Números 30

Votos de las mujeres

1 Moisés les dijo a los jefes de las tribus de Israel: «El SEÑOR ha ordenado que

2 cuando un hombre haga un voto al SEÑOR, o bajo juramento haga un compromiso, no deberá faltar a su palabra sino que cumplirá con todo lo prometido.

3 »Cuando una joven, que todavía viva en casa de su padre, haga un voto al SEÑOR y se comprometa en algo,

4 si su padre se entera de su voto y de su compromiso pero no le dice nada, entonces ella estará obligada a cumplir con todos sus votos y promesas.

5 Pero si su padre se entera y no lo aprueba, todos los votos y compromisos que la joven haya hecho quedarán anulados, y el SEÑOR la absolverá porque fue el padre quien los desaprobó.

6 »Si la joven se casa después de haber hecho un voto o una promesa precipitada que la compromete,

7 y su esposo se entera pero no le dice nada, entonces ella estará obligada a cumplir sus votos y promesas.

8 Pero si su esposo se entera y no lo aprueba, el voto y la promesa que ella hizo en forma precipitada quedarán anulados, y el SEÑOR la absolverá.

9 »La viuda o divorciada que haga un voto o compromiso estará obligada a cumplirlo.

10 »Cuando una mujer casada haga un voto, o bajo juramento se comprometa en algo,

11 si su esposo se entera, pero se queda callado y no lo desaprueba, entonces ella estará obligada a cumplir todos sus votos y promesas.

12 Pero si su esposo se entera y los anula, entonces ninguno de los votos o promesas que haya hecho le serán obligatorios, pues su esposo los anuló. El SEÑOR la absolverá.

13 »El esposo tiene la autoridad de confirmar o de anular cualquier voto o juramento de abstinencia que ella haya hecho.

14 En cambio, si los días pasan y el esposo se queda callado, su silencio confirmará todos los votos y compromisos contraídos por ella. El esposo los confirmará por no haber dicho nada cuando se enteró.

15 Pero si llega a anularlos después de un tiempo de haberse enterado, entonces él cargará con la culpa de su esposa».

16 Estos son los estatutos que el SEÑOR dio a Moisés en cuanto a la relación entre esposo y esposa, y entre el padre y la hija que todavía viva en su casa.

Números 30 Commentary

Chapter 30

Vows to be kept. (1,2) The cases wherein vows might be released. (3-16)

Verses 1-2 No man can be bound by his own promise to do what he is already, by the Divine precept, forbidden to do. In other matters the command is, that he shall not break his words, through he may change his mind.

Verses 3-16 Two cases of vows are determined. The case of a daughter in her father's house. When her vow comes to his knowledge, it is in his power either to confirm it or do it away. The law is plain in the case of a wife. If her husband allows her vow, though only by silence, it stands. If he disallows it, her obligation to her husband takes place of it; for to him she ought to be in subjection, as unto the Lord. The Divine law consults the good order of families. It is fit that every man should bear rule in his own house, and have his wife and children in subjection; rather than that this great rule should be broken, or any encouragement be given to inferior relations to break those bonds asunder, God releases the obligation even of a solemn vow. So much does religion secure the welfare of all societies; and in it the families of the earth have a blessing.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 30

Mention being made, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, of vows to be performed to the Lord, besides the sacrifices directed to; here some account is given of them, and men are charged to fulfil, and not break them, Nu 30:1,2 but as to women, if a maid, being in her father's house, made a vow in his hearing, and he silent at it, her vow stood; but if he disapproved of it, it was null and void, Nu 30:3-5 and so a wife, when she vowed a vow in the hearing of her husband, and he said not ought against it, it was valid; but if he objected to it, it stood for nothing, Nu 30:6-8, likewise a widow, or one divorced, that made a vow in her husband's house, before he died, or she was put away from him, and he did not contradict it, it remained in force and to be fulfilled; but if he made it void, it stood not, and she was forgiven, Nu 30:9-12 it being in an husband's power to confirm or make null a vow or oath, made by his wife to afflict her soul; but if he made any void after he heard them, and had been silent, he himself was to bear her iniquity, Nu 30:13-16.