On Vows: After Numbers 29:39 mentions vows as one of the occasions for additional offerings, chapter 30 presents a broader consideration of vows, especially vows made by women. The place of women in the new generation that now constituted Israel was clearly an important issue, because questions on women arise in chapters 27, 30, and 36. Chapter 30 deals with fulfilling vows and release from vows. The concluding chapter of Leviticus also treats the matter of vows.

30:1–2 The chapter is in the form of an address from Moses reflecting the divine command. The general principle of the chapter comes at the beginning, in verse 2: he must not break his word but must do everything he said. Keeping one’s word is here applied to vows and pledges. Vows (neder) are positive promises to give something to…