Numbers 5:10-20

10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatever any man giveth the priest shall be his.
11 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go astray, and commit unfaithfulness against him,
13 and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and she be defiled in secret, and there be no witness against her, and she have not been caught;
14 and the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she have been defiled, -- or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she have not been defiled,
15 -- then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, a tenth part of an ephah of barley-meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an oblation of jealousy, a memorial oblation, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before Jehovah.
17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and the priest shall take of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle, and put it into the water.
18 And the priest shall set the woman before Jehovah, and uncover the woman's head, and put the memorial oblation in her hands, which is the jealousy offering; and in the hand of the priest shall be the bitter water that bringeth the curse.
19 And the priest shall adjure her, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone astray in uncleanness, in being with another instead of thy husband, be free from this bitter water that bringeth the curse.
20 But if thou hast gone astray to another instead of thy husband, and hast been defiled, and a man other than thy husband have lain with thee,

Numbers 5:10-20 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.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Corban. Lev. 1.2.
  • [b]. Or 'if thou being under thy husband hast not gone astray in uncleanness.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.