Numbers 5:18

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:

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:

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: After the priest has the woman stand before the LORD, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.
KJV: 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:
WEB: The priest shall set the woman before the LORD, 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.
ASV: 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.
DARBY: 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.
BLB: And the priest shall have the woman stand before the face of YHWH, and he shall uncover the head of the woman and put in her hands the offering of the memorial, that [is] the grain offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the bitter water that brings a curse.

ÅB: Og når presten har stilt kvinnen fram for Herrens åsyn, skal han løse hennes hår og legge ihukommelses-matofferet i hennes hender - et skinnsyke-matoffer er det - og i sin hånd skal presten ha bitterhetens vann, som volder forbannelse.
OTB: Presten skal så la kvinnen stå foran Herren, løse opp håret hennes, og legge i hendene hennes påminnelseofferet, grødeofferet av sjalusi, mens han holder det bitre vannet som bringer forbannelse.
B1930: Og når presten har stilt kvinnen frem for Herrens åsyn, skal han løse hennes hår og legge ihukommelses-matofferet i hennes hender - et skinnsyke-matoffer er det - og i sin hånd skal presten ha bitterhetens vann, som volder forbannelse.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Leviticus 13:45
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
Read in context
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Read in context
Numbers 5:15
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.
Read in context
Revelation 2:19–23
I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
Read in context
Numbers 5:17
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:
Read in context
1 Corinthians 11:6
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
Read in context
Numbers 5:24–26
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.
Read in context
Hebrews 4:12–13
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Read in context