Numbers 5:17-24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 5:11-31

We have here the law concerning the solemn trial of a wife whose husband was jealous of her. Observe, I. What was the case supposed: That a man had some reason to suspect his wife to have committed adultery, Luke 5:12-14. Here, 1. The sin of adultery is justly represented as an exceedingly sinful sin; it is going aside from God and virtue, and the good way, Prov. 2:17. It is committing a trespass against the husband, robbing him of his honour, alienating his right, introducing a spurious breed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:17

And the priest shall take holy water ,.... Out of the laver, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra: in an earthen vessel ; which held half a log, and that was but a quarter of a pint, or three egg shells; for no more was assigned, to a suspected woman, according to the Misnah F18 Sotah, c. 2. sect. 2. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 3. . Some say only a fourth part: an earthen vessel was made use of, as everything vile and mean was in this affair: and of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:18

And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord ,.... In the east of the tabernacle, with her face to the west, where was the holy of holies, so Ben Gersom; but not immediately for they had her from place to place, as Jarchi says, till she was weary, and her mind disturbed, that she might confess; and if she said, I am defiled, she rent the writing of her dowry, and went out; but if she said, I am pure, they brought her to the eastern gate, the gate of Nicanor, for there they made women... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:19

And the priest shall charge her by an oath ,.... Or give her her oath: and say unto the woman, if no man hath lain with thee : besides her husband: and thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband ; which is but another phrase expressive of the same thing, the sin of adultery: be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse ; if this is the case, it shall produce no bitter effects, or bring any curse upon thee. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:20

But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband ,.... Gone aside from the paths of modesty and chastity, and betook herself to another man's bed instead of her husband's: and if thou be defiled , by committing adultery: and some man hath lain with thee beside thy husband ; these phrases are all synonymous, and a heap of words are made use of to express the sin, and that there might be no evasion of it, and that it might be clear what was intended, this being said on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:21

Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing ,.... An oath which has a curse annexed to it, if taken falsely, which was to be pronounced upon the woman if guilty: and the priest shall say unto the woman ; pronouncing the imprecation or curse upon her, she having taken the oath, should she be guilty of the crime suspected of, and she had swore concerning: the Lord make thee a curse, and an oath among the people ; accursed according to the oath taken; or let this be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:22

And this water that causeth the curse ,.... Upon the drinking of which the curse follows, if guilty: shall go into thy bowels ; and there operate and produce the above effects, which are repeated again to inject terror: to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot ; here ends the form of the oath, which begins Numbers 5:19 , and the woman shall say, amen, amen ; so be it; let it be as pronounced, if I am guilty; which, as Aben Ezra observes, is repeated for the sake of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:23

And the priest shall write these curses in a book ,.... The above curses imprecated on herself by an oath; the words and the letters of them were written at length, in a scroll of parchment; and, as some say also, her name, but not her double amen to them F25 Misnah, ut supra, (Sotah, c. 2) sect. 3. : and he shall blot them out with the bitter water : wash them out with it, and into it, or scrape them off of the parchment into it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:24

And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse ,..... Having the curse imprecated upon herself, if guilty, scraped into it; and this she was obliged to drink, whether she would or not; so it is said, if the roll is blotted out, and she says I am defiled, the water is poured out, and her offering is scattered in the place of ashes; if the roll is blotted out, and she says I will not drink, then force her, and make her drink whether she will or no F26 Misnah,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 5:17

Holy water - Water out of the laver, called holy because consecrated to sacred uses. This is the most ancient case of the trial by ordeal. See at Numbers 5:31 ; (note). In an earthen vessel - Supposed by the Jews to be such as had never been previously used. Dust that is in the floor - Probably intended to point out the baseness of the crime of which she was accused. read more

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