Numbers 5:1-11

Making the Camp Pure

1 The LORD spoke to Moses. He said,

2 "Tell the Israelites that certain people must be sent away from the camp. Command them to send away anyone who has a skin disease. They must send away all those who have a liquid waste coming from their bodies. And they must send away those who are not 'clean' because they have touched a dead body.

3 That applies to men and women alike. Send them out of the camp. They must not make their camp 'unclean.' That is where I live among them."

4 So the people of Israel did what the LORD commanded. They sent those who were not "clean" out of the camp. They did just as the LORD had directed Moses.

Sins Against Others Must Be Paid For

5 The LORD said to Moses,

6 "Speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, 'Suppose a man or woman does something wrong to someone else. Then that person is not being faithful to the Lord. People like that are guilty.

7 " 'They must admit they have committed a sin. They must pay in full for what they did wrong. And they must add a fifth to it. Then they must give all of it to the person they have sinned against.

8 " 'But suppose the person has died. And suppose there is not a close relative who can be paid for the sin that was committed. Then what is paid belongs to the Lord. It must be given to the priest. A ram must be given along with it. The ram must be sacrificed to the LORD to pay for the sin.

9 " 'All of the sacred gifts the people of Israel bring to a priest will belong to him.

10 Sacred gifts belong to the man who gives them. But what he gives to a priest will belong to the priest.' "

The Test for a Wife Who Is Not Faithful

11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses again. He said,

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Numbers 5:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 5

This chapter contains a repetition of some former laws, concerning putting unclean persons out of the camp, Nu 5:1-4; making restitution in case of trespass against another, Nu 5:5-8; and of giving the offering of all holy things and all hallowed things to the priests, Nu 5:9,10; and a new law concerning jealousy, in a man, of his wife, Nu 5:11-14; when she was to be brought to the priest, and various rites and ceremonies to be used, Nu 5:15-23; who was to give her bitter water as a trial of her chastity, which, if guilty, would have a strange effect upon her, and make her accursed, but if not, would not affect her, and she would be free and happy, Nu 5:24-31.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible