King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put [it] into the water:
Complete Jewish Bible:
The cohen will put holy water in a clay pot, and then the cohen will take some of the dust on the floor of the tabernacle and put it in the water.
Berean Standard Bible:
Then he is to take some holy water in a clay jar and put some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.
American Standard Version:
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the priest{H3548} shall take{H3947} holy{H6918} water{H4325} in an earthen{H2789} vessel{H3627}; and of the dust{H6083} that is in the floor{H7172} of the tabernacle{H4908} the priest{H3548} shall take{H3947}, and put{H5414} it into the water{H4325}:
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 30:18
- Thou shalt also make a laver [of] brass, and his foot [also of] brass, to wash [withal]: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
John 8:6
- This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not].
Lamentations 3:29
- He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
John 8:8
- And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Job 2:12
- And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
Jeremiah 17:13
- O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, [and] they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
Numbers 19:2
- This [is] the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein [is] no blemish, [and] upon which never came yoke:
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Commentary for Numbers 5:17
Numbers 5:17 is a part of a larger section in the Book of Numbers that deals with the law concerning a wife suspected of adultery, known as the law of jealousy. In the historical context of ancient Israel, this verse describes a ritual intended to determine the innocence or guilt of a woman accused of being unfaithful to her husband.
The verse itself outlines the initial steps of the ritual. The priest is instructed to take "holy water," which is water that has been sanctified for ritual use, and place it in an earthen vessel. This act symbolizes the purity and sanctity required for the proceedings. Additionally, the priest is to gather dust from the floor of the tabernacle, the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites during their wanderings in the wilderness, and mix it with the water. This mixture would later be used in the ritual, where the accused woman would drink it after certain curses were pronounced over her. The purpose of the dust might be to underscore the seriousness of the ritual, connecting the woman to the holy ground of the tabernacle and the presence of God within it.
The themes present in this verse include the establishment of ritual purity, the role of religious authority (the priest), the importance of physical spaces (the tabernacle) in religious practice, and the intersection of legal and religious processes in the community's justice system. The ritual reflects a broader societal concern with marital fidelity and the communal consequences of suspected infidelity, as well as the belief in divine intervention in human affairs to reveal truth and maintain social order.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3548
There are 653 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כֹּהֵן
Transliteration: kôhên
Pronunciation: ko-hane'
Description: active participle of כָּהַן; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman); chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer. - Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H6918
There are 106 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָדוֹשׁ
Transliteration: qâdôwsh
Pronunciation: kaw-doshe'
Description: or קָדֹשׁ; from קָדַשׁ; sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary; holy (One), saint. - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H2789
There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֶרֶשׂ
Transliteration: cheres
Pronunciation: kheh'-res
Description: a collateral form mediating between חֶרֶס and חֶרֶשׁ; a piece of pottery; earth(-en), (pot-) sherd, [phrase] stone. - Strong's Number: H3627
There are 276 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כְּלִי
Transliteration: kᵉlîy
Pronunciation: kel-ee'
Description: from כָּלָה; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon); armour(-bearer), artillery, bag, carriage, [phrase] furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, [idiom] one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, [phrase] psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, [phrase] whatsoever. - Strong's Number: H6083
There are 103 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָפָר
Transliteration: ʻâphâr
Pronunciation: aw-fawr'
Description: from עָפַר; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud; ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish. - Strong's Number: H7172
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קַרְקַע
Transliteration: qarqaʻ
Pronunciation: kar-kah'
Description: from קָרַע; floor (as if a pavement of pieces or tesseroe), of abuilding or the sea; bottom, ([idiom] one side of the) floor. - Strong's Number: H4908
There are 129 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִשְׁכָּן
Transliteration: mishkân
Pronunciation: mish-kawn'
Description: from שָׁכַן; a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair of animals, figuratively, the grave; also the Temple); specifically, the Tabernacle (properly, its wooden walls); dwelleth, dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle, tent. - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.