The Wilderness Years

If she have a husband, and shall vow any thing, and the word once going out of her mouth shall bind her soul by an oath,

The day that her husband shall hear it, and not gainsay it, she shall be bound to the vow, and shall give whatsoever she promised.

But if as soon as he heareth he gainsay it, and make her promises and the words wherewith she had bound her soul of no effect: the Lord will forgive her.

The widow, and she that is divorced, shall fulfil whatsoever they vow.

If the wife in the house of her husband, hath bound herself by vow and by oath,

If her husband hear, and hold his peace, and doth not disallow the promise, she shall accomplish whatsoever she had promised.

But if forthwith he gainsay it, she shall not be bound by the promise: because her husband gainsaid it, and the Lord will be merciful to her.

If she vow and bind herself by oath, to afflict her soul by fasting, or abstinence from other things, it shall depend on the will of her husband, whether she shall do it, or not do it.

But if the husband hearing it hold his peace, and defer the declaring his mind till another day: whatsoever she had vowed and promised, she shall fulfil: because immediately as he heard it, he held his peace.

But if he gainsay it after that he knew it, he shall bear her iniquity.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Revenge first the children of Israel on the Madianites, and so thou shalt be gathered to thy people.

And Moses forthwith said: Arm of you men to fight, who may take the revenge of the Lord on the Madianites.

Let a thousand men be chosen out of every tribe of Israel to be sent to the war.

And they gave a thousand of every tribe, that is to say, twelve thousand men well appointed for battle.

And Moses sent them with Phinees the son of Eleazar the priest, and he delivered to him the holy vessels, and the trumpets to sound.

And when they had fought against the Madianites and had overcome them, they slew all the men.

And their kings Evi, and Recem, and Sur, and Hur, and Rebe, five princes of the nation: Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword.

And they took their women, and their children captives, and all their cattle, and all their goods: and all their possessions they plundered:

And all their cities, and their villages, and castles, they burned.

And they carried away the booty, and all that they had taken both of men and of beasts.

And they brought them to Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and to all the multitude of the children of Israel. But the rest of the things for use they carried to the camp on the plains of Moab, beside the Jordan over against Jericho.

And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the princes of the synagogue went forth to meet them without the camp.

And Moses being angry with the chief officers of the army, the tribunes, and the centurions that were come from the battle,

Said: Why have you saved the women?