ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Tu‘apulelulu Siulai 8, 2021

‘e ‘ikai te ne maumau ‘ene lea

he shall not break his word

Nomipa 30 (Numbers 30)

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

In this section the subject of vows was dealt with and principally those of women. A man's vow was declared to be absolutely binding. No provision was made for release. In the case of women this was not so. If a woman dwelling in her father's house took a vow, the father had the power to forbid.

If he did not do so, then the vow became binding. In the case of a woman dwelling with her husband, the husband had the like power. Similarly, if he did not exercise it, the vow became binding. In the case of a widow or one divorced, if her vow was made in her widowhood or while she was divorced, it was absolutely binding.

If it was made while she dwelt with her husband and he forbad it, she was released. If not, she also was bound by it.

These provisions are most arresting in revealing as they do the divine conception of the importance and necessity for the unity of the household. There must not be two supreme authorities in any family and here as always in the economy of God the responsibility of headship was with the husband and father. It can readily be seen how, were this otherwise, even through religious vows, discord and probable breakup in family life might ensue. Therefore as the nation approached settlement in the land, the integrity of the family was thus carefully safeguarded.

David Guzik :: Study Guide for Numbers 30

(v. 3) Ka ai ha tangata kuo ne fai ha tukumo‘ui kia Sihova, pe kuo ne fuakava ke ha‘i hono laumālie ‘aki ha tapu, ‘e ‘ikai te ne maumau ‘ene lea; te ne fai ‘a e me‘a kotoa kuo pu‘aki ‘e hono ngutu.

(v. 3) If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

He shall not break his word: A vow before God is no small thing. God expressly commanded that Israel should be careful to keep its vows, and to fulfill every oath made.

In many circles today, the breaking of an oath is just standard business practice - but before God, it is simply sin.

Some people today believe that vows or oaths are not permitted for a Christian today. They think this because of what Jesus said in Matthew 5:34-37: But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. (See also James 5:12)

But, in context of the rest of Scripture, we see that Jesus was not forbidding oaths, as much as telling us that we should be so filled with integrity in our words that an oath is unnecessary.

Jesus answered under oath in a court (Matthew 26:63-64), and God Himself swears oaths (Luke 1:73, Acts 2:30, Hebrews 3:18, 6:13, 17).