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NUM 30:1
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NUM 30:2
At the head there stands the general rule, “ If any one vow a vow to Jehovah, or swear an oath, to bind his soul to abstinence, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that has gone out of his mouth: ” i.e., he shall keep or fulfil the vow, and the promise of abstinence, in perfect accordance with his word. נדר is a positive vow, or promise to give or sanctify any part of one's property to the Lord. אסּר , from אסר , to bind or fetter, the negative vow, or vow of abstinence. על־נפשׁו אסּר אסר , to take an abstinence upon his soul. In what such abstinence consisted is not explained, because it was well understood from traditional customs; in all probability it consisted chiefly in fasting and other similar abstinence from lawful things. The Nazarite's vow, which is generally reckoned among the vows of abstinence, is called neder in Numbers 6:2., not issar , because it consisted not merely in abstinence from the fruit of the vine, but also in the positive act of permitting the hair to grow freely in honour of the Lord. The expression “swear an oath” (Numbers 30:2; cf. Numbers 30:13) shows that, as a rule, they bound themselves to abstinence by an oath. The inf. constr., השּׁבא , is used here, as in other places, for the inf. abs. (cf. Ges. §131, 4, note 2). יחל , from חלל , for יחל , as in Ezekiel 39:7 (cf. Ges. §67, note 8), to desecrate (his word), i.e., to leave it unfulfilled or break it.
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The rules by which vows were to be legally regulated, so far as their objects and their discharge were concerned, has been already laid down in Lev; but the chapter before us contains instructions with reference to the force of vows and renunciations. These are so far in place in connection with the general rules of sacrifice, that vows related for the most part to the presentation of sacrifices; and even vows of renunciation partook of the character of worship. The instructions in question were addressed (Numbers 30:1) to “the heads of the tribes,” because they entered into the sphere of civil rights, namely, into that of family life.
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