

If a woman vow any thing, and bind herself by an oath, being in her father’s house, and but yet a girl in age: if her father knew the vow that she hath promised, and the oath wherewith she hath bound her soul, and held his peace, she shall be bound by the vow:

4 and if her father hears about what she promised, and if he does not object, she must do what she promised [DOU].

Whatsoever she promised and swore, she shall fulfill in deed.

5 But if her father hears about what she promised and does not allow her to do that, then she does not need to do what she promised. Yahweh will forgive her for not doing what she promised.

But if her father, immediately as soon as he heard it, gainsaid it, both her vows and her oaths shall be void, neither shall she be bound to what she promised, because her father hath gainsaid it.

6 “If a woman promises Yahweh that she will do something, but then she gets married,

If she have a husband, and shall vow any thing, and the word once going out of her mouth shall bind her soul by an oath:

7 if her husband hears about what she promised to do, and he does not object, she must do what she promised [DOU].

The day that her husband shall hear it, and not gainsay it, she shall be bound to the vow, and shall give whatsoever she promised.

8 But if her husband hears about it and does not allow her to do that, she does not need to do what she promised, and Yahweh will forgive her for not doing what she promised.

But if as soon as he heareth he gainsay it, and make her promises and the words wherewith she had bound her soul of no effect: the Lord will forgive her.

9 “If a widow or a woman who has been divorced makes a promise, she must do what she promised.

The widow, and she that is divorced, shall fulfill whatsoever they vow.

10 “If a woman who is married promises [DOU] to do something,

If the wife in the house of her husband, hath bound herself by vow and by oath,

11 and if her husband hears about it but does not object, she must do what she promised.

If her husband hear, and hold his peace, and doth not disallow the promise, she shall accomplish whatsoever she had promised.

12 But if he hears about it and does not allow her to do that, she does not need to do what she promised, and Yahweh will forgive her for not doing it.

But if forthwith he gainsay it, she shall not be bound by the promise: because her husband gainsaid it, and the Lord will be merciful to her.

13 A woman’s husband may require her to do what she has promised, or he may not allow her to do what she has promised.

If she vow and bind herself by oath, to afflict her soul by fasting, or abstinence from other things, it shall depend on the will of her husband, whether she shall do it, or not do it.

14 If he does not object for several days [after he hears about it], she must do what she promised.

But if the husband hearing it hold his peace, and defer the declaring his mind till another day: whatsoever she had vowed and promised, she shall fulfill: because immediately as he heard it, he held his peace.

15 But if he waits a long time after she has promised to do something and then he tells her that he will not permit her to do it, if she does not do what she promised, [she will not be punished]; her husband is the one whom [Yahweh] will punish.”

But if he gainsay it after that he knew it, he shall bear her iniquity.

16 Those are the rules that Yahweh gave to Moses/me for husbands and wives, and for young women who are still living with their parents.

These are the laws which the Lord appointed to Moses between the husband and the wife, between the father and the daughter that is as yet but a girl in age, or that abideth in her father’s house.