וְאִשָּׁ֕ה כִּֽי־תִדֹּ֥ר נֶ֖דֶר לַיהוָ֑ה וְאָסְרָ֥ה אִסָּ֛ר בְּבֵ֥ית אָבִ֖יהָ בִּנְעֻרֶֽיהָ׃
1. Conditional Syntax and Gendered Subject: וְאִשָּׁה כִּֽי־תִדֹּר
The verse opens with וְאִשָּׁה (“and a woman”), functioning as the subject of the conditional clause introduced by כִּֽי (“if”). This introduces a case law scenario, typical of biblical legal texts. The feminine noun אִשָּׁה anchors the legal condition in a specific subject—here, an unmarried woman, as clarified later.
תִדֹּר (“she vows”) is a Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular verb from the root נדר (“to vow”). The imperfect expresses an open-ended or hypothetical action in the future—a conditional possibility. This verb governs the entire case law: “If a woman should vow…”
2. Sacred Intent and Direct Object: נֶדֶר לַיהוָה
נֶדֶר (“a vow”) is the direct object of the verb תִדֹּר. This noun refers to a voluntary promise made to God, often involving abstention or offerings.
The prepositional phrase לַיהוָה (“to YHWH”) identifies the vow as sacred and covenantal, not merely personal. The grammar makes clear that the vow is directed toward God, implying religious responsibility. The lamed prefix (ל) establishes the object of devotion or direction.
3. Coordinated Clause and Intensification: וְאָסְרָה אִסָּ֛ר
וְאָסְרָה (“and she binds”) is Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular from אָסַר (“to bind”), introducing a second clause that parallels the first. The perfect form expresses completed action, though in this legal context it functions with imperfective force to describe the act of formalizing a vow.
אִסָּר (“a binding obligation”) is a rare noun form from the same root, used here for emphasis. This is an example of cognate accusative, where the verb and object share the same root—literally, “she bound a binding.” This intensifies the seriousness of the vow: it is not only spoken but inwardly imposed and spiritually weighty.
4. Locative Phrase: בְּבֵית אָבִיהָ
בְּבֵית אָבִיהָ (“in her father’s house”) sets the physical and social location. The preposition בְּ indicates place, בֵית is in construct with אָבִיהָ (“her father”), a possessive noun with a 3rd person feminine singular suffix.
The grammar here places the woman under the jurisdiction or authority of her father’s household. The possessive form emphasizes patriarchy within the covenantal structure, linking legal responsibility to familial order.
5. Temporal Phrase: בִּנְעֻרֶֽיהָ
בִּנְעֻרֶֽיהָ (“in her youth”) is a construct chain with the preposition בְּ and the noun נְעֻרִים (“youth”) joined to the suffix -הָ (“her”). This phrase further clarifies the woman’s social status—she is not yet married and remains under her father’s authority.
The grammar distinguishes this legal case from that of married or widowed women discussed later in the chapter. Syntax and morphology work together to define the scope of responsibility and agency.
6. Literary Structure and Legal Style
The verse features classic legal parallelism:
- First clause: vow made to YHWH
- Second clause: vow internally bound (reinforced)
Both clauses are conditional and preparatory for the case laws that follow (vv. 5–16). This stylistic structure is typical in legal corpora such as Leviticus and Deuteronomy.
7. Theological and Ethical Reflection
The grammar of this verse reflects theological assumptions about vow-making in ancient Israel: that vows are sacred, self-binding, and relationally regulated. The use of לַיהוָה centers the entire legal process in covenantal worship. The woman’s vow is not seen as trivial or insignificant, but as spiritually potent—so potent, in fact, that it requires oversight within the familial structure.
The legal grammar also balances individual devotion and communal responsibility. A woman in her youth, while still under paternal authority, is capable of making a vow to God—but that vow is part of a covenant community with ordered roles and protections. The morphology and syntax subtly encode theological anthropology: personal agency exists, but always within covenantal context.
