King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make [thy] belly to swell, and [thy] thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
Complete Jewish Bible:
May this water that causes the curse go into your inner parts and make your abdomen swell and your private parts shrivel up!"- and the woman is to respond, "Amen! Amen!"
Berean Standard Bible:
May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’ Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
American Standard Version:
and this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, and make thy body to swell, and thy thigh to fall away. And the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And this water{H4325} that causeth the curse{H779} shall go{H935} into thy bowels{H4578}, to make thy belly{H990} to swell{H6638}, and thy thigh{H3409} to rot{H5307}: And the woman{H802} shall say{H559}, Amen{H543}, amen{H543}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Psalms 109:18
- As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
Psalms 72:19
- And blessed [be] his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled [with] his glory; Amen, and Amen.
John 3:3
- Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Proverbs 1:31
- Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Job 31:21
- If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
Job 31:22
- [Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
Ezekiel 3:3
- And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat [it]; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Numbers 5:22
**Themes:**
Numbers 5:22 is part of a passage that describes the ritual of the "bitter water," which was used to determine the guilt or innocence of a woman suspected of adultery by her husband. This ritual is known as the "Ordeal of the Bitter Water" or the "Sotah" ritual. The themes present in this verse include:
1. **Divine Justice:** The verse reflects the belief that God will intervene to reveal the truth in situations of suspected wrongdoing.
2. **Purity and Fidelity:** It underscores the importance of marital fidelity and the severe consequences associated with infidelity.
3. **Judgment and Consequences:** The ritual serves as a form of judgment, with dire physical consequences anticipated for a guilty party, emphasizing the gravity of breaking marital vows.
4. **Ritual and Ceremony:** The verse highlights the intricate rituals of ancient Israelite society, which were believed to be ordained by God for maintaining social and religious order.
**Historical Context:**
The book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Torah (Pentateuch) in the Hebrew Bible, traditionally ascribed to Moses and believed to have been written during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt. Numbers 5 outlines various laws, including those pertaining to suspected adultery.
During this time, ancient Near Eastern societies often had strict laws regarding marital fidelity, and the suspicion of adultery could bring great dishonor to a family. The ritual described in Numbers 5:11-31 was a means of dealing with such suspicions in the absence of concrete evidence. The ritual involved the priest preparing "bitter water" with dust from the tabernacle floor and water from the laver, into which the curses written on a scroll were washed off. The woman would then drink this water, and her physiological response was interpreted as a sign of her guilt or innocence.
The historical context reflects the patriarchal nature of Israelite society, where a woman's sexual behavior was closely regulated and where the integrity of the family line was of utmost importance. The verse also illustrates the ancient belief in the power of divine intervention in legal matters and the use of ritual as a means of discerning truth.
*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: 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: H779
There are 177 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָרַר
Transliteration: ʼârar
Pronunciation: aw-rar'
Description: a primitive root; to execrate; [idiom] bitterly curse. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H4578
There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֵעֶה
Transliteration: mêʻeh
Pronunciation: may-aw'
Description: xlit mêʻâh corrected to mêʻeh; from an unused root probably meaning to be soft; used only in plural the intestines, or (collectively) the abdomen, figuratively, sympathy; by implication, a vest; by extension the stomach, the uterus (or of men, the seat of generation), the heart (figuratively); belly, bowels, [idiom] heart, womb. - Strong's Number: H990
There are 72 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֶּטֶן
Transliteration: beṭen
Pronunciation: beh'-ten
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything; belly, body, [phrase] as they be born, [phrase] within, womb. - Strong's Number: H6638
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָבָה
Transliteration: tsâbâh
Pronunciation: tsaw-baw'
Description: a primitive root; to amass, i.e. grow turgid; specifically, to array an army against; fight swell. - Strong's Number: H3409
There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָרֵךְ
Transliteration: yârêk
Pronunciation: yaw-rake'
Description: from an unused root meaning to be soft; the thigh (from its fleshy softness); by euphemistically the generative parts; figuratively, a shank, flank, side; [idiom] body, loins, shaft, side, thigh. - Strong's Number: H5307
There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָפַל
Transliteration: nâphal
Pronunciation: naw-fal'
Description: a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative); be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for פָּלַל), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. - 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. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H543
There are 462 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמֵן
Transliteration: ʼâmên
Pronunciation: aw-mane'
Description: from אָמַן; sure; abstract, faithfulness; adverb, truly; Amen, so be it, truth.