And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;
NUMBERS 5:13KJVWhat does Numbers 5:13 mean?
Numbers 5:13 describes a situation where a married woman has sexual relations with another man in secret, so that her husband does not know, there are no witnesses, and she is not caught in the act. This verse sets up the conditions for a case of suspected adultery that cannot be proven by direct evidence.
In this part of the book of Numbers, God is giving Moses instructions for dealing with accusations of unfaithfulness within marriage. The focus here is on what should happen if a husband suspects his wife of adultery but there is no proof—no one saw it happen, and she was not caught. The verse outlines the hidden nature of the alleged act, which leads into the following verses about the ritual for determining guilt or innocence.
The Hebrew behind Numbers 5:13
- "lie" (שָׁכַב, shakav): This word means to lie down, often as a euphemism for sexual relations. Its use here makes clear the nature of the accusation.
- "carnally" (שִׁכְבַת, shikhvat; זֶרַע, zera): These words together refer to sexual intercourse, specifically involving the emission of semen. This detail emphasizes that the act in question is not just being alone together but actual sexual contact.
- "hid" (נִסְתְּרָה, nisterah): This word means to be hidden or concealed. It highlights the secrecy of the act, which is central to why the case is difficult to resolve.
- "witness" (עֵד, ed): This word means a person who can testify to what happened. The verse stresses that there is no such person in this situation.
Why Numbers 5:13 matters
- Numbers 5:13 clarifies that the ritual described in the following verses is specifically for cases where there is suspicion but no proof or witnesses, not for situations where adultery is confirmed.
- The verse shows the seriousness with which hidden actions and marital faithfulness were treated in ancient Israel, even when evidence was lacking.
- Understanding the details in this verse helps explain why a special procedure was needed—because normal legal processes could not resolve such hidden cases.