Numbers 5:27 (KJV)

What does Numbers 5:27 mean?

Numbers 5:27 describes what would happen to a woman suspected of adultery if she was guilty, according to the ritual outlined by God to Moses: after drinking the special water, if she was "defiled," the water would cause a physical curse—her belly would swell, her thigh would rot, and she would become a warning or curse among her people. This verse explains the visible consequences that would follow if the woman had indeed been unfaithful to her husband.

In context, Moses is relaying God's instructions to the Israelites about how to handle cases of suspected adultery when there is no proof. The priest would make the woman drink "bitter water" as part of a ritual test. If she was innocent, nothing would happen; if guilty, the curse described in this verse would serve as a public sign of her wrongdoing, emphasizing the seriousness with which marital faithfulness was treated in ancient Israel.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 5:27

• "Defiled" (נִטְמְאָה, nitme'ah) means to be made unclean or impure, especially in a moral or ritual sense. Here, it refers specifically to the act of adultery.
• "Curse" (אָלָה, alah) and "curse" (מְאָלָה, me'alah) both appear here, highlighting that the water is not just bitter but is believed to carry a divine judgment or consequence.
• "Bitter" (מָרִים, marim) describes the water's effect, suggesting not just taste but a harmful outcome.
• "Belly" (בֶּטֶן, beten) and "thigh" (יָרֵךְ, yarekh) are used to describe the physical affliction, with "thigh" often understood as a euphemism for reproductive organs, pointing to the seriousness of the curse affecting her ability to bear children.

Why Numbers 5:27 matters

• Numbers 5:27 clarifies that the ritual was not a general test but specifically targeted cases where there was suspicion but no evidence, showing the community's concern for both justice and protecting the innocent.
• The verse highlights the public and physical nature of the consequences, which would serve as a deterrent and a warning within the community.
• Understanding the specific Hebrew words helps readers see that the ritual was intended to reveal hidden guilt, not simply to punish, and that the effects described were seen as a direct act of divine judgment rather than a natural result of drinking the water.