Numbers 5
Numbers 5 contains regulations given to preserve purity, justice, and order within the Israelite camp. Because the LORD’s presence dwelt among the people, the camp was to be treated as a holy community. The chapter addresses ritual uncleanness, restitution for wrongdoing, and the difficult case of suspected marital unfaithfulness.
1verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2verse“Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is unclean by a corpse.
3verseYou shall put both male and female outside of the camp so that they don’t defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.”
4verseThe children of Israel did so, and put them outside of the camp; as the LORD spoke to Moses, so the children of Israel did.
5verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
6verse“Speak to the children of Israel: ‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against the LORD, and that soul is guilty,
7versethen he shall confess his sin which he has done; and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty.
8verseBut if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to the LORD shall be the priest’s, in addition to the ram of the atonement, by which atonement shall be made for him.
9verseEvery heave offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present to the priest, shall be his.
10verseEvery man’s holy things shall be his; whatever any man gives the priest, it shall be his.’”
11verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
12verse“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him,
13verseand 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, there is no witness against her, and she isn’t taken in the act;
14verseand 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;
15versethen 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.
16verseThe priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD.
17verseThe priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and the priest shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.
18verseThe priest shall set the woman before the LORD, 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.
19verseThe priest shall cause her to take an oath 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’s authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse.
20verseBut if you have gone astray, being under your husband’s authority, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband—”
21versethen the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, “May the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the LORD allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell;
22verseand 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“‘The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall wipe them into the water of bitterness.
24verseHe 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.
25verseThe priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the meal offering before the LORD, and bring it to the altar.
26verseThe priest shall take a handful of the meal offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water.
27verseWhen 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.
28verseIf the woman isn’t defiled, but is clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive offspring.
29verse“‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled,
30verseor when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute on her all this law.
31verseThe man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity.’”
Purity of the Camp (Numbers 5:1–4)
The first section instructs that those with certain forms of ritual uncleanness—such as serious skin disease, bodily discharge, or contact with the dead—be placed outside the camp for a time. This was not only a matter of hygiene but also a ritual and communal measure in a society organized around the presence of God.
Confession, Restitution, and Restoration (Numbers 5:5–10)
The second section deals with wrongdoing against another person. The offender is to confess the sin, make full restitution, and add one-fifth to what was owed. If the injured party has no close relative to receive repayment, the restitution is given to the LORD through the priest. This regulation connects repentance with concrete responsibility and restoration.
The Law Concerning a Suspected Wife (Numbers 5:11–31)
The longest section describes a ritual procedure for a case in which a husband suspects his wife of unfaithfulness but there is no witness. In its ancient legal and ritual context, the case is brought before the priest and placed before God rather than being settled by private retaliation or rumor.
- The procedure reflects an ancient covenantal and legal setting: it should be interpreted within its historical context, not applied as a modern model for suspicion, coercion, or unequal treatment.
- The passage shows the seriousness with which the community treated truth, marriage, jealousy, and unresolved accusation.
Meditation Points
- What responsibility do I have for the purity, justice, and health of the community around me?
- When I have wronged someone, do I stop at regret, or do I seek confession, restitution, and restoration?
- How should unresolved suspicion or conflict be handled with truth, restraint, and reverence before God?
Try Applying It to Yourself
- If there is wrongdoing in your life, acknowledge it honestly and take practical steps toward restoration.
- Be careful not to let suspicion, rumor, or jealousy harm another person unjustly.
- Practice building a community marked by truth, responsibility, and care for the vulnerable.
