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Read the Bible

JPS Old Testament

Numbers 30:3

When a man voweth a vow unto the LORD, or sweareth an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Vows;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Vow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Woman;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Vow;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Vows;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   Vow;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Father's House;   Sex, Biblical Teaching on;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Vows;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Oaths;   Septuagint;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Vows;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Vows;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bind;   Relationships, Family;   Vow;   Woman;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Binding and Loosing;   Commandments, the 613;   Mishnah;   Nedarim;   Sidra;   Vows;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Also when a woman vows a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth,
King James Version
If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord , and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;
Lexham English Bible
"If a woman makes a vow to Yahweh, and she binds a pledge on herself in her father's house in your childhood,
English Standard Version
"If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house in her youth,
New Century Version
If a young woman still living at home makes a promise to the Lord or pledges to do something special,
New English Translation
"If a young woman who is still living in her father's house makes a vow to the Lord or places herself under an obligation,
Amplified Bible
"Also if a woman makes a vow to the LORD and binds herself by a pledge [of abstinence], while living in her father's house in her youth,
New American Standard Bible
"And if a woman makes a vow to the LORD, and puts herself under a binding obligation in her father's house in her youth,
Geneva Bible (1587)
If a woman also vow a vow vnto the Lord, and binde her selfe by a bonde, being in her fathers house, in the time of her youth,
Legacy Standard Bible
"Also if a woman makes a vow to Yahweh and binds herself by an obligation in her father's house in her youth,
Contemporary English Version
Suppose a young woman who is still living with her parents makes a promise to the Lord .
Complete Jewish Bible
when a man makes a vow to Adonai or formally obligates himself by swearing an oath, he is not to break his word but is to do everything he said he would do.
Darby Translation
If a woman also vow a vow to Jehovah, and bind herself by a bond, in her father's house in her youth,
Easy-to-Read Version
"A young woman might still be living in her father's house. And that young woman might make a special promise to give something to the Lord .
George Lamsa Translation
If a woman also vows a vow to the LORD and binds herself by a bond while she is in her fathers house in her youth,
Good News Translation
When a young woman still living in her father's house makes a vow to give something to the Lord or promises to abstain from something,
Christian Standard Bible®
“When a woman in her father’s house during her youth makes a vow to the Lord or puts herself under an obligation,
Literal Translation
And when a woman vows a vow to Jehovah, and has bound a bond in the house of her father in her youth,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf a damsell make a vowe vnto ye LORDE, and bynde hirself, whyle she is in hir fathers house, and vnmaried,
American Standard Version
Also when a woman voweth a vow unto Jehovah, and bindeth herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth,
Bible in Basic English
If a woman, being young and under the authority of her father, takes an oath to the Lord or gives an undertaking;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If a woman also vowe a vowe vnto the Lorde, & bynde her selfe being in her fathers house in the tyme of her youth:
King James Version (1611)
If a woman also vow a vow vnto the Lord, and binde her selfe by a bond, being in her fathers house in her youth;
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Whatsoever man shall vow a vow to the Lord, or swear an oath, or bind himself with an obligation upon his soul, he shall not break his word; all that shall come out of his mouth he shall do.
English Revised Version
Also when a woman voweth a vow unto the LORD, and bindeth herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth;
Berean Standard Bible
And if a woman in her father's house during her youth makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If a womman which is in the hows of hir fadir, and is yit in the age of a damysel,
Young's Literal Translation
`And when a woman voweth a vow to Jehovah, and hath bound a bond in the house of her father in her youth,
Update Bible Version
Also when a woman vows a vow to Yahweh, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth,
Webster's Bible Translation
If a woman also shall vow a vow to the LORD, and bind [herself] by a bond, [being] in her father's house in her youth;
World English Bible
Also when a woman vows a vow to Yahweh, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth,
New King James Version
"Or if a woman makes a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father's house in her youth,
New Living Translation
"If a young woman makes a vow to the Lord or a pledge under oath while she is still living at her father's home,
New Life Bible
If a woman makes a promise to the Lord, and swears to keep her promise in her father's house when she is young,
New Revised Standard
When a woman makes a vow to the Lord , or binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house, in her youth,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when, a woman, shall vow a vow unto Yahweh, and bind a bond, in the house of her father, in her youth;
Douay-Rheims Bible
(30-4) 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:
Revised Standard Version
Or when a woman vows a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house, in her youth,
THE MESSAGE
"When a woman makes a vow to God and binds herself by a pledge as a young girl still living in her father's house, and her father hears of her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then she has to make good on all her vows and pledges. But if her father holds her back when he hears of what she has done, none of her vows and pledges are valid. God will release her since her father held her back.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Also if a woman makes a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by an obligation in her father's house in her youth,

Contextual Overview

3 When a man voweth a vow unto the LORD, or sweareth an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. 4 Also when a woman voweth a vow unto the LORD, and bindeth herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth, 5 and her father heareth her vow, or her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father holdeth his peace at her, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 6 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth, none of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, because her father disallowed her. 7 And if she be married to a husband, while her vows are upon her, or the clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul; 8 and her husband hear it, whatsoever day it be that he heareth it, and hold his peace at her; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 9 But if her husband disallow her in the day that he heareth it, then he shall make void her vow which is upon her, and the clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul; and the LORD will forgive her. 10 But the vow of a widow, or of her that is divorced, even every thing wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand against her. 11 And if a woman vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, 12 and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Numbers 30:2 - to bind 1 Samuel 1:11 - vowed 1 Corinthians 14:34 - as

Cross-References

Genesis 30:2
And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said: 'Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?'
Genesis 30:3
And she said: 'Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may be builded up through her.'
Genesis 30:9
When Leah saw that she had left off bearing, she took Zilpah her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife.
Genesis 50:23
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees.
Ruth 4:11
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said: 'We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and do thou worthily in Ephrath, and be famous in Beth-lehem;
Job 3:12
Why did the knees receive me? And wherefore the breasts, that I should suck?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord,.... Who has not passed thirteen years, as the Targum of Jonathan:

[and] bind [herself] by a bond; lay herself under obligation to perform her vow by an oath: being in her father's house; unto the twelfth year, as the same Targum; that is, that is under his care, tuition, and jurisdiction, whether she literally, or properly speaking, is in the house or no at the time she vows; so Jarchi interprets it of her being in the power of her father, though not in his house, she being not at age to be at her own disposal, but at his: wherefore it is added,

in her youth; which, as the same writer explains it, signifies that she is

"neither a little one, nor at age; for a little one's vow is no vow, and one at age is not in the power of her father to make void her vow: who is a little one? our Rabbins say, one of eleven years of age and one day, her vows are examined, whether she knows on whose account she vows and consecrates, or devotes anything; one vows a vow that is twelve years and one day old, there is no need to examine them.''

He seems to refer to a passage in the Misnah t,

"a daughter of eleven years and one day, her vows are examined; a daughter of twelve years and one day, her vows are firm, but they are to be examined through the whole twelfth year.''

t Niddah, c. 5. sect. 6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Being in her father’s house in her youth - It was not ordinarily until her betrothal or marriage, that the female passed (some suppose by purchase) from the power of her father to that of her husband.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 30:3. In her youth — That is, say the rabbins, under twelve years of age; and under thirteen in case of a young man. Young persons of this age were considered to be under the authority of their parents, and had consequently no power to vow away the property of another. A married woman was in the same circumstances, because she was under the authority of her husband. If however the parents or the husband heard of the vow, and objected to it in the same day in which they heard of it, (Numbers 30:5), then the vow was annulled; or, if having heard of it, they held their peace, this was considered a ratification of the vow.

A rash vow was never to be kept; "for," says Philo, and common sense and justice say the same, "he who commits an unjust action because of his vow adds one crime to another,

1. By making an unlawful vow;

2. By doing an unlawful action."


 
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