Read Numbers 30
Vows
30 Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: “This is what the Lord commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.
3 “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. 5 But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.
6 “If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself 7 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 8 But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.
9 “Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.
10 “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath 11 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her.13 Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. 15 If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”
16 These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at home.
Go Deeper
Numbers 30 is a chapter that dives into the importance of vows and the seriousness with which we should make a vow or pledge. As Moses gathered the leaders of the tribes of Israel, he had important instructions for them to heed. Vows are made all the time. We give a handshake, we share that someone has our word, and we stretch out our littlest finger for a pinky promise. In many moments of the human experience, we make covenants and commitments in the day to day.
We interchangeably use the terms commitment and covenant, but there is a major difference. A commitment is a one-sided obligation that requires only one person. Think of the responsibility to a New Year’s Resolution, a student to their class schedule, an employee to a work project, or an athlete to their training program. On the other hand, a covenant is a shared agreement between two parties. The relationship between parents and children could be looked at as a covenant when we see healthy commitment of respect and honor. Additionally, the marriage of a husband and wife is our most transcendent yet immanent earthly picture of covenant. There is a deeply shared commitment from both parties that represent a bond greater than their own.
Although modern Christians may say to value “relationship over religion”, it is crucial to glean the wisdom of the Old Testament and use it to view God’s whole story. In the book of Numbers, Moses wrote on the laws that were established by Yawheh, the One True God of the Israelites. The law shared in Chapter 30 declares the importance of the integrity in the covenant of husbands and wives. The wisdom of this teaching is not exclusive to those in marriage. The law is meant to reveal that what matters to God should matter to us.
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus shares “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”. While Jesus was never in a marriage, we see the evidence of his faithfulness to the covenant with the Bride: the Church. We ought to be followers of Jesus that don’t only use him as a moral example, but a lifeline to our side of the commitment in covenants.
Questions
- What does this passage teach you about God? What does it teach you about humanity?
- In your relationship with God, how have you seen him stay faithful to the covenant in difficult times?
- How seriously do you take the covenants in your own life? Are there any areas of your life where you’ve strayed away from your covenant with God or others?
Did You KNow?
Pastor David Guzik of the Enduring Word commentary has this note, showing the connection between this passage and when Jesus addresses making oaths:
“Some people believe, usually based on Matthew 5:34-37, that vows or oaths are not permitted for God’s people today. But what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount regarding oaths was an emphasis on truth-telling and honesty, not an absolute prohibition of every oath. The Bible shows us that oaths are permitted under certain circumstances if they are not abused and used as a cover for deception.”
Leave a Comment below
Join the Team
Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email hello@biblereadingplan.org.
4 thoughts on “Numbers 30”
We see God’s heart of protection over his people as he gives Moses directives about vows. V2 reveals when a vow is made to the Lord it must not be broken. Fathers and husbands played an important role in protecting children and wives. God wanted his people to live unhindered by broken trust in relationships with him and others, knowing that once trust is compromised it is nearly impossible to regain. God placed provisions in place not to burden the people but so they would thrive. We must carefully consider what we commit to, guarding against impulsive decisions, and weighing them against the principles of God’s word. This is why living in community with believers is invaluable. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.” We weren’t ever meant to live in isolation but in thriving relationships with God and others.
Integrity.
Webster’s definition 1. : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility. 2. : an unimpaired condition : soundness.
Giving a vow or a promise was verbal agreement that you would follow through with said vow/promise. This speaks of you as a person of integrity. If and when you break a promise it is hard for anyone to trust your word. Don’t make promises you cannot keep, those are empty. God looks on our hearts, He know the end from beginning. You are not go to fool Him by saying “I promise” when you really do not mean it.
Enduring Word commentary says this:
A commonly overlooked and unappreciated sin among God’s people is the sin of broken vows – promising things to God and failing to live up to the vow. Under the old covenant, it was commanded to make an offering to atone for the breaking of vows (Leviticus 5:4). Therefore, those who honor God:
Will not be quick to make vows to God, especially unwise vows.
Will be serious about fulfilling vows that they do make.
Will regard broken vows as sins to be confessed and to be repented of.
Putting actions behind your words, this speaks of your heart. Giving our word, vows, and promises are serious things in God’s eyes.
It’s easy to adopt the common view that words aren’t meaningful, and a promise can be broken if it inconveniences us.
But God has always emphasized the importance of our words. Psalm 15:4 (amp) In his eyes an evil person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord [and obediently worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder].
He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit];
God honors those who keep their word even when it costs them.
God thank You for Your Word that it teaches foundational truths for me to learn every single time I read, meditate on it and as it says in Psalm 1 (Hebrew word) Hagah meaning to ponder on God’s word out loud, groan, growl, and ruminate in my day to day hours. God let my yes mean yes and no mean no. Thank You for listening to Your Holy Spirit to guide me in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!
Amen!
Well explained Ella!
God’s practical instruction throughout the bible is full of wisdom we do not have on our own. In our humanity, we seek the opinions of others instead of relying on the source of truth from God, our Father. We/I should not flippantly make vows, but wholeheartedly think before we speak. I treasure the counsel of believers who help guide my decisions based on wisdom, not on emotions and back it up with Scripture.