But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.
Ver. 8. But if he be poorer.] Indulged he shall be, but not exempted. Vows, in things lawful and possible, must be performed, as we can at least. If rashly made, that rashness must be repented of, but the vow, if otherwise lawful, must be kept, without delay or diminution, to the utmost of our power. Men may not play with vows, Ecclesiastes 5:3,4 Psa 76:11 as monkeys with their collars, which they can slip at pleasure. To vow is voluntary, to pay is necessary. And yet what more common in the world than shipmen's vows? As he in Erasmus, a who in a storm promised his saint a picture of wax as big as St Christopher, but when he came to shore, would not give a tallow candle.
a Erasm. Colloq.