Numbers 5:15

15. Bring his wife unto the priest The outline of this ritual consisted in the presentation of the suspected wife by her husband to the priest with an offering to bring iniquity “to remembrance.” The essential part was the oath, in which she solemnly protested her innocence, the water being merely the visible channel through which the supernatural curse was to operate, as the clay put upon the eyes of the blind was a visible link between the divine omnipotence and the opening of the eyes. God was invoked to pronounce sentence, and his presence was recognised by throwing a handful of the barley meal on the blazing altar, the woman meanwhile standing before the Lord with the offering in her hand. The priest stood holding the earthen vessel of holy water, mixed with dust taken from the floor of the sanctuary, declaring the woman free from evil consequences if innocent, and dooming her to terrible sufferings if guilty. The curses written in a book were then washed off into the water; the woman drank it, and uttered “Amen, amen,” to the curses falling upon her head from the lips of the priest.

Her offering None were allowed to approach the sanctuary empty handed. Exodus 23:15. The Hebrew word for offering corban is from the verb to approach, implying that an offering of access or introduction must be made to Jehovah, in accordance with Oriental usage when an inferior comes into the presence of a superior.

The tenth of an ephah of barley meal The ephah, according to Josephus, was about eight and a half gallons; but the Rabbies say that it was about half that quantity. The barley meal, without oil or frankincense, was a coarse and cheap offering, symbolizing the gross animal character and vileness of the crime in question, and the sad state of the family offering it. It was not an atoning sacrifice, but a memorial solemnly referring the decision to Jehovah. This meat offering, made without the accompaniment of burnt offerings and peace offerings, proves its independence, which has been denied by Bahr and Kurtz on insufficient grounds. No oil was to be poured upon it, probably because the oil is not only the emblem of joy, but in its threefold use for light, food, and healing, symbolizes the illumination, the spiritual sustenance, and restoring efficacy of the Holy Ghost, whose inner abode presupposes the sincerity of the worshipper, the very point in question in the case of the suspected wife.

Nor… frankincense Since this was the emblem of acceptable prayer, it could not be offered by her who might be regarding iniquity in her heart, in which case prayer, instead of being a savour of sweet smell, is a stench in the nostrils of Jehovah.

Bringing iniquity to remembrance This was designed not only to quicken the slumbering conscience of the accused, but to exhibit to all spectators the turpitude of this great sin. In an anthropomorphic view of God, it was an appeal to the memory of God to remind him of his promise to interpose for the decision of this trial.