Numbers 5:26 kjv
And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
Numbers 5:26 nkjv
and the priest shall take a handful of the offering, as its memorial portion, burn it on the altar, and afterward make the woman drink the water.
Numbers 5:26 niv
The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water.
Numbers 5:26 esv
And the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water.
Numbers 5:26 nlt
He will take a handful of the flour as a token portion and burn it on the altar, and he will require the woman to drink the water.
Numbers 5 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 2:2 | The priest shall take from it a handful of its fine flour... for a memorial portion (azkarah) | Meal offerings require a memorial portion. |
| Lev 2:9 | Then the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion... and burn it | Priest's role in burning memorial portion. |
| Lev 2:16 | And the priest shall burn its memorial portion of the crushed grain... an offering by fire | Ritual of burning as an offering to God. |
| Lev 5:12 | The priest shall take from it his handful of its fine flour... for a memorial portion (azkarah) | Similar instruction for sin offering. |
| Lev 6:15 | And the priest who offers it shall take a handful of the fine flour... and burn it | Priest taking a portion and burning. |
| Num 5:18 | ...the priest shall set the jealousy offering in her hands, which is a grain offering of memorial | The entire offering is a memorial. |
| Isa 66:3 | He who burns memorial incense… it is as if he blesses an idol. | Contrast: proper versus idolatrous burning. |
| 1 Sam 2:28 | ...and burn incense, and wear an ephod before me; and I gave to the house of your father all… | Priestly duties, including burning incense. |
| Ps 20:3 | May He remember all your offerings and accept your burnt offering! | God's remembrance of offerings. |
| Gen 8:21 | And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma; and the LORD said in His heart… | The pleasing aroma of an acceptable offering. |
| Exod 29:18 | You shall burn the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD. | Burning as a full devotion to God. |
| Phil 4:18 | ...a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. | New Covenant spiritual offerings as pleasing to God. |
| Heb 9:13-14 | If the blood of goats and bulls... sanctify for the purification of the flesh... how much more… | Old Covenant rituals foreshadowing Christ. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | For the law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come... can never make perfect… | Old Covenant sacrifices as temporary means. |
| Rom 12:1 | ...present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God… | New Covenant understanding of offering. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | ...a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. | Believers as priests offering spiritual sacrifices. |
| Mal 3:3-4 | ...and cleanse the sons of Levi... so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. | Purified priesthood presenting offerings. |
| Exod 30:7-8 | Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; every morning... he shall burn it. | Burning of incense associated with remembrance. |
| Jer 6:20 | What purpose does frankincense from Sheba serve for me... Their burnt offerings are not acceptable… | Unacceptable offerings due to heart condition. |
| Hos 8:13 | As for My sacrificial gifts, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. | Offerings are only accepted when done correctly. |
| Amos 5:21-22 | I hate, I reject your festivals... Even though you offer me burnt offerings... I will not accept them. | God desires righteousness over mere ritual. |
| Matt 5:23-24 | So if you are presenting your gift at the altar, and there remember… | Right standing with God prioritizes reconciliation. |
| 1 John 3:21 | Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God. | God knows the truth, leading to confidence. |
| Jer 17:10 | I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man… | God's knowledge of the human heart. |
| Prov 24:12 | If you say, “See, we did not know this!” Does not He who weighs the hearts discern it? | God discerns the truth hidden from others. |
Numbers 5 verses
Numbers 5 26 Meaning
Numbers 5:26 details the ritual act of the priest taking a handful of the jealousy offering, specifically the "memorial portion" (azkarah), and burning it upon the altar. This action serves as a symbolic presentation before the LORD, invoking divine attention and witness to the unfolding test of fidelity. It initiates the process of divine judgment or vindication concerning the accused woman.
Numbers 5 26 Context
Numbers chapter 5 details laws pertaining to the purification of the Israelite camp and the sanctification of its members, beginning with expelling the unclean and then addressing restitution for wrongs committed against God or man. Verses 11-31 present the "Ordeal of the Bitter Water" (mei hamarim), a unique legal and religious procedure designed for a husband whose wife is suspected of infidelity but without direct witnesses. The entire process, from presenting the offering to administering the water, underscores the seriousness of covenant breaking and the divine demand for truth within marriage. Verse 26 is a pivotal moment within this ordeal, as the priest takes a handful of the special "jealousy offering" (minchah), burns it as a "memorial portion" (azkarah) on the altar, symbolizing the offering being brought to God's remembrance and attention, paving the way for divine intervention and revelation of truth through the bitter water.
Numbers 5 26 Word analysis
- וְלָקַח (v'laqaḥ) - "And he shall take": From the root לָקַח (laqaḥ), meaning "to take, seize, fetch." This highlights the priest's active role as God's designated representative in executing this sacred ritual. It's a deliberate, authorized act.
- הַכֹּהֵן (hakohen) - "the priest": Refers to the Aaronite priest, the sole authorized minister for sacred offerings and rituals in the tabernacle. His presence validates the legality and spiritual efficacy of the procedure. His actions are God's actions through His appointed agent.
- מִן־הַמִּנְחָה (min-hamminḥah) - "from the offering": Refers to the special "grain offering" or "meal offering" prescribed for this ordeal, made of barley flour without oil or frankincense (Num 5:15). Unlike typical `minḥah` offerings that signified tribute or thanksgiving, this one explicitly symbolized suspicion and lacked the components of joy, reflecting the bitter context.
- אֶת־אַזְכָּרָתָהּ (et-ʾazkārātāh) - "its memorial portion": This is a crucial term, derived from זָכַר (zākar), "to remember." The `azkarah` (memorial portion) is a part of the grain offering that is burned on the altar, specifically intended to bring the offering to God's remembrance or attention. It is not for God to remember what He has forgotten, but for Him to acknowledge, be present, and act according to His character and the purpose of the offering. It ensures the divine witness and invocation of God’s decree in this difficult matter.
- וְהִקְטִיר (v'hiqṭir) - "and he shall burn": From the root קָטַר (qaṭar), meaning "to send up in smoke, to burn incense." This action on the altar signifies dedicating the offering entirely to the LORD, transforming the physical offering into smoke ascending heavenward, thereby making it acceptable and presentable before God.
- הַמִּזְבֵּחָה (hammizbeḥah) - "on the altar": Refers to the bronze altar of burnt offering, the central place for sacrificial worship in the tabernacle. It signifies the sacred locus of encounter between God and His people, where offerings are consecrated and divine judgment/acceptance is sought.
- "And he shall take from the offering its memorial portion and burn it on the altar": This phrase highlights the priest's essential role in interceding before God. The `azkarah` aspect transforms the mundane act of taking a handful of flour into a potent appeal to the divine, reminding God of the specific purpose for which this unusual offering is made – the revelation of hidden truth. This specific burning signifies that the accusation has been formally presented before the Judge of all the earth.
Numbers 5 26 Bonus section
The act of burning the "memorial portion" of the minchah in Numbers 5:26 stands in stark contrast to other offerings which might symbolize atonement or thanksgiving. Here, the offering specifically emphasizes invoking divine remembrance in a legal-forensic context. The lack of oil and frankincense in this specific minchah (Num 5:15), components usually associated with joy or special dedication, further underscores the grim, unadorned nature of an offering brought under suspicion of sin. This unique ritual reflects a divine mechanism to address social harmony and covenant purity in the absence of tangible evidence, showcasing God's active involvement in the daily lives and moral conduct of His people. It implicitly protected against arbitrary accusations by placing the outcome under divine adjudication.
Numbers 5 26 Commentary
Numbers 5:26 describes a core element of the "jealousy offering" ritual, a unique legal proceeding in ancient Israel. The burning of the "memorial portion" (azkarah) on the altar by the priest served as the solemn initiation of divine involvement in the suspected marital infidelity. This was not a magical act but a ritual solemnization intended to invoke God's witness and judgment. The azkarah concept across the Torah (e.g., Lev 2:2, 9) implies presenting something to God for His remembrance and favorable action. In this specific case, it meant calling upon God to reveal the truth concerning the accused woman, as human testimony was lacking. The offering itself, of common barley flour, symbolized humility and possibly the bitter situation, while the priestly act of burning transformed it into a sacred petition. It underscored God's sovereignty over truth, justice, and the sanctity of marriage within the covenant community. It served as a reminder that hidden sins and matters of the heart are known to God, who would ultimately expose the guilty or vindicate the innocent.