--- In [email protected], "eijavesterinen" <eijavesteri...@...>
wrote:
>
> Shalom!
>
> I have a question about Numbers 30, verse 3->
> We were studying this chapter and I wanted to know, what this really meant in
> biblical hebrew. There is so many translations. Is there a question about
> making promise to YHWH and oath to YHWH or can it mean promise to a man also.
> If a woman makes a promise to somebody and her husband hears it, can he
> forbid it? Interpretation is hazardous and we can make customs which are not
> what YHWH intended.
>
> with smilingly wife and husband from Finland
>
I have a question about Numbers 30, verse 3->
We were studying this chapter and I wanted to know, what this really meant in
biblical hebrew. There is so many translations. Is there a question about making
promise to YHWH and oath to YHWH or can it mean promise to a man also. If a
woman makes a promise to somebody and her husband hears it, can he forbid it?
Interpretation is hazardous and we can make customs which are not what YHWH
intended.
I understand your question and often get asked very similar questions. I can
empathize with you about your statement, there's so many translations, having
researched the questions of how we got the English language bible led me to
publish my research at www.Battleforthebible.org Which ultimately took me to
the Ancient Hebrew Research Center and Jeff Benner's work.
Let me start by saying the word "Numbers" actually use in the text are five
pictures. The first picture is the picture of a floor plan of a tent giving
the idea of being inside the house. This picture is translated as the English
letter (B) and when used as a prefix means to go inside or in something.
The next picture is the picture of flowing water or blood, giving the idea of
moving away from something. This picture is translated as the English letter
(M) and means from something.
The third picture is the picture of doorway or tent door hanging, giving the
idea of going back and forth or to go forth out of something. The picture is
translated as the English letter (D).
The fourth picture is the picture of a floor plan of the tent and as mentioned
before is translated as the English letter (B).
The fifth and last picture is the picture of a man's head, and gives us the
idea of being at the top or in the first place.
The last three pictures in word Numbers are translated as the English letters
(DBR) and is better translated as the concrete meeting "being in order" such as
a careful arrangement of words or commands. This statement could be a better
understood as "to speak" or "WORD". When you add the prefix (M) to the 3
letters (DBR) you get the correct translation "Wilderness"
So to summarize the word "Numbers" would be better translated as "In From (the)
WORD" or more concretely translated as "In Wilderness".
Now to your question or better questions.
"Is there a question about making promise to YHWH and oath to YHWH or can it
mean promise to a man also."
"If a woman makes a promise to somebody and her husband hears it, can he forbid
it?"
As to the first question. You quote numbers 30:3, but to take a single
statement and try to translate its meaning would be misleading and out of
context. So putting this question in context we would do well to try to
understand what's being conveyed or taught. I find four key statements (WORDS)
that may be confusing you and your translation.
The first may be translated as "oath" or "promise". It may even be translated
as " vow", or plural "vows". The statement is originally three pictures.
These pictures are translated into the English letters (NDR or YDR) and having
better meaning of a "vow" or "WE (N) or HE (Y) Generation" made where one
promises to perform an act if another performs a certain act.
The second of the statements maybe translated as "bind" and is translated in
the English letters (ASR). This statement is a little more complicated in that
you have a prefix of the picture of a "OX HEAD" which gives us the idea of
"strength, power". The next two letters (SR) are the pictures of a thorn bush
and a man's head, giving us the idea of "turning the head" or something that
turns the head such as a Ruler or Noble Man. Adding the ox head as a prefix
would be better translated as "I Turn Head". Giving us the idea that this
means to be "bound" or "I bind".
The third of the statements maybe translated as "sworn" and is translated in
English letters (ShBAh). Literally to seven oneself. A common practice was to
make seven declarations when making an oath. This declaration can be making the
oath seven times or doing seven things to show the sincerity of the oath.
The fourth of the statements may be translated as "break" and is translated in
the English letters (Y HhL) and literally means "He" "Bore", giving us the idea
that "He Bore a Hole".
I could on but the point I'm trying to make is we would do well to read the
text in its entire context reading the entire chapter 30 would loosely be
translated as follows:
B~M~DBR (In From WORD) (In Wilderness) Numbers 30
1 ¶ And Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying,
This is the thing which Jehovah has commanded: 2 When a man vows a vow to
Jehovah, or has sworn an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break
his word; he shall do all that has gone out of his mouth.
3 ¶ And when a woman vows a vow to Jehovah, and has bound a bond in the house
of her father in her youth, 4 and her father has heard her vow, and her bond
with which she has bound her soul, and her father has remained silent as to
her, then all her vows shall stand; and every bond with which she has bound her
soul shall stand. 5 But if her father has prohibited her in the day he heard,
none of her vows and her bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand.
And Jehovah will forgive her because her father has forbidden her. 6 And if she
belongs to a husband, and her vows are on her, or a rash utterance on her lips
with which she has bound her soul, 7 and her husband has heard, and in the day
he heard he has remained silent as to her, then her vows shall stand, and her
bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. 8 And if in the day her
husband hears, he has forbidden her, then he has broken her vow which is on
her, and the rash utterance of her lips with which she has bound her soul. And
Jehovah will forgive her. 9 And as to the vow of a widow, or her that is put
away, all that she has bound on her soul shall stand upon her. 10 And if she
has vowed in the house of her husband, or bound a bond on her soul with an
oath, 11 and her husband has heard, and has remained silent as to her, and he
has not forbidden her, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which
she has bound her soul shall stand. 12 And if breaking her husband has broken
them in the day he heard, none of the utterance of her lips concerning her
vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall stand; her husband has broken
them. And Jehovah will forgive her. 13 Every vow and every oath, any bond to
humble a soul, her husband shall establish it, or her husband shall break it.
14 And if her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he has
made stand all her vows or all her bonds which are on her; he has made them
stand; for he remained silent as to her in the day he heard. 15 And if he at
all breaks them after he hears, then he has borne her iniquity. 16 These are
the statutes which Jehovah has commanded Moses between a man and his wife,
between a father and his daughter in her youth in the house of her father.
Here are some links to help you better learn to see the TEXT in it's all
original picture form.
http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/ahbl.pdf
http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bookstore/e-books/ahla.pdf
I know this will help
Rich AHRC
