Numbers 5:17-27

17 He will take some holy water in a clay jar, and he will put some dirt from the floor of the Holy Tent into the water.
18 The priest will make the woman stand before the Lord, and he will loosen her hair. He will hand her the offering of remembrance, the grain offering for jealousy; he will hold the bitter water that brings a curse.
19 The priest will make her take an oath and ask her, "Has another man had sexual relations with you? Have you been unfaithful to your husband? If you haven't, this bitter water that brings a curse won't hurt you.
20 But if you have been unfaithful to your husband and have had sexual relations with a man besides him" --
21 the priest will then put on her the curse that the oath will bring -- "the Lord will make the people curse and reject you. He will make your stomach get big, and he will make your body unable to give birth to another baby.
22 This water that brings a curse will go inside you and make your body unable to give birth to another baby." "'The woman must say, "I agree."
23 "'The priest should write these curses on a scroll, wash the words off into the bitter water,
24 and make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse. If she is guilty, the water will make her sick.
25 Then the priest will take the grain offering for jealousy from her. He will present it before the Lord and bring it to the altar.
26 He will take a handful of the grain, which is a memorial offering, and burn it on the altar. After that he will make the woman drink the water
27 to see if she is not pure and if she has sinned against her husband. When it goes into her, if her stomach gets big so that she is not able to have another baby, her people will reject her.

Numbers 5:17-27 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.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.