At the head there stands the general rule, "If any one vow a vow to Jehovah, or swear an oath, to bind his soul to abstinence, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that has gone out of his mouth:" i.e., he shall keep or fulfil the vow, and the promise of abstinence, in perfect accordance with his word. נדר is a positive vow, or promise to give or sanctify any part of one's property to the Lord. אסּר, from אסר, to bind or fetter, the negative vow, or vow of abstinence. על־נפשׁו אסּר אסר, to take an abstinence upon his soul. In what such abstinence consisted is not explained, because it was well understood from traditional customs; in all probability it consisted chiefly in fasting and other similar abstinence from lawful things. The Nazarite's vow, which is generally reckoned among the vows of abstinence, is called neder in Numbers 6:2., not issar, because it consisted not merely in abstinence from the fruit of the vine, but also in the positive act of permitting the hair to grow freely in honour of the Lord. The expression "swear an oath" (Numbers 30:2; cf. Numbers 30:13) shows that, as a rule, they bound themselves to abstinence by an oath. The inf. constr., השּׁבא, is used here, as in other places, for the inf. abs. (cf. Ges. 131, 4, note 2). יחל, from חלל, for יחל, as in Ezekiel 39:7 (cf. Ges. 67, note 8), to desecrate (his word), i.e., to leave it unfulfilled or break it.

Numbers 30:8 Parallel Commentaries

Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in sorrow you shall bring forth children...

1 Corinthians 7:4 The wife has not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not power of his own body, but the wife.

1 Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted to them to speak...

Ephesians 5:22-24 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord...