Numbers 5:23

23 And the priest shall write these curses in a little book, and he shall do away those curses with the bitterest waters (and then he shall wash them off into this most bitter water),

Numbers 5:23 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 5:23

And the priest shall write these curses in a book
The above curses imprecated on herself by an oath; the words and the letters of them were written at length, in a scroll of parchment; and, as some say also, her name, but not her double amen to them F25: and he shall blot [them] out with the bitter water:
wash them out with it, and into it, or scrape them off of the parchment into it.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 Misnah, ut supra, (Sotah, c. 2) sect. 3.

Numbers 5:23 In-Context

21 thou shalt be subject to these cursings; the Lord give thee into cursing, and into ensample of all men in his people; the Lord make thine hip to wax rotten, and thy womb (to) swell, and be it broken; (then thou shalt be subject to these curses; yea, let the Lord make thee a curse, and an example to all among his people; and may the Lord make thy hip to grow rotten, and thy womb to swell, and let it be broken;)
22 (yea, let) these cursed waters enter into thy womb, and while thy womb swelleth, thine hip wax rotten. And the woman shall answer, Amen! amen!
23 And the priest shall write these curses in a little book, and he shall do away those curses with the bitterest waters (and then he shall wash them off into this most bitter water),
24 into which he gathered (those) curses, and he shall give to her the waters to drink. And when she hath drunk those waters, (into which he shall gather together these curses, and then he shall give her this water to drink. And when she hath drunk the water,)
25 the priest shall take (out) of her hand the sacrifice of jealousy (the priest shall take from her hand the offering for jealousy), and he shall raise it [up] before the Lord, and he shall put it on the altar;
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.