Numbers 5:4-14

4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the LORD spoke to Moses, so did the children of Israel.

5 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

6 Speak to the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person shall be guilty;

7 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal of it, and add to it the fifth [part] of it, and give [it] to [him] against whom he hath trespassed.

8 But if the man shall have no kinsman to recompense the trespass to, let the trespass be recompensed to the LORD, [even] to the priest; besides the ram of the atonement, by which an atonement shall be made for him.

9 And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his.

10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatever any man giveth to the priest, it shall be his.

11 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

12 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, If any man's wife shall go astray, and commit a trespass against him,

13 And a man shall lie with her carnally, and it shall be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and [there be] no witness against her, neither she be taken [with the manner];

14 And the spirit of jealousy shall come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy shall come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:

Numbers 5:4-14 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.