1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:
3 Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.
4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the LORD spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Speak unto 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 be guilty;
7 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.
8 But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.
9 And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.
10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it 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 come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD:
17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:
18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:
20 But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
21 Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;
22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
25 Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar:
26 And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
27 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;
30 Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.
31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.
1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
2 Command H6680 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they put out H7971 of the camp H4264 every leper, H6879 and every one that hath an issue, H2100 and whosoever is defiled H2931 by the dead: H5315
3 Both male H2145 and female H5347 shall ye put out, H7971 without H2351 the camp H4264 shall ye put H7971 them; that they defile H2930 not their camps, H4264 in the midst H8432 whereof H834 I dwell. H7931
4 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did so, H6213 and put them out H7971 without H2351 the camp: H4264 as the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 so did H6213 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
5 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
6 Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 When a man H376 or woman H802 shall commit H6213 any sin H2403 that men H120 commit, H4603 to do a trespass H4604 against the LORD, H3068 and that person H5315 be guilty; H816
7 Then they shall confess H3034 their sin H2403 which they have done: H6213 and he shall recompense H7725 his trespass H817 with the principal H7218 thereof, and add H3254 unto it the fifth H2549 part thereof, and give H5414 it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. H816
8 But if the man H376 have no kinsman H1350 to recompense H7725 the trespass H817 unto, let the trespass H817 be recompensed H7725 unto the LORD, H3068 even to the priest; H3548 beside the ram H352 of the atonement, H3725 whereby an atonement shall be made H3722 for him.
9 And every offering H8641 of all the holy things H6944 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which they bring H7126 unto the priest, H3548 shall be his.
10 And every man's H376 hallowed things H6944 shall be his: whatsoever any man H376 giveth H5414 the priest, H3548 it shall be his.
11 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
12 Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and say H559 unto them, If any H376 man's H376 wife H802 go aside, H7847 and commit H4603 a trespass H4604 against him,
13 And a man H376 lie H7901 with her carnally, H7902 H2233 and it be hid H5956 from the eyes H5869 of her husband, H376 and be kept close, H5641 and she be defiled, H2930 and there be no witness H5707 against her, neither she be taken H8610 with the manner;
14 And the spirit H7307 of jealousy H7068 come H5674 upon him, and he be jealous H7065 of his wife, H802 and she be defiled: H2930 or if the spirit H7307 of jealousy H7068 come H5674 upon him, and he be jealous H7065 of his wife, H802 and she be not defiled: H2930
15 Then shall the man H376 bring H935 his wife H802 unto the priest, H3548 and he shall bring H935 her offering H7133 for her, the tenth H6224 part of an ephah H374 of barley H8184 meal; H7058 he shall pour H3332 no oil H8081 upon it, nor put H5414 frankincense H3828 thereon; for it is an offering H4503 of jealousy, H7068 an offering H4503 of memorial, H2146 bringing H2142 iniquity H5771 to remembrance. H2142
16 And the priest H3548 shall bring her near, H7126 and set H5975 her before H6440 the LORD: H3068
17 And the priest H3548 shall take H3947 holy H6918 water H4325 in an earthen H2789 vessel; H3627 and of the dust H6083 that is in the floor H7172 of the tabernacle H4908 the priest H3548 shall take, H3947 and put H5414 it into the water: H4325
18 And the priest H3548 shall set H5975 the woman H802 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and uncover H6544 the woman's H802 head, H7218 and put H5414 the offering H4503 of memorial H2146 in her hands, H3709 which is the jealousy H7068 offering: H4503 and the priest H3548 shall have in his hand H3027 the bitter H4751 water H4325 that causeth the curse: H779
19 And the priest H3548 shall charge her by an oath, H7650 and say H559 unto the woman, H802 If no man H376 have lain H7901 with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside H7847 to uncleanness H2932 with another instead of thy husband, H376 be thou free H5352 from this bitter H4751 water H4325 that causeth the curse: H779
20 But if thou hast gone aside H7847 to another instead of thy husband, H376 and if thou be defiled, H2930 and some man H376 have H5414 lain H7903 with thee beside H1107 thine husband: H376
21 Then the priest H3548 shall charge H7650 the woman H802 with an oath H7621 of cursing, H423 and the priest H3548 shall say H559 unto the woman, H802 The LORD H3068 make H5414 thee a curse H423 and an oath H7621 among H8432 thy people, H5971 when the LORD H3068 doth make H5414 thy thigh H3409 to rot, H5307 and thy belly H990 to swell; H6639
22 And this water H4325 that causeth the curse H779 shall go H935 into thy bowels, H4578 to make thy belly H990 to swell, H6638 and thy thigh H3409 to rot: H5307 And the woman H802 shall say, H559 Amen, H543 amen. H543
23 And the priest H3548 shall write H3789 these curses H423 in a book, H5612 and he shall blot H4229 them out with the bitter H4751 water: H4325
24 And he shall cause the woman H802 to drink H8248 the bitter H4751 water H4325 that causeth the curse: H779 and the water H4325 that causeth the curse H779 shall enter H935 into her, and become bitter. H4751
25 Then the priest H3548 shall take H3947 the jealousy H7068 offering H4503 out of the woman's H802 hand, H3027 and shall wave H5130 the offering H4503 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and offer H7126 it upon the altar: H4196
26 And the priest H3548 shall take an handful H7061 of the offering, H4503 even the memorial H234 thereof, and burn H6999 it upon the altar, H4196 and afterward H310 shall cause the woman H802 to drink H8248 the water. H4325
27 And when he hath made her to drink H8248 the water, H4325 then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, H2930 and have done H4603 trespass H4604 against her husband, H376 that the water H4325 that causeth the curse H779 shall enter H935 into her, and become bitter, H4751 and her belly H990 shall swell, H6638 and her thigh H3409 shall rot: H5307 and the woman H802 shall be a curse H423 among H7130 her people. H5971
28 And if the woman H802 be not defiled, H2930 but be clean; H2889 then she shall be free, H5352 and shall conceive H2232 seed. H2233
29 This is the law H8451 of jealousies, H7068 when a wife H802 goeth aside H7847 to another instead of her husband, H376 and is defiled; H2930
30 Or when the spirit H7307 of jealousy H7068 cometh H5674 upon him, H376 and he be jealous H7065 over his wife, H802 and shall set H5975 the woman H802 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and the priest H3548 shall execute H6213 upon her all this law. H8451
31 Then shall the man H376 be guiltless H5352 from iniquity, H5771 and this H1931 woman H802 shall bear H5375 her iniquity. H5771
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is unclean by the dead:
3 both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camp, in the midst whereof I dwell.
4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp; as Jehovah spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
5 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Jehovah, and that soul shall be guilty;
7 then he shall confess his sin which he hath done: and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty.
8 But if the man have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made unto Jehovah shall be the priest's; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby atonement shall be made for him.
9 And every heave-offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present unto the priest, shall be his.
10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.
11 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
13 and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, and she be not taken in the act;
14 and the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15 then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and shall bring her oblation for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is a meal-offering of jealousy, a meal-offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before Jehovah:
17 and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water.
18 And the priest shall set the woman before Jehovah, and let the hair of the woman's head go loose, and put the meal-offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal-offering of jealousy: and the priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that causeth the curse.
19 And the priest shall cause her to swear, and shall say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou have not gone aside to uncleanness, being under thy husband, be thou free from this water of bitterness that causeth the curse.
20 But if thou have gone aside, being under thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee besides thy husband:
21 then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, Jehovah make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when Jehovah doth make thy thigh to fall away, and thy body to swell;
22 and this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, and make thy body to swell, and thy thigh to fall away. And the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.
23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness:
24 and he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that causeth the curse; and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her `and become' bitter.
25 And the priest shall take the meal-offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the meal-offering before Jehovah, and bring it unto the altar:
26 and the priest shall take a handful of the meal-offering, as the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water.
27 And when he hath made her drink the water, then it shall come to pass, if she be defiled, and have committed a trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her `and become' bitter, and her body shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
29 This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goeth aside, and is defiled;
30 or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then shall he set the woman before Jehovah, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.
31 And the man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity.
1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
2 `Command the sons of Israel, and they send out of the camp every leper, and every one with an issue, and every one defiled by a body;
3 from male unto female ye do send out; unto the outside of the camp ye do send them; and they defile not their camps in the midst of which I do tabernacle.'
4 And the sons of Israel do so, and they send them out unto the outside of the camp; as Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses so have the sons of Israel done.
5 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
6 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, Man or woman, when they do any of the sins of man, by committing a trespass against Jehovah, and that person `is' guilty,
7 and they have confessed their sin which they have done, then he hath restored his guilt in its principal, and its fifth is adding to it, and hath given `it' to him in reference to whom he hath been guilty.
8 `And if the man have no redeemer to restore the guilt to, the guilt which is restored `is' Jehovah's, the priest's, apart from the ram of the atonements, whereby he maketh atonement for him.
9 `And every heave-offering of all the holy things of the sons of Israel, which they bring near to the priest, becometh his;
10 and any man's hallowed things become his; that which any man giveth to the priest becometh his.'
11 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
12 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When any man's wife turneth aside, and hath committed against him a trespass,
13 and a man hath lain with her `with' the seed of copulation, and it hath been hid from the eyes of her husband, and concealed, and she hath been defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she hath not been caught,
14 and a spirit of jealousy hath passed over him, and he hath been jealous of his wife, and she hath been defiled; -- or, a spirit of jealousy hath passed over him, and he hath been jealous of his wife, and she hath not been defiled --
15 `Then hath the man brought in his wife unto the priest, and he hath brought in her offering for her, a tenth of the ephah of barley meal, he doth not pour on it oil, nor doth he put on it frankincense, for it `is' a present of jealousy, a present of memorial, causing remembrance of iniquity.
16 `And the priest hath brought her near, and hath caused her to stand before Jehovah,
17 and the priest hath taken holy water in an earthen vessel, and of the dust which is on the floor of the tabernacle doth the priest take, and hath put `it' into the water,
18 and the priest hath caused the woman to stand before Jehovah, and hath uncovered the woman's head, and hath given into her hands the present of the memorial, it `is' a present of jealousy, and in the hand of the priest are the bitter waters which cause the curse.
19 `And the priest hath caused her to swear, and hath said unto the woman, If no man hath lain with thee, and if thou hast not turned aside `to' uncleanness under thy husband, be free from these bitter waters which cause the curse;
20 and thou, if thou hast turned aside under thy husband, and if thou hast been defiled, and any man doth give his copulation to thee besides thy husband --
21 (then the priest hath caused the woman to swear with an oath of execration, and the priest hath said to the woman) -- Jehovah doth give thee for an execration, and for a curse, in the midst of thy people, in Jehovah's giving thy thigh to fall, and thy belly to swell,
22 and these waters which cause the curse have gone into thy bowels, to cause the belly to swell, and the thigh to fall; and the woman hath said, Amen, Amen.
23 `And the priest hath written these execrations in a book, and hath blotted `them' out with the bitter waters,
24 and hath caused the woman to drink the bitter waters which cause the curse, and the waters which cause the curse have entered into her for bitter things.
25 `And the priest hath taken out of the hand of the woman the present of jealousy, and hath waved the present before Jehovah, and hath brought it near unto the altar;
26 and the priest hath taken a handful of the present, its memorial, and hath made perfume on the altar, and afterwards doth cause the woman to drink the water:
27 yea, he hath caused her to drink the water, and it hath come to pass, if she hath been defiled, and doth commit a trespass against her husband, that the waters which cause the curse have gone into her for bitter things, and her belly hath swelled, and her thigh hath fallen, and the woman hath become an execration in the midst of her people.
28 `And if the woman hath not been defiled, and is clean, then she hath been acquitted, and hath been sown `with' seed.
29 `This `is' the law of jealousies, when a wife turneth aside under her husband, and hath been defiled,
30 or when a spirit of jealousy passeth over a man, and he hath been jealous of his wife, then he hath caused the woman to stand before Jehovah, and the priest hath done to her all this law,
31 and the man hath been acquitted from iniquity, and that woman doth bear her iniquity.'
1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by a dead person:
3 both male and female shall ye put out; outside the camp shall ye put them, that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.
4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp: as Jehovah had said to Moses, so did the children of Israel.
5 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any of all the sins of man to work unfaithfulness against Jehovah, and that soul is guilty,
7 then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall recompense his trespass according to the principal thereof, and shall add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.
8 And if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, the trespass which is recompensed to Jehovah shall be the priest's, besides the ram of the atonement, wherewith an atonement is made for him.
9 And every heave-offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present unto the priest, shall be his.
10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatever any man giveth the priest shall be his.
11 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go astray, and commit unfaithfulness against him,
13 and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and she be defiled in secret, and there be no witness against her, and she have not been caught;
14 and the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she have been defiled, -- or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she have not been defiled,
15 -- then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, a tenth part of an ephah of barley-meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an oblation of jealousy, a memorial oblation, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before Jehovah.
17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and the priest shall take of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle, and put it into the water.
18 And the priest shall set the woman before Jehovah, and uncover the woman's head, and put the memorial oblation in her hands, which is the jealousy offering; and in the hand of the priest shall be the bitter water that bringeth the curse.
19 And the priest shall adjure her, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone astray in uncleanness, in being with another instead of thy husband, be free from this bitter water that bringeth the curse.
20 But if thou hast gone astray to another instead of thy husband, and hast been defiled, and a man other than thy husband have lain with thee,
21 -- then the priest shall adjure the woman with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman: Jehovah make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when Jehovah doth make thy thigh to shrink, and thy belly to swell;
22 and this water that bringeth the curse shall enter into thy bowels, to make the belly to swell, and the thigh to shrink. And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and shall blot them out with the bitter water,
24 and he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that bringeth the curse, that the water that bringeth the curse may enter into her for bitterness.
25 And the priest shall take out of the woman's hand the oblation of jealousy, and shall wave the oblation before Jehovah, and shall present it at the altar.
26 And the priest shall take a handful of the oblation as a memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar; and afterwards he shall make the woman drink the water.
27 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, if she have been defiled, and have committed unfaithfulness against her husband, that the water that bringeth the curse shall enter into her, for bitterness, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall shrink; and the woman shall become a curse among her people.
28 But if the woman have not been defiled, and be clean, then she shall be clear, and shall conceive seed.
29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth astray to another instead of her husband and is defiled,
30 or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon a man, and he is jealous as regards his wife; then shall he set the woman before Jehovah, and the priest shall do to her according to all this law.
31 Then shall the man be free from iniquity, but that woman shall bear her iniquity.
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead.
3 Both male and female shall you put out, outside of the camp shall you put them; that they not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell."
4 The children of Israel did so, and put them out outside of the camp; as Yahweh spoke to Moses, so did the children of Israel.
5 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
6 "Speak to the children of Israel: When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Yahweh, and that soul is guilty;
7 then he shall confess his sin which he has done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty.
8 But if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to Yahweh shall be the priest's; besides the ram of the atonement, by which atonement shall be made for him.
9 Every heave offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present to the priest, shall be his.
10 Every man's holy things shall be his: whatever any man gives the priest, it shall be his."
11 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
12 "Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: If any man's wife goes astray, and is unfaithful to him,
13 and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and is kept close, and she is defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she isn't taken in the act;
14 and the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she is defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she isn't defiled:
15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her: the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory.
16 The priest shall bring her near, and set her before Yahweh;
17 and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water.
18 The priest shall set the woman before Yahweh, and let the hair of the woman's head go loose, and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal offering of jealousy. The priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that brings a curse.
19 The priest shall cause her to swear, and shall tell the woman, 'If no man has lain with you, and if you haven't gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse.
20 But if you have gone astray, being under your husband, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband:'
21 then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, 'Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Yahweh allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell;
22 and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.' The woman shall say, 'Amen, Amen.'
23 "The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness.
24 He shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that causes the curse; and the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter.
25 The priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the meal offering before Yahweh, and bring it to the altar.
26 The priest shall take a handful of the meal offering, as the memorial of it, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water.
27 When he has made her drink the water, then it shall happen, if she is defiled, and has committed a trespass against her husband, that the water that causes the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her body will swell, and her thigh will fall away: and the woman will be a curse among her people.
28 If the woman isn't defiled, but is clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
29 "This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled;
30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before Yahweh, and the priest shall execute on her all this law.
31 The man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity."
1 And the Lord said to Moses,
2 Give orders to the children of Israel to put outside the tent-circle every leper, and anyone who has any sort of flow from his body, and anyone who is unclean from the touch of the dead;
3 Male or female they are to be put outside the tent-circle, so that they may not make unclean my resting-place among them.
4 So the children of Israel did as the Lord had said to Moses, and put them outside the tent-circle.
5 And the Lord said to Moses,
6 Say to the children of Israel, If a man or a woman does any of the sins of men, going against the word of the Lord, and is in the wrong;
7 Let them say openly what they have done; and make payment for the wrong done, with the addition of a fifth part, and give it to him to whom the wrong was done.
8 But if the man has no relation to whom the payment may be made, then the payment for sin made to the Lord will be the priest's, in addition to the sheep offered to take away his sin.
9 And every offering lifted up of all the holy things which the children of Israel give to the priest, will be his.
10 And every man's holy things will be his: whatever a man gives to the priest will be his.
11 And the Lord said to Moses,
12 Say to the children of Israel, If any man's wife does wrong, sinning against him
13 By taking as her lover another man, and keeps it secret so that her husband has no knowledge of it, and there is no witness against her, and she is not taken in the act;
14 If the spirit of doubt comes into her husband's heart, and he has doubts of his wife, with good cause; or if he has doubts of her without cause:
15 Then let him take her to the priest, offering for her the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal, without oil or perfume; for it is a meal offering of a bitter spirit, a meal offering keeping wrongdoing in mind.
16 And the priest will make her come near and put her before the Lord;
17 And the priest will take holy water in a pot and put in it dust from the floor of the House;
18 And he will make the woman come before the Lord with her hair loose, and will put the meal offering, the offering of a bitter spirit, in her hands; and the priest will take in his hand the bitter water causing the curse;
19 And he will make her take an oath, and say to her, If no man has been your lover and you have not been with another in place of your husband, you are free from this bitter water causing the curse;
20 But if you have been with another in place of your husband and have made yourself unclean with a lover:
21 Then the priest will put the oath of the curse on the woman, and say to her, May the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, sending on you wasting of the legs and disease of the stomach;
22 And this water of the curse will go into your body, causing disease of your stomach and wasting of your legs: and the woman will say, So be it.
23 And the priest will put these curses in a book, washing out the writing with the bitter water;
24 And he will give to the woman the bitter water for drink; and the bitter water causing the curse will go into her.
25 And the priest will take from her hand the meal offering of doubt, waving it before the Lord, and will take it to the altar;
26 And he will take some of it in his hand, burning it on the altar as a sign, and then he will give the woman the bitter water.
27 And it will be that if the woman has become unclean, sinning against her husband, when she has taken the bitter water it will go into her body, causing disease of the stomach and wasting of the legs, and she will be a curse among her people.
28 But if she is clean she will be free and will have offspring.
29 This is the law for testing a wife who goes with another in place of her husband and becomes unclean;
30 Or for a husband who, in a bitter spirit, has doubts in his heart about his wife; let him take her to the priest, who will put in force this law.
31 Then the man will be free from all wrong, and the woman's sin will be on her.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Numbers 5
Commentary on Numbers 5 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 5
This chapter contains a repetition of some former laws, concerning putting unclean persons out of the camp, Numbers 5:1; making restitution in case of trespass against another, Numbers 5:5; and of giving the offering of all holy things and all hallowed things to the priests, Numbers 5:9; and a new law concerning jealousy, in a man, of his wife, Numbers 5:11; when she was to be brought to the priest, and various rites and ceremonies to be used, Numbers 5:15; 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, Numbers 5:24.
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Jarchi says, what follows was said on the day the tabernacle was erected, but it seems rather to have been delivered after the several camps were formed, and the people numbered, when those that were unclean were ordered to be cast out of them:
saying; as follows.
Command the children of Israel,.... Not as from himself, but from the Lord; deliver out the following as a command of his, to which obedience was required of all the children of Israel:
that they put out of the camp every leper; there were three camps, Jarchi says, in the time of their encampment; between the curtains was the camp of the Shechinah, or the divine Majesty; the encampment of the Levites round about; and from thence to the end was the camp of the standards, to the four winds, which was the camp of Israel; and the leper was to be put out of them all; so Ben Gersom; see Leviticus 13:46,
and everyone that hath an issue; a gonorrhoea, man or woman, see Leviticus 15:2; according Jarchi, such an one might be in the camp of Israel, but was to be put out of the other two camps:
and whosoever is defiled by the dead; by attending the funerals of the dead, or touching them, see Leviticus 21:1; such an one might go into the camp of the Levites, according to Jarchi and Ben Gersom; and was to be put of none but the camp of the Shechinah, or the tabernacle; but the camp of Israel seems to be meant of them all, out of which they were to be put, as an emblem of the rejection of all impure persons out of the church of God.
Both male and female shall ye put out,.... Whether leprous, or profluvious, or defiled by touching a dead carcass: by this law, Miriam, when leprous, was put out of the camp, Numbers 12:14,
without the camp shall ye put them; which is repeated that it might be taken notice of, and punctually observed:
that they defile not their camps; of which there were four, the camps of Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan:
in the midst whereof I dwell; for the tabernacle, which was the dwelling place of the Lord, was in the midst of the camps of Israel; they were pitched on the four quarters of it; and this is a reason why impure persons were not suffered to be in the camp of Israel, because of the presence of God in the tabernacle so near them, to whom all, impurity is loathsome, and not to be permitted in his sight; and though this was ceremonial, it was typical of the uncleanness of sin, which is abominable to him, and renders persons unfit for communion with him, and with his people.
And the children of Israel did so, and put them without the camp,.... Aben Ezra observes, that this was done immediately before they journeyed, and that those that were defiled journeyed between the standard of Ephraim and the standard of Dan; but this, he says, was by way of conjecture, since it is not expressed:
as the Lord spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel; they were obedient in this particular.
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Or continued to speak to him at the same time:
saying; as follows.
Speak unto the children of Israel,.... Put them in mind of the following law, that they observe it; and which is here repeated, because of two new things in it, as Jarchi observes, the one relates to confession, teaching that there is no fifth part nor trespass offering by witnesses, till a man confesses the thing; and the other is, concerning taking anything away by violence from a proselyte, which is to be given to the priests; see the original law in Leviticus 6:1,
when a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit; or, "any of the sins of men"F5מכל חטאת האדם "ex omnibus peccatis hominis", Montanus. , which are commonly done by men, and men are subject to through the infirmity of the flesh, and the temptations of Satan; or "any sin against man"F6"Ex omnibus peccatis contra hominem", Tigurine version; so Patrick. , so some, as this referred to is expressly said to be, Numbers 5:7,
to do a trespass against the Lord; for every sin against man is also against the Lord, being a breach of his command; as David's sin against Uriah was a sin against the Lord, Psalm 51:4; though the Jews understand it particularly of lying and swearing falsely, appealing to God, and calling him to be a witness to a falsehood; and so the Targum of Onkelos seems to interpret it:
and the person be guilty; and knows he is so, and even knew it when he took an oath to the contrary; see Leviticus 6:3.
Then they shall confess their sin which they have done,.... The form of which confession, according to Fagius, was, O Lord, I am guilty of death, I have deserved to be stoned for this sin, or to be strangled for this trespass, or to be burnt for this crime, &c.
and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof; paying the whole of whatsoever he had in any manner defrauded his neighbour of, to which he was to add a fifth part of that; that is, as Aben Ezra interprets it, it he confesses of himself, but if there are witnesses of it he must add two fifths, and some say a fifth of a fifth:
and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed; as a satisfaction for the injury done him.
But if a man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass to,.... This supposes that if a man should die, against whom the trespass is, before the restitution is made, then it shall be made to his heirs; and if he has none, then it was to be given to the priest, as after directed: the JewsF7Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 9. sect. 11. Jarchi in loc. generally understand this of a proselyte, that has no heirs, for they say, there is no Israelite but has kinsmen, a brother or a son, or some one or other near of kin to him, of his father's family, even up to Jacob:
let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord, even to the priest; that is, let the principal, with the fifth part, which is the recompence for the trespass committed, be given to the priest of the Lord, which is the same as if it was given to him, he being his minister:
beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him; which, in this case, was ordered to be offered for the expiation, of the trespass, see Leviticus 6:6; the Jewish canon is,"he that takes away anything by force from a proselyte, and swears to him, and he (the proselyte) dies, lo, he shall pay the principal and the fifth to the priests, and the trespass offering to the altar, as it is said, "if a man has no kinsman", &c. when he brings the money and the trespass offering, and he is dead, the money shall be given to his sons, but the trespass offering (the ram) shall feed until it contracts some blemish, and then it shall be sold, and the price of it shall fall to the freewill offeringsF8Misn. Bava Kama, ib. .'
And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel,.... Of the holy sacrifices brought by them to be offered up; that part of them which is elevated, heaved, or waved, as the heave shoulder and wave breast:
which they bring unto the priest, shall be his; what they bring to him to offer for them shall be his who performs the service, even that part of them which is his due.
And every man's hallowed things shall be his,.... Which he, by a vow or freewill offering, separates to holy uses; these are at his own dispose, to give to what priest he will, or they are the priest's; for what a man devotes to the Lord is to be given to them, or such things as God has hallowed, sanctified, and set apart for sacred uses, as the firstfruits and tithes, they were the priests'; the Jewish writersF9Targ. Jon. Siphri & Midrash in Jarchi in loc. restrain it to tithes:
whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his; his personally, who officiates, or to whom the gift is given, and is not to be divided among the other priests in the course.
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... At the same time, and delivered to him a new law:
saying; as follows.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,.... It being an affair which concerned them:
if any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him; the sin of adultery, which is a going aside out of the way of virtue and chastity, and a trespass against an husband, a breach of the marriage covenant with him, a defiling his bed, doing an injury and dishonour to him, bringing confusion into his family, and a spurious offspring to possess his substance: though this is to be understood, not of certain adultery, of which there is plain and full proof, for then there would be no occasion of such a trial, as is afterwards directed to; besides, her husband, in such a case, might put her away, and even, according to the law, she was to be put to death, Leviticus 20:10; but of her having committed it in the opinion of her husband, he having some ground of suspicion, though he could not be certain of it; and therefore, by this law, was allowed to make trial, that he might find it out, it at present only a suspected case, and a doubtful one; and the JewsF11Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 195. 2. say,"they never gave the waters drink but in a doubtful case:'and so this may interpreted of her declining and departing from her husband's house, not keeping at home to mind the affairs of her family, but gadding abroad, and keeping company with another man, or other men; and that after she had been warned and charged by her husband to the contrary, and so had disobeyed him, and acted contrary to his will; and in that sense had committed a trespass, and so had given him suspicion of her unchastity, for which he might have some reason; if, as it is said in the MisnahF12Sotah, c. 1. sect. 1, 2. , he gave her an admonition before two witnesses, saying, have no talk with such a man, and yet she talks with him; or, as the commentators addF13Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 9. sect. 11. , be not secretly or in private with such an one, and yet goes into a private place with him, and stays so long with him that she may be defiled; this with them rendered her suspected.
And a man lie with her carnally,.... That is, is suspected that he has so done, not that it is a clear case, for it follows:
and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close; so that it is not known by her husband, nor by any other; "she hath hid herself", so Ainsworth, being in a private place with another man, though warned to the contrary by her husband:
and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her; of her being defiled, though there may be of her being in private with such a man:
neither she be taken with the manner; or in the act of uncleanness.
And the spirit of jealousy come upon him,.... A thought rises up in his mind, a strong suspicion works in him, which he cannot resist and throw off, but it remains with him, and makes him very uneasy, that his wife has defiled his bed, as it follows:
and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled; that his wife is defiled by a man; and which is the real case, as it afterwards appears, though at present he is not certain, only has a suspicion of it:
or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled; it is mere jealousy and suspicion, without any foundation for it; and his wife proved a chaste and virtuous woman; yet be it which it would, he being jealous, the following law was to take place, and the following rules to be observed.
Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest,.... Not to the high priest but to a common priest, anyone then officiating in his course; for there was a jealousy offering to be offered up before the Lord upon the altar, which none but a priest might do; and besides, the whole process in this affair was to be carried, on by him: according to the MisnahF14Ut supra, (Misn. Bava Kama, c. 9.) sect. 3, 4. , the man brought his wife first to the sanhedrim, or court of judicature in the place where he lived; before whom, as MaimonidesF15Hilchot Sotah, c. 3. sect. 1. says, he proved by witnesses that he had warned his wife of being in private with such a man, and yet she had done it again; and whereas she insisted on her chastity, he desired that the bitter waters might be given her, that the truth might appear; and then they sent him with two disciples of the wise men, to the great sanhedrim at Jerusalem, where the trial was made; who, in order to bring her too confession, endeavoured to terrify her, as they do persons in capital cases, and finding this wilt not do, then they used smooth words, saying, my daughter, perhaps much wine was the occasion of it, or much laughter, &c.
and he shall bring her offering for her: not the priest, but her husband, and that whether he is willing or not, as Aben Ezra; who also observes, that it may be interpreted, with her, or for her sake, not to make any expiation for any fault of his, that when he first observed her immodesty, did not reprove her; for the offering, though brought by him, was not his, but his wife's, and not to expiate her sin, but to bring it to remembrance, as is after expressed:
the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; which was an omer, Exodus 16:36, the quantity of manna for one man every day, Exodus 16:16, and the quantity of flour in the daily meat offering, Exodus 29:40; only that was of fine wheaten flour; this of barley, the food of beasts, as the Targum of Jonathan remarks; and R. Gamaliel in the MisnahF16Sotah, c. 2. sect. 1. says, that as her deed was the deed of a beast, so her offering was the food of a beast; and this is observed by Jarchi and Aben Ezra on the text, as the reason of barley being used in this offering: some say it was a symbol of her impudence, others of her being little at home, as the barley is not long under groundF17Apud Muis. in loc. ; the true reason, it may be, was for her humiliation, being vile, and mean, hence it follows:
he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; as used to be oft meat offerings, denoting their acceptableness to God, Leviticus 2:1; the reason seems to be, because these were tokens of joy and gladness, whereas this was a mournful affair to the husband, that he should have any cause of suspicion and jealousy, to the wife that she should be suspected, and to the whole family on that account:
for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance; if guilty of it, and therefore oil and frankincense were forbidden in this kind of offering as in a sin offering, Leviticus 5:11.
And the priest shall bring her near,.... Or "offer it", as the Vulgate Latin version, that is, the offering of jealousy:
and set her before the Lord; or "it", the offering; for which the Tigurine version is more express,"let the priest offer that sacrifice, and set that before the Lord,'for the setting of the woman before the Lord is spoken of in Numbers 5:18.
And the priest shall take holy water,.... Out of the laver, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra:
in an earthen vessel; which held half a log, and that was but a quarter of a pint, or three egg shells; for no more was assigned, to a suspected woman, according to the MisnahF18Sotah, c. 2. sect. 2. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 3. . Some say only a fourth part: an earthen vessel was made use of, as everything vile and mean was in this affair:
and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water; first the water was put in, and then the dust, as Ben Gersom observes: there was a place a cubit square, where was a marble table, and a ring fixed in it, and when he lifted it up he took dust from under it, and put it so as it might be upon the top of the waterF19Sotah, c. 2. sect. 2. ; which was used, either, as the Targum of Jonathan suggests, because the end of all flesh is to come to dust, and so to put her in mind of her original and her end; and in like manner the earthen vessel might signify, that she would be broke to pieces as that vessel; as also it might direct her thoughts to the tempter, by the influence of whose temptation she had been drawn into this sin, dust being the serpent's food; and this being taken off the floor of the tabernacle, might add to the veneration of it, and make it more solemn and awful to drink of it.
And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord,.... In the east of the tabernacle, with her face to the west, where was the holy of holies, so Ben Gersom; but not immediately for they had her from place to place, as Jarchi says, till she was weary, and her mind disturbed, that she might confess; and if she said, I am defiled, she rent the writing of her dowry, and went out; but if she said, I am pure, they brought her to the eastern gate, the gate of Nicanor, for there they made women suspected of adultery to drink the watersF20Sotah, c. 1. sect. 5. :
and uncover the woman's head; as a token of her immodesty and non-subjection to her husband, and that she might be seen by all, to cause shame in her: according to the MisnahF21Sotah, c. 1. sect. 5, 6. , the priest took off her clothes, and loosed her hair--if she was clothed with white garments, he clothed her with black; if she had on her ornaments of gold, chains, earrings, or rings, he took them away from her, that she might be unseemly, and whoever would might come and look at her:
and put the offering of memorial into her hands, which is the jealousy offering; to weary her, as Jarchi says, that if perhaps her mind was disturbed she would confess; and so in the MisnahF23Sotah, c. 2. sect. 1. it is said, that her husband put this offering into her hands to weary her; but the true reason here seems to be, that it might appear to be her own offering:
and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse; not that the water was bitter of itself, for it was the water out of the laver, and had nothing in it but the dust of the floor of the tabernacle; though some think some bitter thing was put into it, so Ben Gersom, as wormwood; but it is so called from the effects of it on those that were guilty; it produced sad effects in them, bitter and distressing, and made them appear to be accursed ones, for it was not bitter till it entered, Numbers 5:24; whereas it was not so to the innocent, nor attended with any such consequence to them; so that there was nothing in the water itself, but its efficacy was divine and supernatural.
And the priest shall charge her by an oath,.... Or give her her oath:
and say unto the woman, if no man hath lain with thee: besides her husband:
and thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband; which is but another phrase expressive of the same thing, the sin of adultery:
be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse; if this is the case, it shall produce no bitter effects, or bring any curse upon thee.
But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband,.... Gone aside from the paths of modesty and chastity, and betook herself to another man's bed instead of her husband's:
and if thou be defiled, by committing adultery:
and some man hath lain with thee beside thy husband; these phrases are all synonymous, and a heap of words are made use of to express the sin, and that there might be no evasion of it, and that it might be clear what was intended, this being said on oath.
Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing,.... An oath which has a curse annexed to it, if taken falsely, which was to be pronounced upon the woman if guilty:
and the priest shall say unto the woman; pronouncing the imprecation or curse upon her, she having taken the oath, should she be guilty of the crime suspected of, and she had swore concerning:
the Lord make thee a curse, and an oath among the people; accursed according to the oath taken; or let this be the form of an oath and imprecation used by the people, saying, if I have done so and so, let me be accursed as such a woman, or let not that happen to me, as did to such a woman, so Jarchi:
when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell; upon drinking the bitter waters; but though these things followed upon that, yet not as the natural cause of them, for they are ascribed to the Lord, and to a supernatural and miraculous power of his, which went along with the drinking of them.
And this water that causeth the curse,.... Upon the drinking of which the curse follows, if guilty:
shall go into thy bowels; and there operate and produce the above effects, which are repeated again to inject terror:
to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot; here ends the form of the oath, which begins Numbers 5:19,
and the woman shall say, amen, amen; so be it; let it be as pronounced, if I am guilty; which, as Aben Ezra observes, is repeated for the sake of confirmation; though the Jewish writers commonly understand it as respecting various things, the oath and the curse, the thing charged with, and the persons suspected ofF24Misn. ib. sect. 5. Targum Jon. & Jerus. & Jarchi in loc. .
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 themF25Misnah, ut supra, (Sotah, c. 2) sect. 3. :
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.
And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse,..... Having the curse imprecated upon herself, if guilty, scraped into it; and this she was obliged to drink, whether she would or not; so it is said, if the roll is blotted out, and she says I am defiled, the water is poured out, and her offering is scattered in the place of ashes; if the roll is blotted out, and she says I will not drink, then force her, and make her drink whether she will or noF26Misnah, ut supra, (Sotah) c. 3. sect. 3. :
and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter; produce the sad and bitter effects mentioned.
Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand,.... Which she was obliged to hold in her hand while the above rites and ceremonies were performed; which was very heavy, being an omer of barley flour, a measure about three quarts, which was put into an Egyptian basket made of small palm tree twigs: and this was put into her hands to weary her, as before observed, that, having her mind distressed, she might the sooner confess her crime:
and shall wave the offering before the Lord: backwards and forwards, upwards and downwards, as Jarchi; who also observes, that the woman waved with him, for her hand was above the hand of the priest so the tradition is,"he (her husband) took her offering out of the Egyptian basket, and put it into a ministering vessel, and gave it into her hand, and the priest put his hand under hers, and waved itF1Misnah, ut supra, (Sotah) c. 3. sect. 1. :"
and offer it upon the altar: this was the bringing of it to the southwest corner of the altar, as Jarchi says, before he took a handful out of it, as in other meat offerings.
And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof,.... For good or evil, according as her works were, as Aben Ezra observes; a memorial for good, if innocent, and a memorial for evil, if guilty:
and burn it upon the altar; as the handful of other meat offerings used to be, Leviticus 1:2,
and afterwards shall cause the woman to drink the water; oblige her to it; having proceeded thus far, and no confession made, namely, an oath taken, the curses of it written in a scroll and scraped into the waters, and the jealousy offering waved and offered.
And when he hath made her to drink the water,.... For, as before observed, and here by Jarchi again, if she says I will not drink it, after the roll is blotted out, they oblige her, and make her drink it whether she will or not, unless she says I am defiled:
then it shall come to pass, that if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband; or has committed adultery:
that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter; the water drank by her, and having the curses scraped into it, shall enter into her, and operate and produce bitter and dreadful effects:
and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot; not through any natural virtue in the water, or what is put into it, either the dust of the floor of the tabernacle, or the scrapings of the parchment roll, these could have no physical influence to produce such effects; but they must be ascribed to a supernatural cause, the power and curse of God attending this draught. A certain Jewish writerF2R. Samuel Tzartzah, Mekor Chayim, fol. 91. 3. says, though very falsely, that the priest put poison into the water, which produced such effects; but then, how could an innocent woman escape the effects of it? that must be allowed to be miraculous and supernatural, was it so; but there is no manner of reason to believe that anything of this kind was put into it, The Jews sayF3Misn. Sotah, c. 3. sect. 4. , as soon, or before she had made an end of drinking: the water, the effects appeared; her face turned pale immediately, her eyes bolted out, and she was filled with veins, her body swelled, and they called out, Cast her out, cast her out, that she may not defile the court. And the text seems to intimate, as if the operation was immediate; yea, moreover, they sayF4Ibid. c. 5. sect. 1. , that as the waters searched her, so they searched him (the adulterer), because it is said twice, "shall enter, shall enter"; and that the same effects appeared in him as in her, but in neither, unless the husband was innocent; for if he was not pure from the same sin himself, the waters would not search his wifeF5T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 28. 1. Gersom in loc. hence they sayF6Misn. Sotah, c. 2. sect. 9. , when adulterers increased (under the second temple) the bitter waters ceased, according to Hosea 4:14; see Matthew 12:39. This practice has been imitated by the Heathens; the river Rhine, according to Julian the emperorF7Orat. 2. p. 151. Ep. 16. p. 131. , tried the legitimacy of children; and so lakes have been used for the trial of perjury and unchastity, as the Stygian lake for perjury, and another of the same name near Ephesus for unchastity; into which, if persons suspected of adultery descended, having the form of an oath hanging about their necks, if they were pure, the waters stood unmoved, but if corrupt, they swelled up to their necks, and covered the tablet on which the oath was writtenF8Vid. Salden. Otia, l. 1. Exercitat. 6. sect. 24. . The priestesses of a certain deity being obliged to live a single life, were tried by drinking bullocks' blood, upon which, if false to their oath and corrupt, they immediately died, as PausaniasF9Achaica, sive, l. 7. p. 450. relates; and MacrobiusF11Saturnal. l. 5. c. 19. speaks of some lakes in Sicily, the inhabitants called the Cups, to which recourse was had when persons were suspected of any ill, and where an oath was taken of them; if the person swore truly, he departed unhurt, but if falsely, he immediately lost his life in the lake. PhilostratusF12Vita Apollonii, l. 1. c. 4. relates of a water near Tyana, a city in Cappadocia, sacred to Jupiter, which the inhabitants call Asbamaea, which to those that kept their oaths was placid and sweet, but to perjured persons the reverse; it affected their eyes, hands, and feet, and seized them with dropsies and consumptions; nor could they depart from the water, but remained by it, mourning their sad case, and confessing their perjury: but what comes nearest to this usage of the Jews is a custom at marriages among the savages at Cape BretonF13Genuine Letters and Memoirs relating to the Isle of Cape Breton, &c. : at a marriage feast, two dishes of meat are brought to the bridegroom and bride in two "ouragans" (basins made of the bark of a tree), and the president of the feast addresses himself to the bride thus,"and thou that art upon the point of entering into a respectable state, know, that the nourishment thou art going to take forebodes the greatest calamities to thee, if thy heart is capable of harbouring any ill design against thy husband, or against thy nation: shouldest thou ever be led astray by the caresses of a stranger; or shouldest thou betray thy husband, and thy country, the victuals contained in this "ouragan" will have the effects of a slow poison, with which thou wilt be tainted from this very instant; but if, on the other hand, thou remainest faithful to thy husband, and to thy country, if thou wilt never insult the one for his defect, nor give a description of the other to the enemy, thou wilt find this nourishment both agreeable and wholesome.'Now if these relations can be credited, then much more this of the bitter waters, for though there was something wonderful and supernatural in them, yet nothing incredible:
and the woman shall be a curse among her people: the time she lives; but then all this while she was looked upon as an accursed person, and despised and shunned by all.
And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean,.... If she is not guilty of adultery, but pure from that sin:
then she shall be free; from the effects of the bitter water; they shall have no such influence upon her, but she shall be as soured and healthful as ever; nay, the Jewish writers say more so, that if she had any sickness or disease upon her she would now be freed from itF14Maimon. Hilchot Sotah, c. 3. sect. 22. ; the Targum of Jonathan has it, her splendour shall shine, the brightness and beauty of her countenance:
and shall conceive seed; a man child, as the same Targum; and the Jewish writers say, if she was barren before, now she would be fruitful; but no more is meant by it than that her husband should receive her gladly, and she should live comfortably with him hereafter, and the blessing of God would be upon her, which would still be a confirmation of her chastity.
This is the law of jealousies,.... Which was appointed by God to deter wives from adultery, and preserve the people of Israel, the worshippers of him, from having a spurious brood among them; and to keep husbands from being cruel to their wives they might be jealous of, and to protect virtue and innocence, and to detect lewdness committed in the most secret manner; whereby God gave proof of his omniscience, that he had knowledge of the most private acts of uncleanness, and was the avenger of all such. The reasons why such a law was not made equally in favour of women, as of men, are supposed to be these: because of the greater authority of the man over the woman, which would seem to be lessened, if such a power was granted her; because marriage was not so much hurt, or so much damage came to families by the adultery of men, as of women; because women are more apt to be suspicious than men, and in those times more prone to adultery, through their eager desire of children, that they might not lie under reproachF15Vid. Salden. ut supra, (Otia, l. 1. Exercitat. 6.) sect. 19. :
when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled; is suspected of going aside to another man, and is supposed to be defiled by him.
Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife,.... See Gill on Numbers 5:14,
and shall set the woman before the Lord; has carried the matter so far as to bring his wife to the priest or civil magistrate, and declare his suspicion, and the ground of it:
and the priest shall execute upon her all this law; he shall proceed according to the law, and perform every rite and ceremony required; nor could any stop be put to it, unless the woman owned she was defiled.
Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity,.... Which otherwise he would not, by conniving at her loose way of living, and not reproving her for it, and bringing her either to repentance or punishment; and retaining and encouraging jealousy in his mind, without declaring it, and his reasons for it: the sense of the passage seems to be, that when a man had any ground for his suspicion and jealousy, and he proceeded according as this law directs, whether his wife was guilty or not guilty, no sin was chargeable on him, or blame to be laid to him, or punishment inflicted on him:
and the woman shall bear her iniquity; the punishment of it, through the effects of the bitter waters upon her, if guilty; nor was her husband chargeable with her death, she justly brought it on herself: or if not guilty, yet as she had by some unbecoming behaviour raised such a suspicion in him, nor would she be reclaimed, though warned to the contrary, she for it justly bore the infamy of such a process; which was such, as Maimonides saysF16Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 49. p. 499. , that innocent women would give all that they had to escape it, and reckoned death itself more agreeable than that, as to be served as such a woman was; See Gill on Numbers 5:18.