Numbers 30:9

9 But an oath made by a widow or one who is no longer married to her husband, and every undertaking she has given, will have force.

Numbers 30:9 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 30:9

But every vow of a widow
The Scripture speaks, as Jarchi says, of a widow from marriage, or that has been married, but a widow from espousals (or that has been only espoused), the husband dead, the power is transmitted, and returns to the father; and with respect to such a case, it is said in the Misnah ^F25

``if the father (of such a betrothed person) dies, the power is not transmitted to the husband; but if the husband dies, the power is transmitted to the father; in this case, greater is the power of a father than of an husband; in others, greater is the power of an husband than of a father, because an husband makes void (the vow of) one at age, but a father does not make void (the vow of) such an one:''

and of her that is divorced:
from her husband on some account or another; now in each of these cases, the one being loosed from the law of her husband by death, and the other by a bill of divorce, if they vowed,

the vows wherewith they have bound their souls shall stand against her;
against either of them, they having none over them to disapprove of, contradict, and make void their vows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Nedarim, c. 10. sect. 2.

Numbers 30:9 In-Context

7 If her husband, hearing of it, says nothing to her at the time, then the oaths she made and the undertakings she gave will have force.

8 But if her husband, hearing of it, makes her take it back, then the oath she made and the undertaking she gave without thought will have no force or effect, and she will have the Lord's forgiveness.

9 But an oath made by a widow or one who is no longer married to her husband, and every undertaking she has given, will have force.

10 If she made an oath while she was under the authority of her husband,

11 And her husband, hearing of it, said nothing to her and did not put a stop to it, then all her oaths and every undertaking she gave will have force.