Numbers 5:2-12

2 Command the Israelites to put out of the camp everyone who is leprous, or has a discharge, and everyone who is unclean through contact with a corpse;

3 you shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp; they must not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.

4 The Israelites did so, putting them outside the camp; as the Lord had spoken to Moses, so the Israelites did.

5 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

6 Speak to the Israelites: When a man or a woman wrongs another, breaking faith with the Lord, that person incurs guilt

7 and shall confess the sin that has been committed. The person shall make full restitution for the wrong, adding one-fifth to it, and giving it to the one who was wronged.

8 If the injured party has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for the guilty party.

9 Among all the sacred donations of the Israelites, every gift that they bring to the priest shall be his.

10 The sacred donations of all are their own; whatever anyone gives to the priest shall be his.

11 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

12 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If any man's wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him,

Numbers 5:2-12 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain