Numbers 30:2
in Numbers 30If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When a man voweth a vow unto Jehovah, 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.
KJV
If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear 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.
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This verse in Numbers 30
Commentary
7 notes on this verseIf it is a serious matter to lie to another person, how much more to lie to God. When Scripture describes his majesty, it says that God is in heaven above, and you are on the earth below. This passage was written for us to …
This site's exposition
Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes
on Numbers 30:1-2
The law on vows is spoken to the heads of the tribes rather than to the whole congregation, and those men would be the ones judging such cases when they came up. Verse 2 gives the rule for a man in a single line with no qualification on it, and the verb rendered break is the word used elsewhere of profaning what is holy. Deuteronomy 23:21-23 and Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 press the same point, and Matthew 5:33 states it as shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. The chapter also keeps two things apart, a vow that promises something to God and an oath that binds the soul to go without.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
Moreover, since there is here a distinction made between males and females, it may be probably conjectured that boys of ten years old, although still united with their family, are bound by their promises; and therefore I will not pertinaciously contend about this, because it is better to leave undecided whatever is doubtful, and disputable, as it is commonly called, on either side.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
If a man vow a vow unto the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
If a man vow a vow - A vow is a religious promise made to God. Vows were of several kinds: - 1. Of abstinence or humiliation, see Num 30:13; 2. Of the Nazarite, see Numbers 6; 3. Of giving certain things or sacrifices to the Lord, Lev 7:16; 4. Of alms given to the poor, see Deu 23:21. The law in this chapter must have been very useful, as it both prevented and annulled rash vows, and provided a proper sanction for the support and performance of those that were rationally and piously made.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But as it would frequently happen that parties would vow to do things which were neither good in themselves nor in their power to perform, the law ordained that their natural superiors should have the right of judging as to the propriety of those vows, with discretionary power to sanction or interdict their fulfilment.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The “vow” was positive; the “bond” negative or restrictive. By a vow a man engaged to dedicate something to God, or to accomplish some work for Him: by a bond he debarred himself from some privilege or enjoyment. A vow involved an obligation to do: a bond, an obligation to forbear doing.
How the passage was read
On Numbers 30:1-16On Numbers 30:1-16
Vows, oaths, and the words that bind
This chapter is the Torah's law of vows: “he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” The tradition distinguished the neder, a vow that makes a thing forbidden or dedicated (“this property is korban,” that is, an offering, barred from ordinary use as if given to God), from the shevuah, an oath that binds the person to do or not do something. Around both grew a careful case law: the Mishnah records the substitute formulas people used for korban (konam, konach, konas, Nedarim 1:2), and the tradition itself admitted how far this law outran its text: the rules for releasing vows “fly in the air and have nothing to support them” (Chagigah 1:8).
Two Gospel collisions stand on this chapter. The korban vow that could lock a son's goods away from his own parents is what Jesus confronts in Mark 7:11. And the oath casuistry He attacks in Matthew 5:33-37 and 23:16-22 grew from the practice of swearing by substitutes (heaven, earth, Jerusalem, the Temple) to avoid God's name; the Mishnah itself records that one who administers an oath “in the name of heaven and in the name of earth” leaves the swearer exempt (Shevuot 4:13), exactly the graded-honesty loophole Jesus abolishes with “let your yes be yes.”
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
AND MOSES TOLD THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE ETERNAL COMMANDED MOSES]. “‘This is [stated] in order to separate the subject [of the offerings from that of the following chapter, dealing with vows and oaths].’ These are the words of Rabbi Yishmael.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisroel all that Adonoy had commanded him.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Nedarim 1:2 (the korban substitute formulas) · Mishnah Shevuot 4:13 (an oath by heaven and earth does not bind) · Mishnah Chagigah 1:8 (vow-release “flies in the air”)
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִישׁ֩ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יִדֹּ֨ר | yidor | he will vow | H5087 → | 31 times |
| נֶ֜דֶר | neder | a vow | H5088 → | 60 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֗ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֽוֹ־ | ʾov- | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| הִשָּׁ֤בַע | hishava' | he will swear | H7650 → | 186 times |
| שְׁבֻעָה֙ | shevuah | an oath | H7621 → | 30 times |
| לֶאְסֹ֤ר | le'sor | to bind | H631 → | 72 times |
| אִסָּר֙ | ʾisar | an obligation | H632 → | 11 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| נַפְשׁ֔וֹ | nafsho | self his | H5315 → | 754 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַחֵ֖ל | yachel | he will violate | H2490 → | 143 times |
| דְּבָר֑וֹ | devaro | word his | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| כְּכָל־ | kekhol- | according to every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיֹּצֵ֥א | haiyotze' | <the> [thing which] has gone out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מִפִּ֖יו | mipiv | from mouth his | H6310 → | 498 times |
| יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ | yaaseh | he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
אִישׁ֩a man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
כִּֽי־if
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יִדֹּ֨רhe will vow
yidorH5087 →31 times
נֶ֜דֶרa vow
nederH5088 →60 times
לַֽיהוָ֗הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֽוֹ־or
ʾov-H176 →321 times
הִשָּׁ֤בַעhe will swear
hishava'H7650 →186 times
שְׁבֻעָה֙an oath
shevuahH7621 →30 times
לֶאְסֹ֤רto bind
le'sorH631 →72 times
אִסָּר֙an obligation
ʾisarH632 →11 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
נַפְשׁ֔וֹself his
nafshoH5315 →754 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יַחֵ֖לhe will violate
yachelH2490 →143 times
דְּבָר֑וֹword his
devaroH1697 →1440 times
כְּכָל־according to every
kekhol-H3605 →5413 times
הַיֹּצֵ֥א<the> [thing which] has gone out
haiyotze'H3318 →1067 times
מִפִּ֖יוfrom mouth his
mipivH6310 →498 times
יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃he will do
yaasehH6213 →2628 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 50:14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
- Psalms 56:12
Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You.
- Deuteronomy 23:21
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.
- Psalms 107:21–22
Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
- Psalms 116:12–14
How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me?
- Hebrews 13:15
Through
Acts 23:12When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
it leads to
- Acts 23:30
When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
- Isaiah 8:9–10
Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!
- Acts 23:21
Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they…
- Acts 23:30
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Procopius of Gaza, CATENA ON THE OCTATEUCH, ON NUMBERS 30:2.