Numbers 5:18 kjv
And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
Numbers 5:18 nkjv
Then the priest shall stand the woman before the LORD, uncover the woman's head, and put the offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse.
Numbers 5:18 niv
After the priest has had the woman stand before the LORD, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse.
Numbers 5:18 esv
And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD and unbind the hair of the woman's head and place in her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse.
Numbers 5:18 nlt
When the priest has presented the woman before the LORD, he must unbind her hair and place in her hands the offering of proof ? the jealousy offering to determine whether her husband's suspicions are justified. The priest will stand before her, holding the jar of bitter water that brings a curse to those who are guilty.
Numbers 5 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 5:12 | "...any man's wife goes astray...commits a trespass against him..." | Introduces the premise of suspected unfaithfulness. |
| Num 5:11-31 | The entire ritual of the ordeal of the bitter water. | Provides the immediate surrounding context. |
| Deut 22:22 | "If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die..." | Shows Mosaic Law's punishment for proven adultery. |
| Lev 20:10 | "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife...the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." | Reinforces the severity of adultery. |
| Psa 7:9 | "Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end...for you, O righteous God, test the minds and hearts." | God tests hearts and judges hidden sin. |
| Prov 5:3-4 | "For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey...but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword." | Connects illicit relations to bitterness/consequences. |
| Prov 17:3 | "The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests hearts." | God's testing and discernment of the heart. |
| Mal 3:10 | "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test..." | God inviting a test, though for faithfulness. |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | "Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time...until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness..." | God reveals hidden truths and motives. |
| Heb 4:13 | "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." | Divine omniscience, nothing hidden from God. |
| Lev 19:2 | "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." | Holiness expected of the covenant community. |
| Deut 28:15 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God...all these curses shall come upon you..." | General principle of curses for disobedience. |
| Gal 3:13 | "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us..." | New Testament perspective on curses and redemption. |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." | God's active judgment against sin. |
| 2 Cor 6:14-15 | "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers...What fellowship has light with darkness?..." | Principles of separation and purity for believers. |
| Jer 2:19 | "Your own evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD..." | Unfaithfulness to God is bitter in consequences. |
| Hos 4:12-14 | "My people inquire of a piece of wood...For they commit harlotry, and have left their God to play the harlot." | Spiritual adultery of Israel (idolatry). |
| Eze 23:36-37 | "Moreover, the LORD said to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominable deeds; for they have committed adultery..." | Judgment for spiritual adultery and abominable deeds. |
| Lev 2:2 | "When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD...the priest shall take from it a handful...and burn it as its memorial portion..." | "Memorial portion" of grain offering brought to God's remembrance. |
| Lev 5:1 | "If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though able to give evidence fails to do so, then he shall bear his iniquity..." | Bearing one's iniquity for hidden sin/omission, leading to guilt offering. |
| Deut 17:8-9 | "If any case arises for judgment...you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days..." | Role of the priest as arbiter of difficult cases. |
| Lam 1:8 | "Jerusalem sinned grievously...therefore she became an object of horror...her nakedness was exposed..." | Public exposure and shame for deep sin. |
Numbers 5 verses
Numbers 5 18 Meaning
Numbers 5:18 describes a pivotal moment in the ritual known as the "ordeal of the bitter water," intended to determine the guilt or innocence of a woman suspected of adultery. In this verse, the priest takes specific actions before the LORD: uncovering the woman's hair as a sign of humiliation and accusation, placing a specific "remembrance offering" in her hands, and holding the "water of bitterness that brings a curse." These actions underscore the solemnity and divine nature of the test, positioning God as the ultimate judge of hidden sin within the community.
Numbers 5 18 Context
Numbers chapter 5 opens with regulations regarding purity within the Israelite camp, including the expulsion of those unclean by leprosy, discharge, or contact with a dead body. This emphasis on camp sanitation and holiness transitions into the laws concerning trespasses, where individuals are required to confess sin and make restitution. The ordeal of the bitter water (Numbers 5:11-31) then directly addresses a specific scenario: unproven marital infidelity. This ritual provides a divine means for resolving accusations of adultery where there is suspicion but no direct evidence, preventing false accusations while ensuring divine judgment on actual sin. It highlights God's demand for purity, justice, and order within His consecrated community, where sin, especially hidden sin, cannot be tolerated. The entire chapter emphasizes the purity and sanctity of the holy community centered around the Tabernacle and God's dwelling presence.
Numbers 5 18 Word analysis
- The priest (הַכֹּהֵן, ha'kohēn): Refers to the Levitical priest, who served as the mediator between God and the people. His actions were not personal judgments but prescribed rituals carried out as an agent of the divine will. He facilitated direct divine intervention in legal matters beyond human capacity to ascertain.
- shall bring the woman (וְהִעֲמִיד הַכֹּהֵן אֶת-הָאִשָּׁה, v'hi'amid ha'kohēn et-ha'ishah): Literally, "and the priest shall cause the woman to stand." This emphasizes her position before God's presence at the entrance of the Tabernacle, underscoring the seriousness of the trial as a direct appeal to God.
- before the LORD (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, lifnēi YHWH): Denotes a sacred space and the direct presence of God. This ritual was not merely a human court but an appeal to divine omnipotence and omniscience for judgment, taking place in front of the Tent of Meeting.
- and unbind her hair (וּפָרַע אֶת-רֹאשׁ הָאִשָּׁה, u'fara' et-rosh ha'ishah): The verb para' (פָּרַע) means to let loose, expose, make bare. This act was a sign of public humiliation, shame, and distress, stripping the woman of her dignity and possibly her modesty. It contrasts with a woman's covered hair as a sign of decorum or protection (1 Cor 11:5-6). It signifies an uncovering, symbolically bringing her hidden possible sin into the open for divine inspection.
- and put the grain offering of remembrance in her hands (וְנָתַן עַל-כַּפֶּיהָ מִנְחַת הַזִּכָּרוֹן, v'natan al-kappeha minḥat ha'zikaron):
- Grain offering (מִנְחַת, minḥat): A standard offering type, but here, specifically a "remembrance offering."
- Remembrance (הַזִּכָּרוֹן, ha'zikaron): This term is crucial. It means to call to mind, to make mention, or to bring to remembrance. In this context, it could mean either to bring the sin to God's remembrance for judgment or to cause the woman to remember her own guilt if she committed the sin. The offering contained no oil or frankincense (typical signs of favor or joy), making it a solemn, unadorned offering indicating affliction or mourning, distinct from a typical celebratory grain offering.
- and in his hand (וּבְיַד, u'v'yad): Refers to the priest's hand.
- the water of bitterness that brings a curse (מֵי הַמָּרִים הַמְאָרְרִים, mē ha'marim ha'm'ararim):
- Water of bitterness (מֵי הַמָּרִים, mē ha'marim): "Marim" (מָּרִים) denotes bitterness, referring to a taste, but here implies severity, pain, and negative consequences. This water, mixed with dust from the Tabernacle floor and the ink of the inscribed curse, becomes an instrument of divine judgment.
- That brings a curse (הַמְאָרְרִים, ha'm'ararim): From the root arar (אָרַר), meaning to curse. This phrase directly links the water to the imprecation against sin, explicitly stating its function as a carrier of the divine curse. If guilty, the water activates the curse within her, bringing physical effects as described in subsequent verses.
- words-group: "unbibd her hair" & "put the grain offering of remembrance in her hands": These two actions juxtapose physical degradation and spiritual/moral exposure. The uncovered hair represents her dishonor and openness before divine scrutiny, while the "remembrance offering" brings the accusation to God's mind, and the "bitter water" embodies the divine judgment about to be administered. Together, they symbolize a complete unveiling and a direct appeal to the sacred for truth.
Numbers 5 18 Bonus section
- Uniqueness of the Ritual: This "ordeal of the bitter water" stands apart from typical ancient Near Eastern trial-by-ordeal practices which often involved physical harm or superstitious elements without direct divine intervention. The Israelite ritual emphasizes God's direct, personal agency in revealing truth and executing justice, rather than relying on magical forces or human torture. It protects an innocent woman from baseless accusations and potential stoning while ensuring the guilty would not escape divine judgment.
- Absence of Male Parallel: There is no direct parallel ritual for a husband accused by his wife. This reflects the patriarchal societal structure of the time, where male fidelity, though expected, did not carry the same consequences for inheritance or paternity certainty. However, broader laws of purity and divine justice still applied to all, as God judges the heart of every person.
- Symbolic Elements: The dust from the Tabernacle floor mixed into the water symbolizes her connection to the earth and humanity, the source of sin and corruption (Gen 3:19). The water's "bitterness" and "curse" represent the natural and supernatural consequences of unconfessed sin within one's being.
Numbers 5 18 Commentary
Numbers 5:18 is a core procedural step in the ordeal of the bitter water, a unique ritual highlighting God's direct intervention in hidden sin. The priest's actions - publicly shaming the woman, invoking a "remembrance" of the accusation before God through the offering, and holding the "curse-bringing" water - establish a solemn and severe atmosphere. This was not a trial based on human evidence but a sacred legal procedure where God Himself was invoked as the ultimate judge. The ritual served as a divine lie-detector test, providing a recourse for unresolved marital suspicion in a society where such unproven accusations could cause severe social upheaval and injustice. It was designed to expose truth, whether affirming innocence or revealing guilt, ensuring divine justice maintained the purity and order of the Israelite community consecrated to God. Its deterrent effect would have been significant.