Numbers 30:16 kjv
These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.
Numbers 30:16 nkjv
These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter in her youth in her father's house.
Numbers 30:16 niv
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.
Numbers 30:16 esv
These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father's house.
Numbers 30:16 nlt
These are the regulations the LORD gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and a young daughter who still lives at home.
Numbers 30 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 30:2 | "When a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath... he shall not break his word..." | General principle of vows, setting the stage. |
| Num 30:3-5 | "If a woman makes a vow... while in her father's house in her youth... her father hears her vow... if her father disallows her... none of her vows... shall stand." | Specific law for a daughter's annulment by father. |
| Num 30:6-8 | "If she takes a husband, while under her vows... and her husband hears... if her husband disallows her... none of her vows... shall stand." | Specific law for a wife's annulment by husband. |
| Deut 23:21-23 | "When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it... you must keep what crosses your lips." | General imperative to fulfill vows made to God. |
| Lev 27:1-34 | Comprehensive chapter on various types of vows, dedications, and redemption rates. | Details laws of vows. |
| Ecc 5:4-5 | "When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it... It is better not to vow than to vow and not to pay." | Emphasizes prudence and keeping vows. |
| Ps 15:4 | "He swears to his own hurt and does not change." | On integrity of oaths. |
| Mt 5:33-37 | "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil." | Jesus' teaching on oaths, emphasizing truthfulness. |
| Jas 5:12 | "But above all, my brothers, do not swear... but let your 'Yes' be 'yes,' and your 'No,' 'no'..." | Echoes Mt 5:33-37, calling for honesty. |
| Prov 20:25 | "It is a snare to a man to devote a thing rashly and only later to consider his vows." | Warns against rash vows. |
| Eph 5:22-24 | "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord... as the church submits to Christ." | New Testament principle of husband's headship. |
| Col 3:18 | "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." | Reinforces submission within marriage. |
| 1 Cor 11:3 | "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." | Establishes divine order of headship. |
| 1 Pet 3:1-6 | "Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands... as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord." | Calls for wifely submission and respect. |
| Gen 3:16 | "To the woman he said... Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." | Origin of husband's headship over his wife. |
| 1 Tim 5:1-2 | "Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity." | General instructions for treating various family members. |
| Exod 20:1-17 | The Ten Commandments, given by God to Moses. | Example of God commanding through Moses. |
| Deut 4:1-2 | "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it..." | Commands regarding the integrity of divine law. |
| Josh 1:7 | "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you..." | Importance of adhering to God's commands via Moses. |
| Jn 14:15 | "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Connects love for God with obedience to His commands. |
| Rom 13:1 | "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God..." | General principle of submitting to established order. |
Numbers 30 verses
Numbers 30 16 Meaning
This verse serves as a summary and conclusion to the preceding statutes regarding vows and pledges made by women within Israelite society. It affirms that the regulations governing a husband's authority over his wife's vows, and a father's authority over his unmarried daughter's vows, are direct divine commands. The specific mention of "a man and his wife" and "a father and his daughter, while she is in her youth in her father's house" precisely defines the scope of these laws, emphasizing the structured authority within the family unit and the legal boundaries surrounding sacred vows made under various levels of authority and dependency.
Numbers 30 16 Context
Numbers chapter 30 specifically details the laws concerning vows and pledges made by individuals in Israel. This chapter is unique in its focus on gender-specific and relationship-specific stipulations for vows, particularly highlighting when a vow can be valid or annulled. It clarifies the authority structure within the Israelite family: an unmarried woman's vow is subject to her father's approval or disallowance, and a married woman's vow is subject to her husband's approval or disallowance. This legal framework protected women from inadvertently binding themselves to obligations they might not fully understand or that could conflict with family integrity, while also upholding the sanctity of vows made to the LORD. Verse 16 concludes the chapter by emphasizing the divine origin of these intricate rules, underscoring that they were directly commanded by the LORD through Moses. This reflects God's meticulous care in establishing societal order and family structure for His covenant people.
Numbers 30 16 Word analysis
- These are the statutes (אֵלֶּה הַחֻקּוֹת - 'elleh hachuqot): `Chukkot` (statutes, decrees) signifies binding, non-negotiable ordinances, often used for civil or ceremonial laws established by a higher authority. It emphasizes that these are fixed laws, divinely set, not mere suggestions or cultural norms.
- that the LORD commanded (אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה - 'asher tzivva YHWH): `Tzivva` (commanded) denotes a forceful, authoritative decree. The use of `YHWH` (the LORD, God's personal covenant name) underscores the divine source and ultimate authority of these laws, setting them apart as uniquely from God Himself.
- Moses (מֹשֶׁה - Mosheh): The divinely appointed mediator through whom God communicated His laws to Israel, highlighting the legitimacy and historical transmission of the statutes.
- concerning a man (בֵּין אִישׁ - ben 'ish): `'Ish` (man, male individual) indicates the male head of the household and his role in the validity of vows within his sphere of influence. It denotes his specific responsibility and legal authority in this context.
- and his wife (וּבֵין אִשְׁתּוֹ - uven 'ishtow): `'Ishto` (his wife) directly refers to the marital covenant, under which the wife's vows are subject to her husband's approval or annulment, reflecting his headship within the marriage.
- and concerning a father (וּבֵין אָב - uven 'av): `'Av` (father) highlights the father's specific parental authority and legal guardianship over his unmarried daughter.
- and his daughter (לְבִתּוֹ - l'vitto): `Bitto` (his daughter) specifies the object of the father's authority, indicating a direct paternal-child relationship where her vows fall under his domain.
- while she is in her youth (בְּנַעֲרֻתָהּ - bena'arutah): `Na'arut` (youth, maidenhood) specifies the period of her life when she is under her father's direct legal and social authority before marriage or full independence. This phase implies a degree of inexperience or dependence.
- in her father's house (בֵּית אָבִיהָ - bet 'avihah): `Bet 'avihah` (house of her father) emphasizes her legal and physical dwelling, symbolizing her status as part of his household and thus under his protection and authority. It clearly distinguishes her legal status from that of a married woman or an independent adult.
- "These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses": This phrase asserts the divine origin and absolute authority of the preceding laws. It reiterates that these are not merely human conventions but direct, divinely-instilled decrees given through the primary covenant mediator.
- "concerning a man and his wife, and concerning a father and his daughter": This specifies the distinct relationships and contexts to which these vow laws apply. It structures the legal scope, focusing on male headship within family units.
- "while she is in her youth in her father's house": This further refines the legal applicability for daughters, highlighting that their vows are annulled by the father only if they are still within the dependency and authority of his household and have not yet transitioned to marriage or full adult independence. This underscores a period of legal transition and vulnerability.
Numbers 30 16 Bonus section
The concept of "covering" or "headship" observed in Numbers 30 (father's and husband's authority over women's vows) aligns with broader biblical principles of delegated authority and divine order within family and society. This system was designed to promote stability, provide protection, and ensure the integrity of sacred commitments to God. It highlights God's character as a God of order and not of chaos, where even individual spiritual acts (like making a vow) are framed within a structured relational context. These laws were also pragmatic, acknowledging potential differences in maturity, experience, and the comprehensive responsibility borne by the male heads of households in a highly communal and honor-based society.
Numbers 30 16 Commentary
Numbers 30:16 concludes a detailed section on the sanctity and administration of vows, particularly highlighting the nuanced application for women. This verse affirms the divine authorship of laws establishing male headship within the Israelite household (father over unmarried daughter, husband over wife) concerning vows. It demonstrates God's intricate design for order and responsibility, not only in personal spirituality (making vows to Him) but also in family and societal structures. The provision for annulment was a divine protection for women, preventing them from being bound by rash or ill-advised commitments, thereby safeguarding their well-being within the established covenantal order. It emphasizes that divine commands penetrate even the intimate aspects of family life, ensuring justice and coherence.