Keraia
Numbers 5

Numbers 5:21

The Adultery Test · Numbers 5:11–31
Read Numbers 5

Translations

Modern
…and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse—‘then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell.
Traditional
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;
Literal
…then the priest shall put the woman under the curse of the oath—and the priest shall say to the woman, ‘YHWH will make you an oath and a curse in the midst of your people, when YHWH makes your thigh to rot and your belly to swell.
Latin
…his maledictionibus subjacebis: det te Dominus in maledictionem, exemplumque cunctorum in populo suo: putrescere faciat femur tuum, et tumens uterus tuus disrumpatur.

Original

Hebrew
English
…and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse—‘then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell.

Notes

Numbers 5:21

making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell: Thigh is a polite way to speak about the reproductive organs (compare Genesis 24:2; 47:29). Something would stop her ability to have children. The punishment matched the crime, as sexual immorality led to infertility.

Numbers 5:11–31

This detailed test for adultery, a "trial by ordeal," is the only one in the Old Testament. Yet, trial by ordeal was common in the ancient Near East. God had a special interest in protecting marriage. It was the foundation of Hebrew society.

The ordeal was intended to promote marital faithfulness. We do not know how often such ordeals actually happened. This procedure relied on God to intervene so that justice occurred when evidence was lacking (see 1 Corinthians 5:5).

Numbers 5:1–31

These laws speak about cleanliness, repayment, and staying faithful in marriage.

Numbers 5:1–10:10

These legal matters were meant to protect the purity of the Israelites, their priests, and the tabernacle. Purity here refers to being clean and set apart for worship.

These rules helped the people remember who they were. Israel was a theocracy (a nation ruled directly by God). God was their true king.

Moses served as God’s main spokesman. Through him, God gave laws and instructions to the people.

Glossary

Adultery Biblical Concept of Law Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Courts and Trials Criminal Law and Punishment Curse, Cursed Deuteronomy, Book of Family Life and Relations Miscarriage Numbers, Book of Oath Offerings and Sacrifices Ordeal of Jealousy Water that Brings a Curse, Water of Bitterness, Water of Jealousy

Topics

Adultery: Penalties For Bitter Water: A Ceremonial Water Used by the Priest Husband: General Scriptures Concerning Jealousy: Law Concerning, when Husband is Jealous for his Wife Oath: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Priest: Duties of To Act As Magistrates Self-Incrimination: General Scriptures Concerning Wife: Unfaithful Witness: Qualified by Oath Woman: Unfaithfulness of, when Married Found out by the Waters of Women: when Jealously Charged with Infidelity, Their Guilt or Innocence Was to be Determined by an Ordeal