Numbers 5:12-22

12 speake vnto the childern of Israell and saye vnto them. Yf any mans wyfe goo a syde and trespase agaynst hym

13 so that another man lye with her fleshely and the thynge be hydd from the eyes of hir husbonde and is not come to lighte that she is defyled (for there is no witnesse agenst her) in as moche as she was not taken with the maner

14 and the sprete of gelousye cometh apon him and he is gelouse ouer his wyfe and she defyled Or happely the sprete of gelousye cometh apon him and he is gelouse ouer hys wyfe ad she yet vndefyled.

15 The let hyr husbonde bringe her vnto the preaste and brynge an offerynge for her: the tenthe parte of an Epha of barlye meele but shall poure none oyle there vnto nor put frankencens thereon: for it is an offerynge of gelousye and an offerynge that maketh remembraunce of synne.

16 And let the preast brynge her and sett her before the Lorde

17 and let him take holy water in an erthen vessell and of the dust that is in ye flore of the habytacyon and put it in to the water.

18 And the preast shall set the wyfe before the Lorde and vncouer hir heed and put the memoryall of the offerynge in hyr handes whiche is the gelousye offerynge and ye preast shall haue bytter and cursynge water in his hande and he shall coniure her and shall saye vnto her.

19 Yf no man haue lyen wyth the nether haste gone asyde and defyled thy selfe behynde thy husbonde then haue thou no harme of this bytter cursynge water.

20 But and yf thou hast gone asyde behynde thyne husbonde and art defyled and some other man hath lyen with the besyde thyne husbonde

21 (and let the preaste coniure her with the coniuracyon of the curse and saye vnto her) the Lorde make the a curse and a coniuracyon amonge thy people: so that the Lorde make thy thye rotte and thy bely swell

22 and thys bytter cursynge water goo in to the bowels of the that thy bely swell and thy thye rotte and the wyfe shall saye Amen Amen.

Numbers 5:12-22 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.