Nu. 30: Vows

Numbers 30:2 "When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said."

In the absence of written contracts and lawyers, great weight must have been given to just the words people spoke. It was a commandment by the LORD to keep a pledge, to not break his word, but to do everything said. And you did not want to disobey a commandment from the LORD.

Women's vows could be overruled by their husbands, or their fathers if they still lived at home. And once her vows were forbidden by her father or husband, the LORD released her from them. It is interesting to note that the vows stand if the husband or father hears about them, but says nothing about them. His inaction is what makes the vow binding, in a legal sense (God, in the cosmic sense). But if he speaks up, then God releases her.

However, the husband could not just pick a time later in the future to nullify a woman's vow. If he was going to nullify a certain vow, he had to do so straightaway.

I guess this makes sense, especially from the standpoint of a young daughter making an irrational, poorly thought out vow. With the importance of someone's word, vows could become like a bad tattoo, marring you forever. Dad, who had been around the block a time or two, could wisely consider these vows from his standpoint, and nullify his crazy daughter. And like any kid, she probably hated him for it and slammed the curtain to her room in her hut, yelling about how he never gave her any respect.

I wonder what kind of abuse arose from this power given to husbands to pick and choose which vows he could nullify? After about 150 chapters, I think I know the Israelites well enough at this point to presume some sort of shady goings-on were...going on.

It doesn't appear that men's vows could be overruled by their wives. Why?