and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse--'then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell. and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse—In ancient Israel, the priest played a crucial role in mediating between God and the people. This phrase indicates a formal and solemn procedure, where the woman is required to take an oath. The context is a ritual for determining the guilt or innocence of a woman suspected of adultery, known as the "ordeal of jealousy." The oath of the curse is a serious invocation, reflecting the gravity of the situation. Oaths were binding and sacred, often invoking divine judgment if broken. This reflects the cultural and religious importance of truth and fidelity in marriage, as well as the community's reliance on divine justice. ‘then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people
The invocation of the LORD's name signifies the seriousness of the curse. In ancient Israel, being a curse among one's people meant being publicly shamed and ostracized. This reflects the communal nature of Israelite society, where individual actions affected the entire community. The phrase "attested curse" implies a visible and undeniable sign of divine judgment, serving as a warning to others. This concept is echoed in Deuteronomy 28, where blessings and curses are pronounced based on obedience to God's law. The communal aspect underscores the importance of maintaining purity and faithfulness within the covenant community. by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell.
The physical symptoms described are symbolic of divine judgment. The "thigh" and "belly" are euphemistic references to reproductive organs, indicating a curse on fertility and the ability to bear children. In the cultural context, fertility was highly valued, and barrenness was seen as a sign of divine disfavor. The specific symptoms serve as a tangible sign of guilt, contrasting with the blessings of health and prosperity promised to the obedient. This reflects the broader biblical theme of blessings and curses tied to covenant faithfulness, as seen in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. The physical manifestation of the curse also serves as a type of divine justice, prefiguring the ultimate judgment and redemption through Jesus Christ, who bore the curse of sin on behalf of humanity. Persons / Places / Events 1. The PriestA religious leader responsible for administering the oath and the ritual described in this passage. The priest acts as an intermediary between God and the people. 2. The WomanThe subject of the ritual, suspected of infidelity. She is brought before the priest to undergo a test of her faithfulness. 3. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who is invoked in the oath. His involvement underscores the seriousness of the ritual and the divine judgment it represents. 4. The Oath of the CurseA solemn declaration invoking divine judgment if the woman is guilty. It is a formalized ritual meant to reveal truth and maintain community purity. 5. The Israelite CommunityThe broader context in which this event takes place, emphasizing communal holiness and the social implications of personal sin. Teaching Points The Seriousness of SinSin, particularly adultery, is taken seriously in the community of Israel. It affects not only the individuals involved but the entire community's holiness. The Role of the PriestThe priest serves as a mediator, highlighting the need for spiritual leadership and guidance in resolving conflicts and maintaining community standards. Divine Justice and MercyWhile the passage emphasizes divine justice, it also points to the need for mercy and forgiveness, as seen in the broader biblical account. Community ResponsibilityThe community is responsible for upholding God's standards, emphasizing the importance of accountability and support within the body of believers. Faith and Trust in GodThe ritual underscores the need for faith and trust in God's justice, encouraging believers to rely on Him for truth and vindication. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the role of the priest in Numbers 5:21 reflect the importance of spiritual leadership in addressing sin within a community? 2. In what ways does the ritual described in Numbers 5:21 emphasize the seriousness of sin and its impact on the community? 3. How can we balance the need for justice with the call for mercy and forgiveness in our own lives, as seen in the broader biblical account? 4. What lessons can we learn from the communal aspect of this passage about our responsibility to uphold God's standards in our own communities? 5. How does the concept of divine justice in Numbers 5:21 encourage us to trust in God's sovereignty and righteousness in our personal and communal lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Leviticus 20:10This passage outlines the consequences of adultery, providing context for the seriousness of the accusation in Numbers 5:21. Deuteronomy 19:15-21Discusses the importance of witnesses and justice, highlighting the need for truth in accusations and the protection of the innocent. John 8:3-11The account of the woman caught in adultery, where Jesus emphasizes mercy and forgiveness, offering a New Testament perspective on dealing with sin. People Ephah, Israelites, MosesPlaces SinaiTopics Abdomen, Adjure, Allows, Belly, Body, Cause, Caused, Causes, Charge, Curse, Cursing, Denounce, Disease, Execration, Fall, Giving, Legs, Lord's, Makes, Making, Midst, Oath, Perish, Priest, Rot, Sending, Shrink, Stomach, Swear, Swell, Thigh, Waste, WastingDictionary of Bible Themes Numbers 5:21 5979 waste Numbers 5:11-28 4456 grain Numbers 5:11-31 5472 proof, evidence
8830 suspicion Numbers 5:19-22 7348 defilement Numbers 5:20-22 5185 stomach Numbers 5:21-22 5190 thigh Library Meditations against Despair, or Doubting of God's Mercy.
It is found by continual experience, that near the time of death, when the children of God are weakest, then Satan makes the greatest nourish of his strength, and assails them with his strongest temptations. For he knows that either he must now or never prevail; for if their souls once go to heaven, he shall never vex nor trouble them any more. And therefore he will now bestir himself as much as he can, and labour to set before their eyes all the gross sins which ever they committed, and the judgments …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of PietyCiii. Zacchæus. Parable of the Pounds. Journey to Jerusalem.
(Jericho.) ^C Luke XIX. 1-28. ^c 1 And he entered and was passing through Jericho. [This was about one week before the crucifixion. Jericho is about seven miles from the Jordan and about seventeen and a half from Jerusalem.] 2 And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. [See p. 76. It is probable that Zacchæus was a sub-contractor under some Roman knight who had bought the privilege of collecting taxes at Jericho, or perhaps the privilege of all …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS. 1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress." London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in the Poultry, 1689. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to edit which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary on my left. It was very frequently republished; …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Subjects of Study. Home Education in Israel; Female Education. Elementary Schools, Schoolmasters, and School Arrangements.
If a faithful picture of society in ancient Greece or Rome were to be presented to view, it is not easy to believe that even they who now most oppose the Bible could wish their aims success. For this, at any rate, may be asserted, without fear of gainsaying, that no other religion than that of the Bible has proved competent to control an advanced, or even an advancing, state of civilisation. Every other bound has been successively passed and submerged by the rising tide; how deep only the student …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Jesus Heals a Leper and Creates Much Excitement.
^A Matt.VIII. 2-4; ^B Mark I. 40-45; ^C Luke V. 12-16. ^c 12 And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities [it was a city of Galilee, but as it was not named, it is idle to conjecture which city it was], behold, ^b there cometh { ^a came} ^b to him a leper [There is much discussion as to what is here meant by leprosy. Two diseases now go by that name; viz., psoriasis and elephantiasis. There are also three varieties of psoriasis, namely, white, black and red. There are also three varieties …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Eternity of God
The next attribute is, God is eternal.' Psa 90:0. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.' The schoolmen distinguish between aevun et aeternum, to explain the notion of eternity. There is a threefold being. I. Such as had a beginning; and shall have an end; as all sensitive creatures, the beasts, fowls, fishes, which at death are destroyed and return to dust; their being ends with their life. 2. Such as had a beginning, but shall have no end, as angels and the souls of men, which are eternal …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Numbers 5:21 NIVNumbers 5:21 NLTNumbers 5:21 ESVNumbers 5:21 NASBNumbers 5:21 KJV
Numbers 5:21 Commentaries
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