Numbers 30:3

WEB

"Also when a woman vows a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth,

KJV

If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth;

Commentary

If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord,.... Who has not passed thirteen years, as the Targum of Jonathan: and bind herself by a bond; lay herself under obligation to perform her vow by an oath: being in her father's house; unto the twelfth year, as the same Targum; that is, that is under his care, tuition, and jurisdiction, whether she literally, or properly speaking, is in the house or no at the time she vows; so Jarchi interprets it of her being in the power of her father, though not in his house, she being not at age to be at her own disposal, but at his: wherefore it is added: in her youth; which, as the same writer explains it, signifies that she is"neither a little one, nor at age; for a little one's vow is no vow, and one at age is not in the power of her father to make void her vow: who is a little one? our Rabbins say, one of eleven years of age and one day, her vows are examined, whether she knows on whose account she vows and consecrates, or devotes anything; one vows a vow that is twelve years and one day old, there is no need to examine them.''He seems to refer to a passage in the Misnah (t),"a daughter of eleven years and one day, her vows are examined; a daughter of twelve years and one day, her vows are firm, but they are to be examined through the whole twelfth year.'' (t) Niddah, c. 5. sect. 6.