ScriptureDepth's study of Numbers 5
“If the woman isn’t defiled, but is clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive offspring.”
Numbers 5:28
The priest determines if a wife is defiled or clean, and this judgment affects her status and ability to conceive, as stated in the phrase 'shall conceive offspring'.
What Numbers 5 is about
Yahweh commands Moses to have the Israelites remove lepers and those unclean due to issues or the dead from the camp (vv. 1-4). This action is to prevent defilement in the camp where Yahweh dwells. Moses is instructed to tell the Israelites that if a person commits a sin against Yahweh, they must confess, make full restitution plus a fifth of the value, and give it to the wronged party (vv. 5-10). If there is no kinsman for restitution, the priest receives the guilt offering. Additionally, if a man suspects his wife of unfaithfulness, he is to bring her before the priest with a meal offering of jealousy (vv. 11-15). The priest conducts an ordeal using water mixed with dust from the tabernacle floor, invoking curses if she is guilty (vv. 16-24). If she is innocent, she will conceive; if guilty, she will suffer the consequences outlined (vv. 25-31).
The law establishes clear procedures for handling issues of purity and marital faithfulness among the Israelites.
Numbers 5 at a glance
- Numbers 5:1–4Cleansing the Camp
- Numbers 5:5–10Restitution for Sin
- Numbers 5:11–31The Ordeal of Bitter Water
Key verse: Numbers 5:28
One thing to notice
Verses 2-4 contain commands specifically about cleanliness in the camp, instructing to 'put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead.' This reveals a clear focus on maintaining purity among the people of Israel before Yahweh.
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Numbers 5 (WEB)
Cleansing the Camp Numbers 5:1–4
1Verse 1. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Verse 2. “Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead. 3Verse 3. Both you shall put male and female outside of the camp; that they not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.” 4Verse 4. The children of Israel did so, and put them outside of the camp; as Yahweh spoke to Moses, so did the children of Israel.
Restitution for Sin Numbers 5:5–10
5Verse 5. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6Verse 6. “Speak to the children of Israel: ‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Yahweh, and that soul is guilty; 7Verse 7. then he shall confess his sin which he has done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty. 8Verse 8. But if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to Yahweh shall be the priest’s; besides the ram of the atonement, by which atonement shall be made for him.
9Verse 9. Every heave offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present to the priest, shall be his. 10Verse 10. Every man’s holy things shall be his: whatever any man gives the priest, it shall be his.’”
The Ordeal of Bitter Water Numbers 5:11–31
11Verse 11. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12Verse 12. “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray, and is unfaithful to him, 13Verse 13. and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and this is kept concealed, and she is defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she isn’t taken in the act; 14Verse 14. and the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she is defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she isn’t defiled:
15Verse 15. then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her: one tenth of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory. 16Verse 16. The priest shall bring her near, and set her before Yahweh; 17Verse 17. and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water. 18Verse 18. The priest shall set the woman before Yahweh, and let the hair of the woman’s head go loose, and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal offering of jealousy. The priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that brings a curse.
19Verse 19. The priest shall cause her to swear, and shall tell the woman, “If no man has lain with you, and if you haven’t gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse. 20Verse 20. But if you have gone astray, being under your husband, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband:” 21Verse 21. then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, “Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Yahweh allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell;
22Verse 22. and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.” The woman shall say, “Amen, Amen.” 23Verse 23. “‘The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness. 24Verse 24. He shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that causes the curse; and the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter. 25Verse 25. The priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the meal offering before Yahweh, and bring it to the altar.
26Verse 26. The priest shall take a handful of the meal offering, as its memorial, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27Verse 27. When he has made her drink the water, then it shall happen, if she is defiled, and has committed a trespass against her husband, that the water that causes the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her body will swell, and her thigh will fall away: and the woman will be a curse among her people. 28Verse 28. If the woman isn’t defiled, but is clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive offspring.
29Verse 29. “‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled; 30Verse 30. or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before Yahweh, and the priest shall execute on her all this law. 31Verse 31. The man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity.’”
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Numbers 5
purity
Purity is addressed in the command to put out of the camp those who are unclean, including lepers and those who have issues, as stated in verses 2-3. This separation serves to maintain the holiness of the camp where Yahweh dwells. Excluding those deemed unclean shows the seriousness of preserving purity within the community.
community accountability
The chapter establishes community accountability when individuals commit sins that affect others, as seen in verses 6-7. Here, a person is instructed to confess their sin and make restitution, ensuring that wrongs are acknowledged and repaired. This process promotes the responsibility of individuals to one another within the Israelite community.
faithfulness in relationships
Faithfulness in relationships is a central theme in the ordeal of bitter water, particularly in vv. 12-13 and 19-20. When a husband suspects his wife of unfaithfulness, the prescribed ritual allows for a public examination of her fidelity. The process highlights the seriousness of marital faithfulness and the consequences of infidelity.
divine justice
Divine justice is portrayed through the consequences outlined in the ritual involving the bitter water, particularly in verses 21-22. The woman must swear an oath, and if found guilty, she faces physical consequences. This indicates that Yahweh administers justice in the community, ensuring that moral breaches result in tangible repercussions.
Chapter outline
How Numbers 5 unfolds
Numbers 5:1–4 Cleansing the Camp
Yahweh commands Moses to expel those who are unclean from the camp, including lepers and those with bodily issues or who have touched the dead (vv. 2-3). The Israelites comply with this command as directed (v. 4).
Numbers 5:5–10 Restitution for Sin
Moses is instructed to tell the Israelites that any person guilty of sin must confess and make restitution, adding one-fifth to the amount due (v. 7). If no relative is available for restitution, the priest receives it (v. 8).
Numbers 5:11–31 The Ordeal of Bitter Water
The priest conducts an ordeal for a wife suspected of infidelity, using bitter water to determine her faithfulness (vv. 17-18). If she is guilty, she faces consequences, but if innocent, she will conceive (vv. 27-28).
Key verses
Numbers 5:28The priest determines if a wife is defiled or clean, and this judgment affects her status and ability to conceive, as stated in the phrase 'shall conceive offspring'.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Numbers 5
- observeWhat does Yahweh command in v2 regarding those who are 'unclean'?
- observeWhat does the priest do with the 'water of bitterness' in v24?
- interpretIn vv. 19-20, why does the priest first address the woman's purity before the curse?
- interpretWhat is the implication of the phrase 'amen, amen' in v22 spoken by the woman?
- applyWhen have you faced a situation where trust was tested, like the jealousy described in v14?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Numbers 5
- Leviticus 5Numbers 5:7 and Leviticus 5:5Both confess their sin: Numbers 5:7 says he shall confess his sin, while Leviticus 5:5 states he shall confess that in which he has sinned.
- Leviticus 6Numbers 5:8 and Leviticus 6:6Both bring a ram: Numbers 5:8 states restitution for guilt shall be the priest’s, while Leviticus 6:6 instructs bringing a ram as a trespass offering.
- Leviticus 15Numbers 5:3 and Leviticus 15:31Both separate the unclean: Numbers 5:3 commands putting the unclean outside of the camp, while Leviticus 15:31 stresses separating the children of Israel from their uncleanness.
- Numbers 19Numbers 5:2 and Numbers 19:11Both define uncleanness: Numbers 5:2 commands putting out those unclean by the dead, while Numbers 19:11 states touching a dead body makes one unclean.
- Luke 19Numbers 5:7 and Luke 19:8Both confess and restore: Numbers 5:7 requires confession and restitution, while Luke 19:8 records Zacchaeus restoring four times what he took wrongfully.
- Leviticus 26Numbers 5:7 and Leviticus 26:40Both confess iniquity: Numbers 5:7 states he shall confess his sin, while Leviticus 26:40 emphasizes confessing their iniquity and that of their fathers.
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