Numbers 5 20

Numbers 5:20 kjv

But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:

Numbers 5:20 nkjv

But if you have gone astray while under your husband's authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has lain with you"?

Numbers 5:20 niv

But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband"?

Numbers 5:20 esv

But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband's authority, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you,

Numbers 5:20 nlt

But if you have gone astray by being unfaithful to your husband, and have defiled yourself by having sex with another man ? '

Numbers 5 verses

Numbers 5 20 Meaning

This verse states the precise condition under which the "bitter water" will bring about the consequences described in the preceding verses of Numbers 5. It specifies that if the woman under her husband's authority has genuinely committed adultery, defined as "going astray" from the marriage covenant and becoming "defiled" by a sexual act with a man other than her husband, then the curses of the ordeal will be activated against her. It frames the accusation not as mere suspicion but as a potentially real transgression.

Numbers 5 20 Context

Numbers 5:20 is part of the unique "Law of Jealousy" or "Ordeal of Bitter Water" found in Numbers 5:11-31. This specific statute addresses the highly sensitive and often unverifiable situation of a husband suspecting his wife of adultery when there are no witnesses or direct evidence. In ancient Israel, adultery was a grave offense against the covenant, carrying the death penalty if proven (Lev 20:10). However, this ordeal provided a divine mechanism for resolving cases of mere suspicion, protecting the wronged husband from uncertainty and, crucially, shielding the potentially innocent wife from unjust accusation and punishment based solely on a husband's jealousy. The ritual involved the woman drinking water mixed with holy dust and an oath, appealing directly to God to reveal the truth, making the Lord the ultimate arbiter in hidden matters.

Numbers 5 20 Word analysis

• But if you have gone astray (כִּי אִם־שָׂטִית֮ kî ’im-śāṭît)
  • "But if" (כִּי אִם kî ’im): Introduces a strong conditional statement, setting up the direct antithesis to the previously stated outcome for an innocent woman. It points to a clear and deliberate action.
  • "gone astray" (שָׂטִית֮ śāṭît): From the Hebrew verb שׁוּט (shut or s.t.h), meaning "to turn aside," "deviate," "wander," "stray," or "err." In a moral or spiritual context, it signifies a deviation from a prescribed path or right conduct. Here, it refers to turning away from marital fidelity and the covenant oath. This verb is also used elsewhere in Scripture to describe turning away from God or His commands (e.g., Ps 14:3; Prov 14:15). Its inclusion implies not merely an action but a preceding intention or disposition of heart that leads to the act.
• being under your husband’s authority (תַּחַת אִישֵׁךְ taḥat ’îshêḵ)
  • "under" (תַּחַת taḥat): Literally "underneath," signifying subjugation or being subject to. It refers to her legal and social status within the marital covenant. This highlights that the transgression is a betrayal of a sacred and legally defined relationship where the husband holds a position of headship. This emphasizes the covenant breach.
  • "your husband" (אִישֵׁךְ ’îshêḵ): Specifies the legal partner, emphasizing the violation of the specific marriage bond.
• and if you have defiled yourself (וְכִי נִטְמֵאתְּ֮ wəḵî niṭmê't)
  • "defiled yourself" (נִטְמֵאתְּ֮ niṭmê't): From the Hebrew root טָמֵא (tame’), meaning "to be unclean," "impure," "defiled." This term is deeply significant in the Levitical law, often referring to ritual impurity that separates one from the holy God and the pure community. Sexual acts outside marriage, particularly adultery, are considered highly defiling (Lev 18:20, 24-25), impacting not only the individual but potentially the community and even the land (Lev 18:28). This indicates the grave moral and ritual consequences of adultery.
• and some man other than your husband has lain with you (וְאִישׁ שָׁכַב אֹתָךְ מִבַּלְעֲדֵי אִישֵׁךְ wə’îsh shāḵaḇ ’ōṯāḵ mibaL‘ăḏê ’îshêḵ)
  • "some man... has lain with you" (וְאִישׁ שָׁכַב אֹתָךְ wə’îsh shāḵaḇ ’ōṯāḵ): Direct and unambiguous Hebrew idiom for sexual intercourse. It names the illicit physical act as the core of the defilement and going astray.
  • "other than your husband" (מִבַּלְעֲדֵי אִישֵׁךְ mibaL‘ăḏê ’îshêḵ): Emphatically states that the man involved is not her legitimate spouse, leaving no ambiguity about the nature of the transgression—adultery. This defines the boundaries of the marital covenant.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "But if you have gone astray... and if you have defiled yourself... has lain with you": This phrase meticulously outlines the complete picture of adultery in escalating terms. "Gone astray" implies the internal deviation and disloyalty; "defiled yourself" speaks to the internal and external ritual impurity resulting from the sin; and "lain with you" specifies the consummation of the act. The accumulation of these phrases leaves no doubt as to the serious nature of the charge. This legal definition highlights God's demand for holiness and covenant faithfulness within marriage, reflecting the purity required of His people. The divine ordeal addresses a total breach—both moral wandering and physical defilement through illicit sexual union.

Numbers 5 20 Bonus section

This ordeal stands apart from typical ancient Near Eastern laws concerning adultery. While other cultures might have had severe penalties based on strong suspicion, the Israelite law offered a divine, supernatural arbitration without human witnesses or judge in a direct manner, emphasizing that hidden sin is still seen by God. This ritual acts as a polemic against human judicial inadequacy in unprovable cases and highlights divine omniscience. The law also implies that even without human witnesses, God's justice prevails, either through exposing guilt or vindicating innocence, thereby maintaining covenant purity within the community. The symbolic language (dust, water, unbraiding hair, offerings) communicates the seriousness of the covenant oath and its direct appeal to Yahweh.

Numbers 5 20 Commentary

Numbers 5:20 clarifies the guilt condition that the ritual of bitter water aims to prove or disprove. It highlights the profound gravity of adultery in ancient Israel, which encompassed not only a legal violation against a husband but also a moral and ritual defilement before God. The terms "gone astray" and "defiled yourself" extend beyond the physical act to touch on the spiritual wandering and impurity that characterize unfaithfulness. The provision of this ordeal, tested by divine intervention, uniquely illustrates God's commitment to both upholding justice in matters often hidden from human sight and providing a means for discerning truth and preventing false accusations where evidence is scarce. It underscores the sanctity of the marital covenant and God's role as the ultimate arbiter of truth.