Numbers 30:14 Explained in Context

Read It With

• Numbers 30:9–16

Read Numbers 30:14 with 30:9–16. It within “Widows Bind Themselves, while a Husband Bears Late Annulment,” advances the vow through this speaker, condition, or consequence; in lightly modernized wording, the clause reads: But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. The complete unit establishes this contextual meaning: A widow or divorced woman's vow stands directly; a wife again falls under her husband's timely confirmation or annulment, but if he cancels after delay he bears the guilt; the chapter closes by naming husband-wife and father-daughter rules.

Why It Needs Context

Numbers 30:14 within “Widows Bind Themselves, while a Husband Bears Late Annulment,” advances the vow through this speaker, condition, or consequence; in lightly modernized wording, the clause reads: But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. Its responsible force depends on 30:9–16; isolated from “Widows Bind Themselves, while a Husband Bears Late Annulment,” the verse's actor, action, reason, object, or transition could be mistaken for independent teaching.