Numbers 5:20
18 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.
19 And he is to put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse.
But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority and have defiled yourself and lain carnally with a man other than your husband’—
21 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.
22 May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’ Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
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
- But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority and have defiled yourself and lain carnally with a man other than your husband’—
- KJV
- 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:
- WEB
- But if you have gone astray, being under your husband’s authority, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband—”
- ASV
- 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:
- DARBY
- 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,
- BLB
- And if you have gone astray [while] under your husband, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man has lain with you in intercourse, other than your husband’—
- ÅB
- Men er det så at du har vært utro mot din mann og latt deg vanære, og at noen annen enn din mann har hatt samleie med deg
- OTB
- Men hvis du har gått på avveie mens du var gift med din mann og har gjort deg uren ved å ha seksuell omgang med en annen mann enn din mann"—
- B1930
- Men er det så at du har vært utro mot din mann og latt dig vanære, og at nogen annen enn din mann har hatt samleie med dig
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Numbers 5:12
“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that if any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him
Read in context