Num. 30 Vows not to be broke: if a man vow, he must perform, Num. 30:1–2. If a daughter living with her father vow, and he disapprove thereof, she is free, Num. 30:3–5. If a married woman vow, and her husband disapprove thereof, she is free, Num. 30:6–8.

The heads of the tribes; the chief rulers of each tribe, who were to communicate it to the rest.

A man; which notes both the sex, as appears by Num. 30:3, and the age, that he be grown up; for none can be so weak as to think the vow of a young child would bind it. A vow, i.e. a simple Vow to do something possible and lawful. Unto the Lord; to the honour and service of God.

If a woman, or a man in the same circumstances, a son or a servant, as plainly appears from hence, because the reason of this law is perfectly the same in both sexes, which is, that such persons have given away what was not their own, but another’s, even their superior’s right, which is against the…

Her father; under which title seem to be comprehended, as in other places of Scripture, masters, magistrates, and all other superiors, in such cases wherein their right is given away by the inferior’s vow; as for instance, when a servant vows to go a long journey for his friend, and his master will…

In the day that he heareth, i.e. speedily, or without delay, allowing’ only necessary and convenient time for deliberation. And it is hereby intimated, that the day or time he had for disallowing her vow was not to be reckoned from her vowing, but from his hearing or knowledge of her vow.

An husband, to whose will and authority she was thereby made subject. When she vowed, to wit, when she was in her father’s house, as is evident by comparing Num. 30:10; and this clause seems to be added by way of exception to that which was said Num.

Though she be in her father’s house, whither such persons oft returned; which limitation may be gathered both from the opposition of her being in her husband’s house, Num.

In her husband’s house, i.e. if she that now is a widow, or divorced, made that vow whilst her husband lived with her; as suppose she then vowed, that if she was a widow, she would give such a proportion of her estate to pious or charitable uses, of which vow she might repent when she came to be a…

Afflict the soul, i.e. herself by fasting, which oft goes under that name, as Lev. 16:29, Lev. 16:31, Lev. 23:27, Lev. 23:32, Isa. 58:5, by watching, or the like. And these words are added not for limitation, for it is manifest from Num. 30:5, Num. 30:8, Num. 30:10, Num.

After that he hath heard them, and approved them by his silence from day to day; if now after that time spent, he shall upon further thoughts dislike and hinder it, which he ought not to do, her iniquity, her nonperformance of her vow, shall be imputed to him, not to her.