Numbers 30:9

9 But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, [even] everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her.

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 and her husband hear it, and hold his shalom at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand.

8 But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and the LORD will forgive her.

9 But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, [even] everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her.

10 If she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath,

11 and her husband heard it, and held his shalom at her, and didn't disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand.