Numbers 30:13

30:13 “Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her, ¹  her husband can confirm or nullify. ² 

Numbers 30:15

30:15 But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.” ³ 

Numbers 30:8

30:8 But if when her husband hears it he overrules her, then he will nullify ⁴  the vow she has taken, ⁵  and whatever she uttered impulsively which she has pledged for herself. And the Lord will release her from it.

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¹ tn The sentence uses the infinitive construct לְעַנֹּת (lÿ’annot, “to afflict”), which is the same word used in the instructions for the day of atonement in which people are to afflict themselves (their souls). The case here may be that the woman would take a religious vow on such an occasion to humble herself, to mortify her flesh, to abstain from certain things, perhaps even sexual relations within marriage.

² tn Heb “or her husband can nullify.”

³ sn In other words, he will pay the penalty for making her break her vows if he makes her stop what she vowed. It will not be her responsibility.

⁴ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive from the verb פָּרַר (parar, “to annul”). The verb functions here as the equivalent of an imperfect tense; here it is the apodosis following the conditional clause – if this is the case, then this is what will happen.

⁵ tn Heb “which [she is] under it.”