BAMIDBAR

IN THE WILDERNESS

5 But if her father [av] disallow her in the day [yom] that he heareth; none of her vows, or of her bonds [not any of her nedarim, or of her issurim] wherewith she hath bound her soul [nefesh], shall stand: and Yahweh shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her [av forbade her]. [RV/OJB]

A daughter being yet in her youth in her father's house, could

only make a vow subject to his will. If he held his peace, and said nothing for or against, she was bound by her word; but if when he heard it, he disallowed it, she was not bound to perform, and the Lord forgave the failure of the vow.

The same law applied to a wife. A widow, or divorced** woman, were both bound to fulfil, unless their husbands had made them void before separation. If not, being subject to God, they had no release.

Elpis Israel 1.4.