Numbers 30
Vows Made by Men
30:1 Moses told the leaders of the tribes concerning the Israelites, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 30:2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.
Whenever a man makes a vow to Jehovah, then Jehovah expects him to keep it.
Vows Made by Single Women
30:3 “If a young woman who is still living in her father’s house makes a vow to the Lord or places herself under an obligation, 30:4 and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand. 30:5 But if her father overrules her when he hears about it, then none of her vows or her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. And the Lord will release her from it, because her father overruled her.
The father is the head of the house. If a daughter makes a foolish vow, then the father does have the authority to nullify the vow.
Vows Made by Married Women
30:6 “And if she marries a husband while under a vow, or she uttered anything impulsively by which she has pledged herself, 30:7 and her husband hears about it, but remains silent about her when he hears about it, then her vows will stand and her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. 30:8 But if when her husband hears it he overrules her, then he will nullify the vow she has taken, and whatever she uttered impulsively which she has pledged for herself. And the Lord will release her from it.
The husband is the head of the house. If a wife makes a foolish vow, then the husband has the authority to nullify it.
Vows Made by Widows
30:”9 “But every vow of a widow or of a divorced woman which she has pledged for herself will remain intact. 30:10 If she made the vow in her husband’s house or put herself under obligation with an oath, 30:11 and her husband heard about it, but remained silent about her, and did not overrule her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation which she pledged for herself will stand. 30:12 But if her husband clearly nullifies them when he hears them, then whatever she says by way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her from them. 30:13 “Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her, her husband can confirm or nullify. 30:14 But if her husband remains completely silent about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about when he heard them. 30:15 But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.”
If a widow makes a foolish vow, then she must keep it, unless her husband nullified it before his death.
30:16 These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses, relating to a man and his wife, and a father and his young daughter who is still living in her father’s house.
Vows to God must be kept, unless the head of the house nullifies them. Jesus said, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." It is best not to make vows to God. God can make vows and keep them, because He is perfect. Man is totally departed and evil. He cannot keep his vows, even if they are to God. However, if a man is foolish enough to make a vow to God, then God expects him to keep it.
Beware of manipulative pastors who seduce their congregation into making offering vows to God. Carnal Christians will fall for this trick, but they will not be able to keep their vow. However, God will expect the carnal Christian to keep this vow. The manipulative pastor who asks his congregation to make offering vows to God is bringing down the judgment of God upon the carnal Christians of his congregation.