Numbers 5:27
25 The priest shall take from her hand the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the LORD, and bring it to the altar.
26 Then the priest is to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar; after that he is to have the woman drink the water.
When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, her thigh will shrivel, and she will become accursed among her people.
28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will be unaffected and able to conceive children.
29 This is the law of jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority,
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
- When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, her thigh will shrivel, and she will become accursed among her people.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- 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.
- ASV
- 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.
- DARBY
- 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.
- BLB
- And he shall make her drink the water, and it shall come to pass if she has defiled herself and acted unfaithfully—an unfaithfulness—against her husband, that the water bringing a curse will enter into her for bitterness, and her belly will swell, and her thigh will rot, and the woman will become a curse among her people.
- ÅB
- Og når han har latt henne drikke vannet, da skal det skje at dersom hun har latt seg vanære og har vært utro mot sin mann, så skal vannet som volder forbannelse, trenge inn i henne og volde bitter ve; hennes buk skal hovne opp og hennes hofter svinne inn; og den kvinne skal bli til en forbannelse blant sitt folk.
- OTB
- Hvis hun har gjort seg uren og vært utro mot sin mann, vil vannet som bringer forbannelse komme inn i henne, få magen hennes til å svulme og livmoren hennes til å abortere, og hun vil bli en forbannelse blant sitt folk.
- B1930
- Og når han har latt henne drikke vannet, da skal det skje at dersom hun har latt sig vanære og har vært utro mot sin mann, så skal vannet som volder forbannelse, trenge inn i henne og volde bitter ve; hennes buk skal hovne op og hennes hofter svinne inn; og den kvinne skal bli til en forbannelse blandt sitt folk.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Zechariah 8:13
As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.”
Read in contextJeremiah 29:18
I will pursue them with sword and famine and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse, a desolation, and an object of scorn and reproach among all the nations to which I banish them.
Read in contextJeremiah 42:18
For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as My anger and wrath were poured out on the residents of Jerusalem, so will My wrath be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’
Read in contextJeremiah 44:12
And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have resolved to go to the land of Egypt to reside there; they will meet their end. They will all fall by the sword or be consumed by famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine; and they will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and reproach.
Read in contextIsaiah 65:15
You will leave behind your name as a curse for My chosen ones, and the Lord GOD will slay you; but to His servants He will give another name.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 28:37
You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
Read in contextJeremiah 24:9
I will make them a horror and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and an object of scorn, ridicule, and cursing wherever I have banished them.
Read in contextNumbers 5:20
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’—
Read in context