Numbers 30:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Concerning both the widow and the widower, he provides distinct guidelines, wisely asserting that their commitments must be honored unconditionally. He consistently criticizes those who are free and those who remain outside the sacred bonds of matrimony if they fail to uphold their promises; however, he justly allows for exceptions for those in vulnerable positions, under the influence of others. In these instances, the authorities—namely, the father and the husband—who grant their approval to the vows of those under their care bear the responsibility of impiety if they refuse to honor what they have pledged. If they withhold their consent, he establishes the remission of sins, as what is dedicated to God ought to originate from free will rather than coercion (Num. 30:10-17).