(iii) A vow made by a widow or a divorced woman (Numbers 30:9).
‘But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, even everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her.'
The vow made by a widow or a divorced woman was seen as being as binding as an adult male's. She was not under the authority of father or husband and her vow was thus seen as irrevocable. Even a divorced woman who returned to her father's household was thus still seen as having her own measure of independence. Even here, however, she could presumably only vow in a binding way concerning her own position and wealth.
This example is especially of interest in regard to the question of women's ‘equality'. It was not that women were not seen as equal with men. That fact is confirmed here. It was that there had always to be a head of a group, and that that head was to be seen as having overall responsibility.