And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:

NUMBERS 5:19KJV
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Numbers 5:19 (KJV)

What does Numbers 5:19 mean?

Numbers 5:19 describes the priest making a woman take an oath, declaring that if she has not slept with another man or been unfaithful to her husband, she will not be harmed by the bitter water used in this ritual. The verse is part of a ceremony to determine a wife's faithfulness if her husband suspects adultery but has no proof.

In this setting, the priest (a religious leader) speaks directly to the woman, charging her with an oath (a solemn promise) before God. The ritual involves "bitter water" that is believed to bring a curse if the woman is guilty of adultery. This process is meant to resolve suspicions in a marriage when there is no evidence, highlighting the seriousness of both the accusation and the oath.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 5:19

  • Priest (כֹּהֵן, kohen): The kohen is the religious official overseeing the ceremony, emphasizing the formal and sacred nature of the process.
  • Oath (שָׁבַע, shava): This word refers to a solemn vow or promise, showing that what the woman says is binding and taken very seriously.
  • Aside (שָׂטָה, satah): This word means to turn aside or go astray, often used for unfaithfulness. It highlights that the accusation is about more than just physical adultery—it is about breaking trust.
  • Uncleanness (טֻמְאָה, tum’ah): This term refers to ritual or moral impurity, underlining that the issue is not just social but also spiritual in the community’s eyes.
  • Free (נָקִי, naqi): This word means to be innocent or exempt, making clear that the woman will not suffer harm from the water if she is telling the truth.

Why Numbers 5:19 matters

  • Numbers 5:19 clarifies that the ritual is not automatic punishment but a test based on the woman's own oath and innocence, countering the idea that it was a form of arbitrary judgment.
  • The verse shows the seriousness with which accusations of adultery were handled in ancient Israel, involving both legal and spiritual elements.
  • Understanding this verse helps explain the broader passage, where the ritual is designed to resolve hidden suspicions and restore trust, rather than to shame or punish without cause.

Where else these words appear

“aside” Hebrew H7847 · used in 6 verses

  • Numbers 5:12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
  • Numbers 5:20 But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
  • Proverbs 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

“uncleanness” Hebrew H2932 · used in 31 verses

  • Leviticus 5:3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
  • Leviticus 16:19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
  • Ezra 9:11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

“free” Hebrew H5352 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 24:8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
  • 1 Samuel 26:9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?
  • Proverbs 19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

“bitter” Hebrew H4751 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 27:34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
  • 2 Samuel 17:8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
  • Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!