Numbers 5:2-12

2 "Command the People of Israel to ban from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease, anyone who has a discharge, and anyone who is ritually unclean from contact with a dead body.

3 Ban male and female alike; send them outside the camp so that they won't defile their camp, the place I live among them."

4 The People of Israel did this, banning them from the camp. They did exactly what God had commanded through Moses.

5 God spoke to Moses:

6 "Tell the People of Israel, When a man or woman commits any sin, the person has broken trust with God, is guilty,

7 and must confess the sin. Full compensation plus twenty percent must be made to whoever was wronged.

8 If the wronged person has no close relative who can receive the compensation, the compensation belongs to God and must be given to the priest, along with the ram by which atonement is made.

9 All the sacred offerings that the People of Israel bring to a priest belong to the priest.

10 Each person's sacred offerings are his own, but what one gives to the priest stays with the priest."

11 God spoke to Moses:

12 "Tell the People of Israel, Say a man's wife goes off and has an affair, is unfaithful to him

Numbers 5:2-12 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.