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12 But if her husband clearly nullifies[a] them when he hears them, then whatever she says[b] by way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her from them.

13 “Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her,[c] her husband can confirm or nullify.[d] 14 But if her husband remains completely silent[e] about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about her when he heard them.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 30:12 tn The verb is the imperfect tense in the conditional clause. It is intensified with the infinitive absolute, which would have the force of saying that he nullified them unequivocally, or he made them null and void.
  2. Numbers 30:12 tn Heb whatever proceeds from her lips.”
  3. Numbers 30:13 tn The sentence uses the infinitive construct לְעַנֹּת (leʿannot, “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.
  4. Numbers 30:13 tn Heb “or her husband can nullify.”
  5. Numbers 30:14 tn The sentence uses the infinitive absolute to strengthen the idea.