Numbers 5:19

And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness [with another] instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:

And the priest {H3548} shall charge her by an oath {H7650}, and say {H559} unto the woman {H802}, If no man {H376} have lain {H7901} with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside {H7847} to uncleanness {H2932} with another instead of thy husband {H376}, be thou free {H5352} from this bitter {H4751} water {H4325} that causeth the curse {H779}:

The cohen will make her swear by saying to her, "If no man has gone to bed with you, if you have not gone astray to make yourself unclean while under your husband's authority, then be free from this water of embitterment and cursing.

And he is to put the woman under oath and say to her, โ€˜If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husbandโ€™s authority, may you be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse.

And the priest shall cause her to swear, and shall say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou have not gone aside to uncleanness, being under thy husband, be thou free from this water of bitterness that causeth the curse.

Commentary

Commentary on Numbers 5:19 (KJV)

Numbers 5:19 is part of the unique and complex "law of jealousy" found in Numbers 5:11-31. This passage describes a ritual ordained by God through Moses to address a specific situation: when a husband suspects his wife of adultery, but there are no witnesses or concrete proof. The ritual serves as a divine ordeal to determine the wife's innocence or guilt.

Context

The chapters leading up to this describe the organization of the Israelite camp and laws concerning ritual purity. Chapter 5 deals with removing the unclean from the camp and laws regarding restitution. The law of jealousy follows, highlighting the importance of faithfulness within marriage and the need for a divine mechanism to resolve serious marital suspicion in the absence of human evidence. The priest plays a central role in administering this solemn test.

Key Themes

  • Addressing Suspicion: The law provides a prescribed method for dealing with unresolved suspicion of adultery, a matter that could cause significant strife and disruption within a family and the community.
  • Divine Judgment: The ritual is fundamentally an appeal to God's omniscience and justice to reveal the truth where human means fail. The outcome rests not on human investigation but on divine intervention via the 'bitter water'.
  • Marital Faithfulness: The underlying principle is the sanctity of marriage and the expectation of absolute faithfulness within the covenant of marriage.
  • The Priest's Role: The priest acts as the mediator and administrator of this sacred and serious ritual, emphasizing its religious significance and connection to God's law.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "gone aside to uncleanness" (KJV) uses the Hebrew word tum'ah (ื˜ึปืžึฐืึธื”), which refers to ritual or moral impurity. In this context, it specifically denotes the moral defilement of adultery. The "bitter water" is literally water mixed with dust from the tabernacle floor and the ink of the dissolved curse scroll, symbolizing the potential bitterness and curse resulting from unfaithfulness.

Commentary

Verse 19 describes the initial charge given by the priest to the woman. It is a solemn oath, essentially stating the conditions of the test. The priest puts the question directly: has she been unfaithful ("lain with thee") or "gone aside to uncleanness" by having relations with "another instead of thy husband"? If she is innocent of this specific charge, she is declared "free from this bitter water that causeth the curse." This highlights the conditional nature of the ritual โ€“ the water only brings the curse upon the guilty. For the innocent, it has no effect.

This process underscores the gravity with which God viewed marital infidelity in ancient Israel and provided a unique, though perhaps challenging to modern minds, method for resolving such accusations when evidence was lacking. It served as a deterrent and a means for God Himself to vindicate the innocent or expose the guilty.

Reflection and Application

While this specific ritual is part of the Old Covenant law and not practiced today, it offers insights into God's concern for truth, justice, and the sanctity of marriage. It reminds us that hidden sins are not hidden from God. For believers today, our assurance of purity and standing before God comes not through ritual ordeals but through the grace of Christ, who has redeemed us from the curse of the law.

The passage also implicitly teaches the importance of trust and faithfulness in relationships and the destructive power of unresolved suspicion and sin. While we don't use this method, we are called to pursue truth, reconciliation, and holiness in our lives and marriages.

To understand the full context of this law, read Numbers 5:11-31.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Romans 7:2

    For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to [her] husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of [her] husband.

  • Numbers 5:12

    Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,

  • Matthew 26:63

    But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
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