Numbers 5:1-6

The Purity of the Camp

1 The LORD said to Moses,

2 “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease^[a] or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body.

3 Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”

4 The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the LORD had instructed Moses.

Restitution for Wrongs

5 The LORD said to Moses,

6 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way^[b] and so is unfaithful to the LORD is guilty

Numbers 5:1-6 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.

Cross References

• 1. S Leviticus 13:2; Leviticus 13:46
• 2. S Leviticus 15:2; Matthew 9:20
• 3. Leviticus 13:3; Numbers 9:6-10
• 4. S Leviticus 21:11
• 5. S Exodus 29:45; Leviticus 26:12; Numbers 35:34; 2 Corinthians 6:16
• 6. S Leviticus 6:2
• 7. Lev 5:14-6:7

Footnotes

• [a]. The Hebrew word for "defiling skin disease" , traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
• [b]. Or "woman who commits any wrong common to mankind"