But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, nor of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her — If the father forbids the vow when he hears it, the vow is nullified by paternal authority. The daughter is released from obligation, and the LORD absolves her of blame for breaking a vow that her father has voided. The principle here is that paternal authority supersedes the daughter's independent covenant obligation. This reflects the household structure of ancient Israel: women's autonomy is mediated through male authority figures.

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