Numbers 5 21

Numbers 5:21 kjv

Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;

Numbers 5:21 nkjv

then the priest shall put the woman under the oath of the curse, and he shall say to the woman? "the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the LORD makes your thigh rot and your belly swell;

Numbers 5:21 niv

here the priest is to put the woman under this curse?"may the LORD cause you to become a curse among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell.

Numbers 5:21 esv

then' (let the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse, and say to the woman) 'the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the LORD makes your thigh fall away and your body swell.

Numbers 5:21 nlt

"At this point the priest must put the woman under oath by saying, 'May the people know that the LORD's curse is upon you when he makes you infertile, causing your womb to shrivel and your abdomen to swell.

Numbers 5 verses

Numbers 5 21 Meaning

This verse details the solemn imprecation pronounced by the priest during the ordeal of bitter water. It articulates the potential consequences for a woman accused of adultery if found guilty by divine intervention. The priest declares that the Lord Himself will cause her to become a "curse" and an "oath" among her people, manifesting divine judgment through physical ailments such as her "thigh wasting away" and her "abdomen swelling." This public exposure and bodily affliction serve as a clear sign of divine vindication of justice in the absence of human witnesses.

Numbers 5 21 Context

Numbers 5:21 is a crucial part of the "Law of Jealousy" (Num 5:11-31), a unique legal procedure designed to address cases of suspected adultery where there are no witnesses to prove the wife's infidelity, but the husband's spirit of jealousy has come upon him. This specific verse outlines the dire curse the priest invokes upon the woman if she is indeed guilty. The ritual involves a sacred oath and the drinking of "bitter water" mixed with dust from the tabernacle floor. The entire procedure places the judgment directly in God's hands, functioning as a divine ordeal to reveal hidden truth. This law highlights the importance of marital fidelity and the severe consequences of unfaithfulness within the covenant community, protecting the integrity of the family lineage and the purity of the Israelite camp.

Numbers 5 21 Word analysis

• then the priest (וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ, v'hishbi'a - "and he shall make her swear," from the root שבע shava', meaning "to swear, take an oath"; הַכֹּהֵן, hakkohen - "the priest"): The priest, as God's representative, acts as the facilitator of this divine judgment. He doesn't personally determine guilt but administers the oath that triggers God's intervention. The emphasis on "making her swear" highlights the gravity and legal binding nature of the declaration.
• shall make the woman take the oath of the curse (אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה בִּשְׁבֻעַת הָאָלָה, et-ha'ishah bi-shvu'at ha'alah): This refers to a specific, solemn oath (שְׁבֻעָה, shevu'ah) that carries an accompanying curse (אָלָה, alah). It means she will invoke a self-imprecation upon herself. This isn't just any oath; it's one with immediate, self-invoked, and tangible consequences for false testimony or hidden sin. The alah refers to an execration or an oath containing curses to come upon the swearer if they lie.
• and the priest shall say to the woman (וְאָמַר הַכֹּהֵן אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה, v'amar hakkohen el-ha'ishah): The priest's pronouncement is not merely a statement but a divinely ordained declaration. It verbally sets the terms of the spiritual and physical outcome.
• ‘The Lord make you (יִתֵּן יְהוָה אֹתָךְ, yiten YHWH otach - "YHWH give/make you"): Explicitly states divine agency. It is Yahweh Himself who will cause the effect, not magic, ritual, or human power. This distinguishes it from pagan ordeals.
• a curse and an oath (לְאָלָה וְלִשְׁבֻעָה, l'alah v'li-shvu'ah - "as a curse and as an oath"): The woman, if guilty, will become an embodiment of the consequences of the oath. Her physical state would serve as a visible, living "curse" and a concrete "oath" for all to see. People would use her situation as an example ("may what happened to her happen to me if I lie").
• among your people (בְּתוֹךְ עַמֵּךְ, b'toch ammech - "in the midst of your people"): Emphasizes the public and communal nature of the judgment. Her fate becomes a visible deterrent and a testament to God's justice within the Israelite society.
• when the Lord makes your thigh waste away (בְּתֵת יְהוָה אֶת־יְרֵכֵךְ נֹפֶלֶת, b'tet YHWH et-yerechech nofelet): "Thigh" (יָרֵךְ, yarekh) is a common biblical euphemism for the reproductive organs, and by extension, the loins, signifying progeny and sexual vitality. "Waste away" (נֹפֶלֶת, nofelet) literally means "falling," suggesting drooping, shriveling, or even a prolapse, indicative of dysfunction and barrenness. This implies reproductive failure or loss of procreative capacity.
• and your abdomen swell (וּבִטְנֵךְ צָבָה, u-vitnech tzaveh): "Abdomen" (בֶּטֶן, beten) refers to the womb or belly. "Swell" (צָבָה, tzaveh) indicates bloating or distention, implying either a pathological condition leading to infertility, the premature termination of a potential pregnancy (miscarriage of a conceived illegitimate child), or a persistent, non-productive bloating that signifies divine judgment and public shame. These specific physical consequences are direct manifestations of divine justice related to the area of the body involved in the alleged sin.

• Words-group Analysis: "the priest shall make the woman take the oath of the curse, and the priest shall say to the woman": This repeated emphasis on the priest's actions highlights his crucial role as God's instrument in this ritual, ensuring divine order and justice, not human retribution. The formality underscores the sanctity and solemnity of the procedure.
• Words-group Analysis: "The Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people": This phrase encapsulates the social and communal repercussions of divine judgment. The guilty woman becomes a proverbial example, a visible sign of the Lord's intervention against sin, serving as a warning to the entire community about the consequences of infidelity and dishonesty before God.
• Words-group Analysis: "when the Lord makes your thigh waste away and your abdomen swell": These specific physical manifestations are direct, palpable consequences designed to validate God's judgment publicly. They point to an affliction of the very organs related to procreation, symbolizing that the woman, if guilty, will bear no fruit (children) from her sexual transgression, and will be unable to conceal her sin due to a visibly afflicted body.

Numbers 5 21 Bonus section

The "oath of the curse" (אָלָה, alah) here carries significant weight beyond mere words. It refers to a self-maledictory oath, meaning the individual calling upon themselves a specific set of curses if their testimony is false. This deepens the woman's participation in her own judgment; by drinking the water after hearing this oath, she effectively agrees to suffer the consequences if she has lied. This form of oath-taking reinforces the seriousness of lying before God. Furthermore, the ordeal's specific physical outcomes are symbolic. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, fertility was a paramount blessing and infertility a grave curse. The symptoms described not only publicly identify guilt but also metaphorically "unfruit" the woman, denying her the blessing of progeny as a direct consequence of her defiling the marriage bed, thereby preventing her from passing on the tainted lineage, or suffering the very consequence of losing the very offspring gained by illicit means. This detail is crucial in understanding the depth of divine punishment in a society deeply valuing children and family continuity.

Numbers 5 21 Commentary

Numbers 5:21 unveils the precise nature of the priest's pronouncement in the ordeal of the bitter water, central to God's judicial process for suspected adultery. It highlights that the outcome is explicitly from the Lord, making this a divine, rather than human, verdict. The specified physical consequences—a "wasting thigh" and "swelling abdomen"—are widely interpreted as reproductive dysfunction, leading to miscarriage, infertility, or debilitating disease affecting the generative organs. These afflictions directly relate to the presumed sin of illicit sexual activity, thereby providing visible confirmation of guilt to the community and acting as a powerful deterrent. This divine intervention bypasses the need for human witnesses where none exist, underscoring God's omniscience and unwavering commitment to marital purity within Israel. It serves as a stark reminder that all hidden sins are open before God, who is the ultimate righteous Judge. For instance, in societies lacking modern forensic methods, this divinely ordained test ensured justice was met, affirming God's active involvement in the moral order of His people.