Numbers 5:14

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:

Complete Jewish Bible:

then, if a spirit of jealousy comes over him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she has become impure - or, for that matter, if the spirit of jealousy comes over him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she has not become impure -

Berean Standard Bible:

and if a feeling of jealousy comes over her husband and he suspects his wife who has defiled herself—or if a feeling of jealousy comes over him and he suspects her even though she has not defiled herself—

American Standard Version:

and the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And the spirit^{H7307} of jealousy^{H7068} come^{H5674} upon him, and he be jealous^{H7065} of his wife^{H802}, and she be defiled^{H2930}: or if the spirit^{H7307} of jealousy^{H7068} come^{H5674} upon him, and he be jealous^{H7065} of his wife^{H802}, and she be not defiled^{H2930}:

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Commentary for Numbers 5:14

Numbers 5:14 is part of a larger section in the book of Numbers that deals with the laws and regulations given to the Israelites by God through Moses. This particular verse addresses the situation of a husband who is overcome by a "spirit of jealousy," suspecting his wife of adultery without having any witnesses to confirm his suspicions. The verse outlines two scenarios: one where the wife has indeed been unfaithful ("and she be defiled") and one where she is innocent ("and she be not defiled").

The historical context of this verse is important for understanding its themes. The Israelites were living in a patriarchal society where a woman's sexual purity was closely tied to her value and the honor of her husband and family. Adultery was considered a serious offense, and the suspicion of such an act could lead to significant social and familial discord. The law provided in Numbers 5:11-31, of which verse 14 is a part, is often referred to as the "law of the jealous husband" or the "trial by ordeal." It describes a ritual involving the priest that the jealous husband and the accused wife must undergo to determine her guilt or innocence.

The themes of this verse and the surrounding passage include the sanctity of marriage, the handling of jealousy and suspicion, and the establishment of a process for dealing with potential transgressions within the community. It reflects the importance of marital fidelity and the legal and ritual mechanisms established to maintain social order and spiritual purity among the Israelites. The verse also touches on the nature of evidence and the challenges of adjudicating private matters in a community setting.

In summary, Numbers 5:14 is a part of ancient Israelite law concerning a husband's jealousy and suspicion of his wife's infidelity. It highlights the cultural importance of marital fidelity and the legal procedures in place to address such concerns, while also providing insight into the social dynamics and the role of religious ritual in resolving personal conflicts in the community.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7307
   There are 348 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רוּחַ
   Transliteration: rûwach
   Pronunciation: roo'-akh
   Description: from רוּחַ; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions); air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).
   
2. Strong's Number: H7068
   There are 41 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קִנְאָה
   Transliteration: qinʼâh
   Pronunciation: kin-aw'
   Description: from קָנָא; jealousy or envy; envy(-ied), jealousy, [idiom] sake, zeal.
   
3. Strong's Number: H5674
   There are 493 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָבַר
   Transliteration: ʻâbar
   Pronunciation: aw-bar'
   Description: a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation); alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7065
   There are 28 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קָנָא
   Transliteration: qânâʼ
   Pronunciation: kaw-naw'
   Description: a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) zealous, i.e. (in a bad sense) jealous or envious; (be) envy(-ious), be (move to, provoke to) jealous(-y), [idiom] very, (be) zeal(-ous).
   
5. Strong's Number: H802
   There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִשָּׁה
   Transliteration: ʼishshâh
   Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
   Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
   
6. Strong's Number: H2930
   There are 142 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: טָמֵא
   Transliteration: ṭâmêʼ
   Pronunciation: taw-may'
   Description: a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated); defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly.