Numbers Chapter 5
Purity in Israel’s Camp
1 The LORD told Moses,
2“Tell Israel to send outside the camp any leper, anybody with a discharge, anyone ceremonially unclean because of a dead person. 3 Send out male or female so they won’t defile their camp where I live.”
4 They did that.
Num 5:1-4
5-6 The LORD told Moses to say to Israel,
6 “When a man or woman sins against the LORD by sinning against another person, 7 the offender will confess and pay restitution plus a fifth to the one that was wronged. 8 If there’s no relative to receive the restitution, it goes to the LORD for the priest in addition to the ram offered for the atonement. 9 The priest will also receive every contribution associated with the holy gifts the people offer. 10 Everybody’s holy gifts belong to the priest.” Num 5:5-10
The Test for Adultery
[11 ] 12-13 “If a husband suspects his wife has been unfaithful, 14-15 he can take her to the priest. He’s to take .11 bushels .1 ephah of barley meal as an offering for her. He won’t pour olive oil on it or put frankincense on it because it’s a grain offering of jealousy, a reminder of sin.
16 “The priest will have her stand in the LORD’s presence. 17 He’ll take holy water in a clay jar, take some dust from the floor of the Tabernacle, and put it in the water. 18 He’ll let her hair down loose and place the memorial grain offering in her hands. The priest will have in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 He’ll have her take an oath, ‘If no man has had intercourse with you while under your husband’s authority, be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse. 20 But if you’ve defiled yourself with another man,’ [ 21 then he’ll have her swear the oath] ‘may the LORD make you a curse among your people. 22 This water will make your abdomen swell and your thigh shrivel’ She’ll say, ‘True. True.’ Num 5:11-22
23 “The priest will write these curses on a scroll and wash them off into the water. 24 Then he’ll have her drink the water. 25 The priest will take the grain offering of jealousy from her, wave it in front of the LORD, and take it to the altar. 26 He’ll take a handful of the memorial grain offering and offer it up in smoke on the altar. Afterward he’ll have her drink the water. 27 If she has been unfaithful, the water will cause bitterness. Her abdomen will swell, her thigh will waste away, and she’ll become a curse among her people. 28 If she hasn’t defiled herself, she’ll be free and can conceive children.
29 “That’s the law of jealousy 30 when a husband suspects his wife has gone astray. 31 He won’t be responsible, but she’ll be held guilty.” Num 5:23-31