Numbers 30:15
New International Version
If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”

New Living Translation
If he waits more than a day and then tries to nullify a vow or pledge, he will be punished for her guilt.”

English Standard Version
But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.”

Berean Standard Bible
But if he nullifies them after he hears of them, then he will bear her iniquity.”

King James Bible
But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

New King James Version
But if he does make them void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”

New American Standard Bible
However, if he actually annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear the responsibility for her guilt.”

NASB 1995
“But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”

NASB 1977
“But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”

Amplified Bible
But if he indeed nullifies them after he hears of them, then he shall be responsible for and bear her guilt [for breaking her promise].”

Christian Standard Bible
But if he cancels them after he hears about them, he will be responsible for her commitment.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if he cancels them after he hears about them, he will be responsible for her commitment.”

American Standard Version
But if he shall make them null and void after that he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.

Contemporary English Version
But if he waits until the next day to stop her from keeping her promise, he is the one who must be punished.

English Revised Version
But if he shall make them null and void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But if he cancels it later, he will suffer the consequences."

Good News Translation
But if he later annuls the vow, he must suffer the consequences for the failure to fulfill the vow.

International Standard Version
But if he nullified them after he had heard, then he will be responsible for any resulting iniquity."

Majority Standard Bible
But if he nullifies them after he hears of them, then he will bear her iniquity.”

NET Bible
But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity."

New Heart English Bible
But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity."

Webster's Bible Translation
But if he shall any way make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

World English Bible
But if he makes them null and void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and if he indeed breaks them after his hearing, then he has borne her iniquity.”

Young's Literal Translation
and if he doth at all break them after his hearing, then he hath borne her iniquity.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And if annulling, he annulled them after his hearing; and he bore the iniquity.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if he gainsay it after that he knew it, he shall bear her iniquity.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And if he contradicted it only sometime after he had known about it, he shall bear his iniquity.”

New American Bible
If, however, he annuls them some time after he first learned of them, he will be responsible for her guilt.”

New Revised Standard Version
But if he nullifies them some time after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her guilt.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But if he shall make them void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if he will certainly nullify them after he hears, he will bear her sin.’”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But if he shall make them null and void after that he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if her husband should in any wise cancel them after the day in which he heard them, then he shall bear his iniquity.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws Concerning Vows
14But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all the vows and pledges that bind her. He has confirmed them, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard about them. 15But if he nullifies them after he hears of them, then he will bear her iniquity.” 16These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the relationship between a man and his wife, and between a father and a young daughter still in his home.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:33-37
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ / But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; / or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ...

James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. / But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. / Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. / It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. / Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

Leviticus 5:4-5
Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter. / If someone incurs guilt in one of these ways, he must confess the sin he has committed,

Matthew 23:16-22
Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ / You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? / And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ ...

Judges 11:30-31
Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, / then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Psalm 15:4
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,

Proverbs 20:25
It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.

1 Samuel 1:11
And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

Acts 5:1-4
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. / With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. / Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? ...

Genesis 28:20-22
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear, / so that I may return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God. / And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”

1 Samuel 14:24-28
Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food. / Then all the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. / And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. ...

2 Corinthians 1:17-20
When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” and also “No, no”? / But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” / For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.” ...

Jonah 2:9
But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!”


Treasury of Scripture

But if he shall any ways make them void after that he has heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

he shall bear

Numbers 30:5,8,12
But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her…

Leviticus 5:1
And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

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Numbers 30
1. Vows are not to be broken
3. The exceptions of a maid's vows
6. Of a wife's
9. Of a widow's or her that is divorced














But if he nullifies them
The phrase "nullifies them" is derived from the Hebrew root word "הָפַר" (haphar), which means to break, frustrate, or annul. In the context of ancient Israelite society, vows were considered sacred commitments made before God. The authority to nullify a vow, particularly those made by women, was given to the male head of the household, reflecting the patriarchal structure of the time. This authority underscores the responsibility and spiritual leadership expected of men within the family unit. It also highlights the importance of vows and the serious nature of making promises before God.

after he hears of them
The phrase "after he hears of them" indicates the timing and responsibility of the man in the household. Upon hearing of the vow, the man must make a timely decision regarding its validity. This reflects the principle of accountability and the need for discernment in leadership. The immediacy of the response required suggests that spiritual oversight is not to be taken lightly or delayed. It also implies that the man must be attentive and engaged in the spiritual and personal matters of his household.

then he will bear her iniquity
The phrase "he will bear her iniquity" is significant in understanding the transfer of responsibility. The Hebrew word for "iniquity" is "עָוֹן" (avon), which can mean guilt or punishment for sin. In this context, if the man nullifies the vow after initially allowing it, he assumes the responsibility for any sin associated with breaking the vow. This reflects the biblical principle of headship, where the leader bears the consequences of decisions made under their authority. It serves as a sobering reminder of the weight of leadership and the spiritual implications of decisions made within the family. This concept is consistent with the broader biblical narrative that emphasizes the role of leaders as bearers of responsibility for those under their care.

Verse 15. - Then he shall bear her iniquity, i.e., if he tacitly allowed the vow in the first instance, and afterwards forbad its fulfillment, the guilt which such breach of promise involved should rest upon him. For the nature and expiation of such guilt see on Leviticus 5,



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

he nullifies
הָפֵ֥ר (hā·p̄êr)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6565: To break up, to violate, frustrate

them
אֹתָ֖ם (’ō·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

after
אַחֲרֵ֣י (’a·ḥă·rê)
Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

he hears of them,
שָׁמְע֑וֹ (šā·mə·‘ōw)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

then he will bear
וְנָשָׂ֖א (wə·nā·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

her
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

iniquity.”
עֲוֺנָֽהּ׃ (‘ă·wō·nāh)
Noun - common singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity


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OT Law: Numbers 30:15 But if he shall make them null (Nu Num.)
Numbers 30:14
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