Numbers5
English Standard Version
1The Lord to , ,
2 the of that they put of the who is or has a and who is through contact with the .
3You shall put , them the , that they may their , in the of I .
4And the of did , and put the ; the Lord to , the of .
5And the Lord to , ,
6 to the of , a commits of the that by with the Lord, and that realizes his ,
7he shall his that he has . And he shall full for his , a to it and it to him to he did the .
8But the has next of to whom may be made for the , the for shall to the Lord for the , in to the of with is made him.
9And , the of the of , they to the , shall be his.
10Each shall keep his : to the shall be his.
11And the Lord to , ,
12 to the of , If goes and with him,
13if a with her , and it is from the of her , and she is though she has herself, and there is against her, since she was in the act,
14and if the of him and he is of his who has herself, or if the of him and he is of his , though she has herself,
15then the shall his to the and the required of her, a of an of . He shall on and on , it is a of , a of , to .
16And the shall bring her and her the Lord.
17And the shall in an and of the is on the of the it into the .
18And the shall the the Lord and the hair of the and her the of , which is the of . And in his the shall have the of that brings the .
19Then the shall take an , , has with you, and you have turned to while you were your husband’s , be of that brings the .
20But you have gone , though you are your husband’s , and you have yourself, and some other your with you,
21then (let the the the of the , to the ) the Lord you a and an your , when the Lord your fall and your .
22 that brings the into your and make your and your fall . And the shall , , .
23Then the shall in a and them off into the of .
24And he shall the the of that brings the , and the that brings the shall into her and cause .
25And the shall the of out the and shall the the Lord and it to the .
26And the shall take a of the , as its , and it on the , and shall the the .
27And when he has made her the , then, she has herself and has with her , the that brings the shall into her and cause , and her shall , and her shall fall , and the shall become a her .
28But the has herself and is , then she shall be and shall .
29 is the in cases of , a , though her husband’s , goes and ,
30 when the of a and he is of his . Then he shall the the Lord, and the shall carry for her .
31The shall be from , but shall her .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The unclean to be removed out of the camp, Restitution to be made for trespasses. (1–10). The trial of jealousy. (11–31).
vv1-10
The camp was to be cleansed. The purity of the church must be kept as carefully as the peace and order of it. Every polluted Israelite must be separated. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable. The greater profession of religion any house or family makes, the more they are obliged to put away iniquity far from them. If a man overreach or defraud his brother in any matter, it is a trespass against the Lord, who strictly charges and commands us to do justly. What is to be done when a man's awakened conscience charges him with guilt of this kind, though done long ago? He must confess his sin, confess it to God, confess it to his neighbour, and take shame to himself; though it go against him to own himself in a lie, yet he must do it. Satisfaction must be made for the offence done to God, as well as for the loss sustained by the neighbour; restitution in that case is not enough without faith and repentance. While that which is wrongly gotten is knowingly kept, the guilt remains on the conscience, and is not done away by sacrifice or offering, prayers or tears; for it is the same act of sin persisted in. This is the doctrine of right reason, and of the word of God. It detects hypocrites, and directs the tender conscience to proper conduct, which, springing from faith in Christ, will make way for inward peace.
vv11-31
This law would make the women of Israel watch against giving cause for suspicion. On the other hand, it would hinder the cruel treatment such suspicions might occasion. It would also hinder the guilty from escaping, and the innocent from coming under just suspicion. When no proof could be brought, the wife was called on to make this solemn appeal to a heart-searching God. No woman, if she were guilty, could say “Amen” to the adjuration, and drink the water after it, unless she disbelieved the truth of God, or defied his justice. The water is called the bitter water, because it caused the curse. Thus sin is called an evil and a bitter thing. Let all that meddle with forbidden pleasures, know that they will be bitterness in the latter end. From the whole learn, 1. Secret sins are known to God, and sometimes are strangely brought to light in this life; and that there is a day coming when God will, by Christ, judge the secrets of men according to the gospel, Ro 2:16. 2 In particular, Whoremongers and adulterers God will surely judge. Though we have not now the waters of jealousy, yet we have God's word, which ought to be as great a terror. Sensual lusts will end in bitterness. 3. God will manifest the innocency of the innocent. The same providence is for good to some, and for hurt to others. And it will answer the purposes which God intends.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
צָוָה: (intensively) to constitute, enjoin
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שָׁלַח: to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
מַחֲנֶה: an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
צָרַע: to scourge, i.e. (intransitive and figurative) to be stricken with leprosy
Cross References
Numbers 5Parallel definition of trespass against a neighbor as also being a trespass against the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel linking the acknowledgment and confession of guilt to a specific trespass.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Underlying law establishing the physical exclusion and dwelling alone of lepers outside the camp.
Supported by JFB
Establishes the defilement caused by physical contact with a dead body.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The requirement to restore the principal plus adding a fifth part for restitution.
Supported by Matthew Poole
General ordinance that all dedicated and holy things of Israel belong to the priests.
Supported by John Calvin
Contrasts voluntary confession restitution (fifth added) with penalty for convicted, obstinate theft.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Establishes that the trespass offering belongs to the priest who makes atonement.
Supported by John Calvin
Omission of oil and frankincense in poor offerings, signifying grief or sin memory rather than joy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Specific regulations defining uncleanness resulting from various bodily issues and discharges.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Defines the 'goel' (kinsman redeemer) who would normally receive restitution on behalf of deceased.
Supported by John Calvin
Uncovering the head as a traditional sign of humiliation or mourning, like the leper.
Supported by JFB
Definition of the 'memorial' portion of grain offering burned upon the altar.
Supported by Matthew Poole