CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>Ordeal of the bitter water - Wikipedia</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikimwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy", "wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"34e3d678-11f5-4782-b85d-6fa454578300","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water","wgTitle":"Ordeal of the bitter water","wgCurRevisionId":1259632727,"wgRevisionId":1259632727,"wgArticleId":12275093,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1903 Encyclopaedia Biblica","Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia","Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia without a Wikisource reference","Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia","CS1 French-language sources (fr)","Articles with short description","Short description is different from Wikidata", "Articles containing Hebrew-language text","All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases","Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from March 2012","Book of Numbers","Hebrew Bible words and phrases","Jewish marital law","Judaism and abortion","Positive Mitzvoth","Sexual fidelity","Trial by ordeal","Water and Judaism"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water","wgRelevantArticleId":12275093,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":false,"wgFlaggedRevsParams":{"tags":{"status":{"levels":1}}},"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":0,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true, "tagline":false,"nearby":true},"wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":30000,"wgRelatedArticlesCompat":[],"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgULSPosition":"interlanguage","wgULSisCompactLinksEnabled":false,"wgVector2022LanguageInHeader":true,"wgULSisLanguageSelectorEmpty":false,"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q7563951","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform","platformVersion"],"GEHomepageSuggestedEditsEnableTopics":true,"wgGETopicsMatchModeEnabled":false,"wgGEStructuredTaskRejectionReasonTextInputEnabled":false,"wgGELevelingUpEnabledForUser":false};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","skins.vector.search.codex.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles":"ready","skins.vector.icons":"ready","jquery.makeCollapsible.styles":"ready", "ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript":"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready","ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["ext.cite.ux-enhancements","site","mediawiki.page.ready","jquery.makeCollapsible","mediawiki.toc","skins.vector.js","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.gadget.ReferenceTooltips","ext.gadget.switcher","ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.bootstrap","ext.popups","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visualEditor.targetLoader","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.uls.interface","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns","ext.cx.uls.quick.actions","wikibase.client.vector-2022","ext.checkUser.clientHints","ext.growthExperiments.SuggestedEditSession","wikibase.sidebar.tracking"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediaBadges%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cjquery.makeCollapsible.styles%7Cskins.vector.icons%2Cstyles%7Cskins.vector.search.codex.styles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector-2022"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.5"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1120"> <meta property="og:title" content="Ordeal of the bitter water - Wikipedia"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikipedia (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikipedia Atom feed" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water rootpage-Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water skin-vector-2022 action-view"><a class="mw-jump-link" href="#bodyContent">Jump to content</a> <div class="vector-header-container"> <header class="vector-header mw-header"> <div class="vector-header-start"> <nav class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-main-menu-dropdown vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Main menu" > <label id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-label" for="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-menu mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-menu"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Main menu</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-main-menu" class="vector-main-menu vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-main-menu-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="main-menu-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-main-menu" data-pinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Main menu</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-navigation" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-navigation" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Navigation </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-mainpage-description" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Main_Page" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Main page</span></a></li><li id="n-contents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents" title="Guides to browsing Wikipedia"><span>Contents</span></a></li><li id="n-currentevents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Current_events" title="Articles related to current events"><span>Current events</span></a></li><li id="n-randompage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Visit a randomly selected article [x]" accesskey="x"><span>Random article</span></a></li><li id="n-aboutsite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About" title="Learn about Wikipedia and how it works"><span>About Wikipedia</span></a></li><li id="n-contactpage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us" title="How to contact Wikipedia"><span>Contact us</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-interaction" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-interaction" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Contribute </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Contents" title="Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-introduction" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" title="Learn how to edit Wikipedia"><span>Learn to edit</span></a></li><li id="n-portal" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal" title="The hub for editors"><span>Community portal</span></a></li><li id="n-recentchanges" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges" title="A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]" accesskey="r"><span>Recent changes</span></a></li><li id="n-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard" title="Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia"><span>Upload file</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page" class="mw-logo"> <img class="mw-logo-icon" src="/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png" alt="" aria-hidden="true" height="50" width="50"> <span class="mw-logo-container skin-invert"> <img class="mw-logo-wordmark" alt="Wikipedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"> <img class="mw-logo-tagline" alt="The Free Encyclopedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg" width="117" height="13" style="width: 7.3125em; height: 0.8125em;"> </span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-header-end"> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-collapses vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <a href="/wiki/Special:Search" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only search-toggle" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </a> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail cdx-typeahead-search--auto-expand-width"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="searchform" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia" aria-label="Search Wikipedia" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-user-links vector-user-links-wide" aria-label="Personal tools"> <div class="vector-user-links-main"> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-preferences" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-userpage" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown " title="Change the appearance of the page's font size, width, and color" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Appearance" > <label id="vector-appearance-dropdown-label" for="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-appearance mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-appearance"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Appearance</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-notifications" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-overflow" class="vector-menu mw-portlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en" class=""><span>Donate</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-createaccount-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Ordeal+of+the+bitter+water" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory" class=""><span>Create account</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-login-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Ordeal+of+the+bitter+water" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o" class=""><span>Log in</span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-user-menu vector-button-flush-right vector-user-menu-logged-out" title="Log in and more options" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Personal tools" > <label id="vector-user-links-dropdown-label" for="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-ellipsis mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-ellipsis"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Personal tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal user-links-collapsible-item" title="User menu" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en"><span>Donate</span></a></li><li id="pt-createaccount" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Ordeal+of+the+bitter+water" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-userAdd mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-userAdd"></span> <span>Create account</span></a></li><li id="pt-login" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Ordeal+of+the+bitter+water" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-logIn mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-logIn"></span> <span>Log in</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-user-menu-anon-editor" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-user-menu-anon-editor" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Pages for logged out editors <a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" aria-label="Learn more about editing"><span>learn more</span></a> </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-anoncontribs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyContributions" title="A list of edits made from this IP address [y]" accesskey="y"><span>Contributions</span></a></li><li id="pt-anontalk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyTalk" title="Discussion about edits from this IP address [n]" accesskey="n"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="mw-page-container"> <div class="mw-page-container-inner"> <div class="vector-sitenotice-container"> <div id="siteNotice"></div> </div> <div class="vector-column-start"> <div class="vector-main-menu-container"> <div id="mw-navigation"> <nav id="mw-panel" class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav id="mw-panel-toc" aria-label="Contents" data-event-name="ui.sidebar-toc" class="mw-table-of-contents-container vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-toc-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-toc" class="vector-toc vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-toc-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="toc-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-toc" > <h2 class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Contents</h2> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">(Top)</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-Terms" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Terms"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>Terms</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Terms-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Hebrew_Bible" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Hebrew_Bible"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Hebrew Bible</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Hebrew_Bible-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Hebrew Bible subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Hebrew_Bible-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-The_ordeal" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_ordeal"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>The ordeal</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_ordeal-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-The_punishment" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_punishment"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>The punishment</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_punishment-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-In_rabbinic_literature" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#In_rabbinic_literature"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>In rabbinic literature</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-In_rabbinic_literature-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle In rabbinic literature subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-In_rabbinic_literature-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Cessation_of_the_ordeal" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Cessation_of_the_ordeal"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>Cessation of the ordeal</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Cessation_of_the_ordeal-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Christian_references" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Christian_references"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Christian references</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Christian_references-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Textual_analysis" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Textual_analysis"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Textual analysis</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Textual_analysis-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Similar_rituals" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Similar_rituals"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Similar rituals</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Similar_rituals-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Modern_applications" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Modern_applications"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Modern applications</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Modern_applications-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Ordeal of the bitter water</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 9 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-9" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">9 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keuschheitsprobe" title="Keuschheitsprobe – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Keuschheitsprobe" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prueba_del_agua_amarga" title="Prueba del agua amarga – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Prueba del agua amarga" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89preuve_de_l%27eau_am%C3%A8re" title="Épreuve de l'eau amère – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Épreuve de l'eau amère" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prova_dell%27acqua_amara" title="Prova dell'acqua amara – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Prova dell'acqua amara" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%98%D7%94_(%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94)" title="סוטה (הלכה) – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="סוטה (הלכה)" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proef_met_het_bittere_water" title="Proef met het bittere water – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Proef met het bittere water" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81guas_da_amargura" title="Águas da amargura – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Águas da amargura" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proba_castit%C4%83%C8%9Bii" title="Proba castității – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Proba castității" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%B4%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%94%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B3%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%AB%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%99" title="การพิสูจน์ความบริสุทธิ์ด้วยน้ำแห่งความขมขื่น – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="การพิสูจน์ความบริสุทธิ์ด้วยน้ำแห่งความขมขื่น" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q7563951#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Article</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Talk:Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water" rel="discussion" title="Discuss improvements to the content page [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown emptyPortlet" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Change language variant" > <label id="vector-variants-dropdown-label" for="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation" class="vector-collapsible"> <nav aria-label="Views"> <div id="p-views" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-views" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-view" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-edit" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-tools-dropdown" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Tools" > <label id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-label" for="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-page-tools" class="vector-page-tools vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-page-tools-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="page-tools-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-page-tools" data-pinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Tools</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-has-collapsible-items" title="More options" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Actions </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-more-view" class="selected vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-edit" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-history" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=history"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> General </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water" title="List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard" title="Upload files [u]" accesskey="u"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="t-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages" title="A list of all special pages [q]" accesskey="q"><span>Special pages</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&oldid=1259632727" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&id=1259632727&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FOrdeal_of_the_bitter_water"><span>Get shortened URL</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener-qrcode" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:QrCode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FOrdeal_of_the_bitter_water"><span>Download QR code</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-coll-print_export" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-coll-print_export" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Print/export </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="coll-download-as-rl" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=show-download-screen" title="Download this page as a PDF file"><span>Download as PDF</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&printable=yes" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-wikibase-otherprojects" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-wikibase-otherprojects" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> In other projects </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-wikibase" class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikibase-dataitem mw-list-item"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q7563951" title="Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]" accesskey="g"><span>Wikidata item</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-column-end"> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-appearance" class="vector-appearance vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Trial by ordeal in the Hebrew Bible</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox"><caption class="infobox-title">Ordeal of the bitter water</caption><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header"><a href="/wiki/Halakha" title="Halakha">Halakhic</a> texts relating to this article</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Torah" title="Torah">Torah</a>:</th><td class="infobox-data"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#11">Numbers 5:11–31</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Mishnah" title="Mishnah">Mishnah</a>:</th><td class="infobox-data"><i><a href="/wiki/Sotah_(Talmud)" title="Sotah (Talmud)">Sotah</a></i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Talmud#Talmud_Bavli_(Babylonian_Talmud)" title="Talmud">Babylonian Talmud</a>:</th><td class="infobox-data"><i><a href="/wiki/Sotah_(Talmud)" title="Sotah (Talmud)">Sotah</a></i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Jerusalem_Talmud" title="Jerusalem Talmud">Jerusalem Talmud</a>:</th><td class="infobox-data"><i><a href="/wiki/Sotah_(Talmud)" title="Sotah (Talmud)">Sotah</a></i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Mishneh_Torah" title="Mishneh Torah">Mishneh Torah</a>:</th><td class="infobox-data"><i>Sefer Nashim</i>, <i>Sotah</i></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>In the <a href="/wiki/Hebrew_Bible" title="Hebrew Bible">Hebrew Bible</a>, the <b>ordeal of the bitter water</b> was a <a href="/wiki/Judaism" title="Judaism">Jewish</a> <a href="/wiki/Trial_by_ordeal" title="Trial by ordeal">trial by ordeal</a> administered by a priest in the <a href="/wiki/Tabernacle" title="Tabernacle">tabernacle</a> to a wife whose husband suspected her of <a href="/wiki/Adultery" title="Adultery">adultery</a>, but the husband had no witnesses to make a formal case. It is described in the <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Numbers" title="Book of Numbers">Book of Numbers</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#11">Numbers 5:11–31</a>). </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Terms">Terms</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Terms"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Bitter water is "מֵי הַמָּרִים" <i>mei ha-marim</i>. In <a href="/wiki/Rabbinic_Judaism" title="Rabbinic Judaism">Rabbinic Judaism</a>, the woman undergoing this ritual was called a <i><b>sotah</b></i> (<a href="/wiki/Hebrew_language" title="Hebrew language">Hebrew</a>: <span lang="he" dir="rtl">שוטה</span><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> / סוטה, "strayer"). The term sotah itself is not found in the Hebrew Bible but is <a href="/wiki/Mishnaic_Hebrew" title="Mishnaic Hebrew">Mishnaic Hebrew</a> based on the verse "if she has strayed" (verb: שטה <i>satah</i>) in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#12">Numbers 5:12</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The ordeal is discussed in the <a href="/wiki/Sotah_(Talmud)" title="Sotah (Talmud)">Sotah</a> tractate of the <a href="/wiki/Talmud" title="Talmud">Talmud</a>. </p><p>According to <a href="/wiki/Tikva_Frymer-Kensky" title="Tikva Frymer-Kensky">Tikva Frymer-Kensky</a>, the ritual is not actually an "ordeal" which provides a verdict on the woman's guilt for use by human judges for the issuance of the penalty for adultery on the woman (which would be execution by stoning), but rather takes the form of a "purgatory oath, in which the individual swearing the oath puts himself under divine jurisdiction, expecting to be punished by God if the oath-taker is guilty".<sup id="cite_ref-tikva_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tikva-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>This ritual is not to be confused with <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0522.htm#13">Deuteronomy 22:13–19</a>, in which a man accuses his newlywed bride of pre-marital sex with someone else. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Hebrew_Bible">Hebrew Bible</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Hebrew Bible"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The account of the ordeal of bitter water is given in the Book of Numbers: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, and a man lies sexually with her, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected; but she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, and she has not been caught in the act, if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife and she has defiled herself, or if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife but she has not defiled herself, the man shall then bring his wife to the priest and shall bring as an offering for her one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance, a reminder of iniquity. </p><p>‘Then the priest shall bring her near and have her stand before Yahweh, and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel; and the priest shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. The priest shall then have the woman stand before Yahweh and let the hair of the woman’s head go loose, and he shall place the grain offering of remembrance in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy; and in the hand of the priest is to be the water of bitterness that brings curses. Then the priest shall have her swear an oath and shall say to the woman, “If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone astray into defilement, being under the authority of your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings curses; if you, however, have gone astray, being under the authority of your husband, and if you have defiled yourself, and a man other than your husband has lain with you” (then the priest shall have the woman swear with the oath of the curse, and the priest shall say to the woman), “Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people by Yahweh making your thigh fall away and your abdomen swell; and this water that brings curses shall go into your stomach and make your abdomen swell and your thigh fall away.” And the woman shall say, “Amen. Amen.” </p><p>‘The priest shall then write these curses on a scroll, and he shall wash them off into the water of bitterness. Then he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings curses, so that the water which brings a curse will go into her to cause bitterness. And the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, and he shall wave the grain offering before Yahweh and bring it near to the altar; and the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering as its memorial offering and offer it up in smoke on the altar, and afterward he shall make the woman drink the water. So he will have her drink the water, and it will be that, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, that the water which brings curses will go into her to cause bitterness, and her abdomen will swell and her thigh will fall away, and the woman will become a curse among her people. But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will then be free and conceive a seed. </p><p> ‘This is the law of jealousy: when a wife, being under the authority of her husband, goes astray and defiles herself, or when a spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife, he shall then make the woman stand before Yahweh, and the priest shall apply all this law to her. Moreover, the man will be free from guilt, but that woman shall bear her guilt.’”</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+5:11–31&version=lsb">Numbers 5:11–31</a></cite></div></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_ordeal">The ordeal</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: The ordeal"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>When a man suspects his wife of having sex with another man but has no witnesses, the woman is brought to a <a href="/wiki/Kohen" title="Kohen">kohen</a> (priest),<sup id="cite_ref-num515_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-num515-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or before <a href="/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Judaism" title="Names of God in Judaism">God</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-num530_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-num530-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The woman is required by the biblical passage to have loosened hair during the ritual (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#18">Numbers 5:18</a>). This is often taken to be a symbol of the woman's supposed shame,<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but according to <a href="/wiki/Josephus" title="Josephus">Josephus</a>, it was merely the standard behaviour for anyone accused of any crime when they appeared before the Sanhedrin.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The husband was required to make a <a href="/wiki/Korban" title="Korban">sacrifice</a> to <a href="/wiki/Yahweh" title="Yahweh">Yahweh</a> as part of the ritual, probably due to a general principle that no one should seek answers from God without giving something in return.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This offering is placed in the wife's hands,<sup id="cite_ref-num518_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-num518-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and is described as <i>her offering for her</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-num515_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-num515-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Scholars think that it is the man's offering, concerning the ordeal of his wife, and that her holding of it is merely symbolic of this.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The offering specified is one-tenth of an <a href="/wiki/Omer_(unit)" title="Omer (unit)">Omer</a> of <a href="/wiki/Barley" title="Barley">barley</a> meal, unaccompanied by oil or frankincense;<sup id="cite_ref-num515_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-num515-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> this is the cheaper type of <a href="/wiki/Flour" title="Flour">flour</a>, unlike the flour specified for all other biblical sacrifices. The specification is now thought to be a rare survival of an earlier period, in which there was no restriction on the types of flour which could be used for sacrifices,<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> although the Mishnah argues that it was a reference to the <i>bestial</i> nature of adultery, coarse flour being the <i>food of beasts</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The ordeal consisted of the wife having to drink a specific potion administered by the priest. The text specifies that the potion should be made from water and dust.<sup id="cite_ref-num517_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-num517-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the <a href="/wiki/Masoretic_Text" title="Masoretic Text">Masoretic Text</a>, the water used for the potion must be <i>holy water</i>, and the <a href="/wiki/Targum" title="Targum">Targum</a> interprets it as water from the <i><a href="/wiki/Molten_Sea" title="Molten Sea">Molten Sea</a></i>, but the <a href="/wiki/Septuagint" title="Septuagint">Septuagint</a> instead requires <i>running water</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The passage states that the <a href="/wiki/Curse" title="Curse">curse</a> was washed into the water;<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> it is thought that this idea derives from a belief that the words of a curse exist in their own right.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Others argue that the curse is a <a href="/wiki/Euphemism" title="Euphemism">euphemism</a> for a <a href="/wiki/Miscarriage" title="Miscarriage">miscarriage</a> or infertility.<sup id="cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bergant1992-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The potion also had to be mixed in an earthenware vessel.<sup id="cite_ref-num517_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-num517-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This may have been because the potion was regarded as <a href="/wiki/Tumah_and_taharah" title="Tumah and taharah">impure</a>, and therefore also made the vessel impure, necessitating its subsequent destruction (see <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0311.htm#33">Leviticus 11:33</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, the Talmud<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Rashi" title="Rashi">Rashi</a> explain that this vessel is chosen to contrast the woman's predicament with her behavior.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>If the woman was unharmed by the bitter water, the rules regard her as innocent of the accusation. The account in the Book of Numbers states that the man shall be <i>free from blame</i>.<sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Location: Num 5:26">(Num 5:26)</span></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_punishment">The punishment</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: The punishment"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In cases of guilt, the text does not specify the amount of time needed for the potion to take effect; 19th century scholars<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch"><span title="The material near this tag possibly uses too-vague attribution or weasel words. (March 2012)">who?</span></a></i>]</sup> suspected it was probably intended to have a fairly immediate effect.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Maimonides" title="Maimonides">Maimonides</a> records the traditional <a href="/wiki/Rabbinic_Judaism" title="Rabbinic Judaism">rabbinical</a> view: "Her belly swells first and then her thigh ruptures and she dies".<sup id="cite_ref-Halacha_16-17_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Halacha_16-17-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Other scholars maintain that since the word "thigh" is often used in the Bible as a <a href="/wiki/Euphemism" title="Euphemism">euphemism</a> for various reproductive organs, in this case it may mean the uterus, the placenta, or an embryo, with the implicit threat of death resulting from possible <a href="/wiki/Maternal_death" title="Maternal death">fatal childbirth complications</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bergant1992-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Brewer1913_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Brewer1913-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Several commentaries on the Bible maintain that the ordeal is to be applied in the case of a woman who has become pregnant, allegedly by her extramarital lover.<sup id="cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bergant1992-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In this interpretation, the bitter potion could be an <a href="/wiki/Abortifacient" title="Abortifacient">abortifacient</a>, inducing a purposeful <a href="/wiki/Abortion" title="Abortion">abortion</a> or miscarriage if the woman is pregnant with a child which her husband alleges is another man's. If the fetus aborts as a result of the ordeal, this presumably confirms her guilt of adultery, otherwise her innocence is presumed if the fetus does not abort.<sup id="cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bergant1992-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Brewer1913_17-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Brewer1913-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> One translation to follow this suggestion is the <i><a href="/wiki/New_International_Version" title="New International Version">New International Version</a></i>, which translates that the effect of the bitter water on an adulterous woman will be to make "your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell".<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Such a translation is effectively reading the Hebrew word <i>yarek</i> (יָרֵך) to mean "loins", a meaning which that word can carry.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>However, <a href="/wiki/Tikva_Frymer-Kensky" title="Tikva Frymer-Kensky">Tikva Frymer-Kensky</a> rejected this interpretation on the grounds that the Biblical text does not limit the ordeal to pregnant women, and that the phrase <i>venizreah zera</i> ("she shall be sown with seed", the reward given to an innocent woman after the trial) refers to conception rather than delivery. Instead, Frymer-Kensky argues that the punishment "your belly will swell and your thigh will fall" most likely refers to a <a href="/wiki/Uterine_prolapse" title="Uterine prolapse">uterine prolapse</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-tikva_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tikva-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>H.C. Brichto argued that the damaged reproductive system (as in some other interpretations), along with the swollen belly, indicate that the punishment is a <a href="/wiki/False_pregnancy" title="False pregnancy">false pregnancy</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-brichto_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-brichto-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="In_rabbinic_literature">In rabbinic literature</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: In rabbinic literature"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to the <a href="/wiki/Mishnah" title="Mishnah">Mishnah</a>, it was the practice for the woman to first be brought to the <a href="/wiki/Sanhedrin" title="Sanhedrin">Sanhedrin</a>, before being subjected to the ordeal. Repeated attempts would be made to persuade the woman to confess, including multiple suggestions to her of possible mitigating factors; if she confessed, the ordeal was not required.<sup id="cite_ref-''Sotah''1:5_28-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-''Sotah''1:5-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-JewEncAdu-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Mishnah reports that, in the time of the <a href="/wiki/Second_Temple" title="Second Temple">Second Temple</a>, she was taken to the East Gate of the Temple, in front of the Nikanor gate.<sup id="cite_ref-''Sotah''1:5_28-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-''Sotah''1:5-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-JewEncAdu-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Mishnah also states that the garment she was wearing was ripped to expose her heart.<sup id="cite_ref-''Sotah''1:5_28-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-''Sotah''1:5-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A rope was tied above her breasts so that her clothes did not completely fall off.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Mishnah mentions that while a guilty woman would normally die immediately from the trial, her death could also be delayed by one, two or three years, if she possessed offsetting merits.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Nachmanides" title="Nachmanides">Nachmanides</a> points out that of all the <a href="/wiki/613_commandments" title="613 commandments">613 commandments</a>, it is only the <i>sotah</i> law that requires God's specific co-operation to make it work. The bitter waters can only be effective miraculously.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Maimonides wrote: "When she dies, the adulterer because of whom she was compelled to drink will also die, wherever he is located. The same phenomena, the swelling of the belly and the rupture of the thigh, will also occur to him. All the above applies provided her husband never engaged in forbidden sexual relations in his life. If, however, her husband ever engaged in forbidden relations, the [bitter] waters do not check [the fidelity of] his wife."<sup id="cite_ref-Halacha_16-17_16-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Halacha_16-17-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The rabbinical interpretation of <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#28">Numbers 5:28</a> is that when a woman accused of adultery who was innocent drinks the bitter water, even if she was previously unable to conceive, she will now conceive and give birth to a male.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Cessation_of_the_ordeal">Cessation of the ordeal</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Cessation of the ordeal"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to Mishnah,<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the practice was abolished some time during the first century CE under the leadership of <a href="/wiki/Yohanan_ben_Zakkai" title="Yohanan ben Zakkai">Yohanan ben Zakkai</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-JewEncAdu-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> If it had not been abolished then according to Jewish Law the ritual would have ceased with the fall of the Temple (in approximately the year 70 CE),<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as it should not have been performed elsewhere.<sup id="cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-JewEncAdu-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Explanations in rabbinical literature vary concerning cessation of the practice. Yohanan Ben Zakkai stated: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>When adulterers became many, the ordeal of the bitter water stopped, for the ordeal of bitter water is performed only in a case of doubt. But now there are many who see their lovers in public.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>Rav <a href="/wiki/Hanina_of_Sura" title="Hanina of Sura">Hanina of Sura</a> said: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Nowadays a man should not say to his wife, "Do not be secluded with so-and-so", ... If she then secluded herself with the man, since we have not now the water for the suspected woman to test her, the husband forbids her to himself for all time.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Christian_references">Christian references</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Christian references"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Although the actual ordeal was not practiced in Christianity, it was referenced by Christian writers through the ages in relation to both the subject of adultery and also the wider practice of <a href="/wiki/Trial_by_ordeal" title="Trial by ordeal">trial by ordeal</a>. Additionally, some early Christian legends, such as the <a href="/wiki/Gospel_of_Pseudo-Matthew" title="Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew">Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew</a>, embroider the life of <a href="/wiki/Mary,_mother_of_Jesus" title="Mary, mother of Jesus">Mary, mother of Jesus</a> with accounts including Mary and even Joseph<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> undergoing a version of the ordeal.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Textual_analysis">Textual analysis</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Textual analysis"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Biblical critics from the 19th and early 20th centuries argued, based on certain textual features in the passage, that it was formed by the combination of two earlier texts. For example, the text appears to suggest first that the offering should occur before the ordeal (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#24">5:24–25</a>), and then that it should occur after it (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#26">5:26</a>). Due to the awkwardness of the idea that the wife has to drink the potion twice, <a href="/wiki/Textual_criticism" title="Textual criticism">textual scholars</a> argue that either the first drinking must be a later addition to the text, or that the whole account of the ordeal must be spliced together from two earlier descriptions.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Similarly, noting that there are two descriptions of the location for the ritual (in the presence of a priest (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#15">5:15</a>) and <i>before Yahweh</i> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#30">5:30</a>)) and two occasions on which the punishment for the woman is mentioned (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Numbers%205:21&version=nrsv">5:21</a> and <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Numbers%205:27&version=nrsv">5:27</a>), the division into two earlier documents, first suggested by <a href="/wiki/Bernhard_Stade" title="Bernhard Stade">Bernhard Stade</a><sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> is typically as follows: </p> <ul><li>one account is the ordeal and sacrifice <i>before God</i>, in which the possible miscarriage/abortion results from drinking the potion;<sup id="cite_ref-CHBHex_42-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CHBHex-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>the other is merely a condemnation by a priest, in which the woman stands with hair loosened, her guilt is assumed, and divine intervention (due to the priest's involvement) will cause a miscarriage/abortion as punishment.<sup id="cite_ref-CHBHex_42-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CHBHex-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <p>Other early biblical scholars thought that the ordeal is itself a fusion of two earlier rituals (pre-dating the original priestly text), one using water, and the other dust.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The use of dust might be connected to <a href="/wiki/Necromancy" title="Necromancy">necromancy</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In other historic Semitic cultures there are many instances in which <i>holy water</i> was regarded as taboo, and therefore that contact with it, or its consumption, was dangerous.<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Similar_rituals">Similar rituals</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Similar rituals"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Trials by ordeal are found in other societies of the <a href="/wiki/Ancient_Near_East" title="Ancient Near East">ancient Near East</a> such as in the <a href="/wiki/Laws_of_Hammurabi" class="mw-redirect" title="Laws of Hammurabi">Laws of Hammurabi</a> (§132).<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Pre-Islamic Arabic culture similarly had an adultery ordeal, although in scientific terms, compared to the Israelite ritual it relied more on nausea, than on directly poisoning the woman. In this pre-Islamic Arabic ritual, the woman simply took oaths attesting to her innocence, and asking the divinity to cause her to have a miscarriage/abortion, should she be lying.<sup id="cite_ref-KitAdultMecca_45-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-KitAdultMecca-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Ordeals involving the risk of harm, including potential injury resulting from the drinking of certain potions, were common in antiquity;<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in parts of Europe, their judicial use even lasted until the late Middle Ages.<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Such ordeals were once believed to result in a direct decision by a deity, about the guilt or innocence of the party/parties undertaking the ordeal;<sup id="cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> typically divine intervention was believed to prevent the innocent from being harmed, or to ensure that the guilty were. </p><p>The naturalist <a href="/wiki/Alfred_Grandidier" title="Alfred Grandidier">Alfred Grandidier</a> presented similar practices among the <a href="/wiki/Malagasy_peoples" title="Malagasy peoples">Malagasy</a> to argue for <a href="/wiki/Jews_in_Madagascar" class="mw-redirect" title="Jews in Madagascar">ancient Israelite migrations to Madagascar</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Grandidier_46-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grandidier-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Modern_applications">Modern applications</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Modern applications"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to Helena Zlotnick, even though the ordeal of bitter water is no longer practiced, it remains a reference point in the search for replacements for the test of adultery.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="38" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/57px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/76px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikisource" title="Wikisource">Wikisource</a> has several texts available for Numbers 5: <div style="margin-left:1.5em;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;"><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(Wycliffe)/Numbers#Chapter_5" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Bible (Wycliffe)/Numbers">Wycliffe</a>, <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(American_Standard)/Numbers#Chapter_5" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Bible (American Standard)/Numbers">American Standard</a>, <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(Tyndale)/Numbers#Chapter_5" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Bible (Tyndale)/Numbers">Tyndale</a>, <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(Jewish_Publication_Society_1917)/Numbers#Chapter_5" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Bible (Jewish Publication Society 1917)/Numbers">Jewish Publication Society 1917</a>, <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(World_English)/Numbers#Chapter_5" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Bible (World English)/Numbers">World English</a></div></div></div> </div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jewish_views_of_marriage" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish views of marriage">Jewish views of marriage</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nocebo" title="Nocebo">Nocebo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women_in_Judaism" title="Women in Judaism">Women in Judaism</a></li></ul> <div style="clear:both;" class=""></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-2"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Spelled "שוטה" in <a href="/wiki/Maimonides" title="Maimonides">Maimonides</a>' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nli.org.il/en/manuscripts/NNL_ALEPH000042459/NLI">manuscript</a>; this spelling recurs in Rabbi <a href="/wiki/Yosef_Qafih" title="Yosef Qafih">Yosef Qafih</a>'s editions of Maimonides' works.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFGrushcow2006" class="citation book cs1">Grushcow, Lisa J. (2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=RXTlobTJZ1UC&pg=PA1"><i>Writing the Wayward Wife: Rabbinic Interpretations of Sotah</i></a>. Brill. p. 1. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/90-04-14628-8" title="Special:BookSources/90-04-14628-8"><bdi>90-04-14628-8</bdi></a>. <q>The name sotah is derived from Num. 5:12 based on the word שטה to stray.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Writing+the+Wayward+Wife%3A+Rabbinic+Interpretations+of+Sotah&rft.pages=1&rft.pub=Brill&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=90-04-14628-8&rft.aulast=Grushcow&rft.aufirst=Lisa+J.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DRXTlobTJZ1UC%26pg%3DPA1&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The Holy Scriptures: Proverbs, with commentary - Julius Hillel Greenstone, Jewish Publication Society of America - 1950 - Page 42 "10.6; 21.10; Num. 5.18). turn] The word is used in connection with the woman suspected of infidelity (Num. 5), whence the technical term sotah is derived, the name given to the treatise of the Mishnah and the Talmud dealing with this subject."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-tikva-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-tikva_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-tikva_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFrymer-Kensky1999" class="citation book cs1">Frymer-Kensky, Tikva (1999). "The strange case of the suspected <i>sotah</i>". In Bach (ed.). <i>Women in the Hebrew Bible</i>. New York, NY / London, UK: Routledge. pp. 463–474.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=The+strange+case+of+the+suspected+sotah&rft.btitle=Women+in+the+Hebrew+Bible&rft.place=New+York%2C+NY+%2F+London%2C+UK&rft.pages=463-474&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=1999&rft.aulast=Frymer-Kensky&rft.aufirst=Tikva&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-num515-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-num515_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-num515_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-num515_5-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#15">Numbers 5:15</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-num530-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-num530_6-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#30">Numbers 5:30</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CheyneAndBlackJeal-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-11"><sup><i><b>l</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-12"><sup><i><b>m</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CheyneAndBlackJeal_7-13"><sup><i><b>n</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">This article incorporates text from the 1903 <i><a href="/wiki/Encyclopaedia_Biblica" title="Encyclopaedia Biblica">Encyclopaedia Biblica</a></i> article <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclopaedia_Biblica/Jannaeus-Jerah#Jealousy,_ordeal_of" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Encyclopaedia Biblica/Jannaeus-Jerah">"Jealousy, ordeal of"</a>, a publication now in the <a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJosephus" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Josephus" title="Josephus">Josephus</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Antiquities_of_the_Jews" title="Antiquities of the Jews">Antiquities of the Jews</a></i>. 14:49.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Antiquities+of+the+Jews&rft.pages=14%3A49&rft.au=Josephus&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-num518-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-num518_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#18">Numbers 5:18</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Mishnah, <i>Sotah</i>, 2:<a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Nashim/Tractate_Sotah/Chapter_2/1" class="extiw" title="s:Mishnah/Seder Nashim/Tractate Sotah/Chapter 2/1">1</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-num517-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-num517_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-num517_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#17">Numbers 5:17</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0405.htm#23">Numbers 5:23</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bergant1992-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bergant1992_13-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBergant1992" class="citation book cs1">Bergant, Dianne (1992). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Nj-AkOJ9wRQC&pg=PA156"><i>The Collegeville Bible Commentary: Based on the New American Bible: Old Testament</i></a>. Liturgical Press. p. 156. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0814622100" title="Special:BookSources/0814622100"><bdi>0814622100</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Collegeville+Bible+Commentary%3A+Based+on+the+New+American+Bible%3A+Old+Testament&rft.pages=156&rft.pub=Liturgical+Press&rft.date=1992&rft.isbn=0814622100&rft.aulast=Bergant&rft.aufirst=Dianne&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DNj-AkOJ9wRQC%26pg%3DPA156&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Sotah</i> <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/he:%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%98%D7%94_%D7%98_%D7%90" class="extiw" title="s:he:סוטה ט א">9a</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFox" class="citation web cs1">Fox, Bernie. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ou.org/torah/article/parshat_naso_4">"<i>Parshat Naso</i>: Is the <i>sotah</i> presumed guilty?"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 2,</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Parshat+Naso%3A+Is+the+sotah+presumed+guilty%3F&rft.aulast=Fox&rft.aufirst=Bernie&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ou.org%2Ftorah%2Farticle%2Fparshat_naso_4&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Halacha_16-17-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Halacha_16-17_16-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Halacha_16-17_16-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/960640/jewish/Chapter-Three.htm">"משנה תורה, ספר נשים: הלכות שוטה פרק ג הלכה טז-יז"</a> [Mishneh Torah, Sefer Nashim: Sotah, Chapter Three, Halacha 16-17]<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 21,</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%94+%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%94%2C+%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8+%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9D%3A+%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA+%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%98%D7%94+%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%A7+%D7%92+%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94+%D7%98%D7%96-%D7%99%D7%96&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chabad.org%2Flibrary%2Farticle_cdo%2Faid%2F960640%2Fjewish%2FChapter-Three.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Brewer1913-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Brewer1913_17-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Brewer1913_17-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrewer1913" class="citation journal cs1">Brewer, Julius A. (October 1913). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=vbY1AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA46">"The ordeal in Numbers chapter 5"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_American_Journal_of_Semitic_Languages_and_Literatures" class="mw-redirect" title="The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures">The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures</a></i>. <b>30</b> (1): 46.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+American+Journal+of+Semitic+Languages+and+Literatures&rft.atitle=The+ordeal+in+Numbers+chapter+5&rft.volume=30&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=46&rft.date=1913-10&rft.aulast=Brewer&rft.aufirst=Julius+A.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DvbY1AQAAMAAJ%26pg%3DPA46&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBiale1995" class="citation book cs1">Biale, Rachel (1995). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=UYHNaY1oXQQC&pg=PA186"><i>Women and Jewish Law: The essential texts, their history, and their relevance for today</i></a>. Random House Digital. p. 186. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0805210490" title="Special:BookSources/0805210490"><bdi>0805210490</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Women+and+Jewish+Law%3A+The+essential+texts%2C+their+history%2C+and+their+relevance+for+today&rft.pages=186&rft.pub=Random+House+Digital&rft.date=1995&rft.isbn=0805210490&rft.aulast=Biale&rft.aufirst=Rachel&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DUYHNaY1oXQQC%26pg%3DPA186&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPeake1962" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Peake" title="Arthur Peake">Peake, A.S.</a>, ed. (1962) [1919]. "Numbers 5". <a href="/wiki/Peake%27s_commentary_on_the_Bible" class="mw-redirect" title="Peake's commentary on the Bible"><i>Peake's commentary on the Bible</i></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Numbers+5&rft.btitle=Peake%27s+commentary+on+the+Bible&rft.date=1962&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGrushcow2006" class="citation book cs1">Grushcow, Lisa (2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=RXTlobTJZ1UC&pg=PA276"><i>Writing the Wayward Wife: Rabbinic interpretations of </i>sotah<i><span></span></i></a>. Brill. pp. 275–276. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789004146280" title="Special:BookSources/9789004146280"><bdi>9789004146280</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Writing+the+Wayward+Wife%3A+Rabbinic+interpretations+of+sotah&rft.pages=275-276&rft.pub=Brill&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=9789004146280&rft.aulast=Grushcow&rft.aufirst=Lisa&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DRXTlobTJZ1UC%26pg%3DPA276&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBerquist2002" class="citation book cs1">Berquist, Jon L. (2002). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ZSEigoqDI10C&pg=PA176"><i>Controlling Corporeality: The body and the household in ancient Israel</i></a>. Rutgers University Press. pp. 175–177. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0813530164" title="Special:BookSources/0813530164"><bdi>0813530164</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Controlling+Corporeality%3A+The+body+and+the+household+in+ancient+Israel&rft.pages=175-177&rft.pub=Rutgers+University+Press&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=0813530164&rft.aulast=Berquist&rft.aufirst=Jon+L.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DZSEigoqDI10C%26pg%3DPA176&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLevine1993" class="citation book cs1">Levine, Baruch A. (1993). "part 1". <i>Numbers 1-20: A new translation with introduction and commentary</i>. Vol. 4. Doubleday. pp. 201–204. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0385156510" title="Special:BookSources/0385156510"><bdi>0385156510</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=part+1&rft.btitle=Numbers+1-20%3A+A+new+translation+with+introduction+and+commentary&rft.pages=201-204&rft.pub=Doubleday&rft.date=1993&rft.isbn=0385156510&rft.aulast=Levine&rft.aufirst=Baruch+A.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSnaith1967" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Norman_Snaith" title="Norman Snaith">Snaith, N.H.</a> (1967). <i>Leviticus and Numbers</i>. Nelson. p. 202.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Leviticus+and+Numbers&rft.pages=202&rft.pub=Nelson&rft.date=1967&rft.aulast=Snaith&rft.aufirst=N.H.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFOlson1996" class="citation book cs1">Olson, Dennis T. (1996). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Rus0KUTNUg4C&pg=PA36"><i>Numbers: Interpretation: A Bible commentary for teaching and preaching</i></a>. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 36. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0664237363" title="Special:BookSources/0664237363"><bdi>0664237363</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Numbers%3A+Interpretation%3A+A+Bible+commentary+for+teaching+and+preaching&rft.pages=36&rft.pub=Westminster+John+Knox+Press&rft.date=1996&rft.isbn=0664237363&rft.aulast=Olson&rft.aufirst=Dennis+T.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DRus0KUTNUg4C%26pg%3DPA36&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%205&version=NIV">"Numbers 5"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Numbers" title="Book of Numbers"><i>Numbers</i></a>. <a href="/wiki/New_International_Version" title="New International Version">New International Version</a>. 5:21 – via <a href="/wiki/Biblegateway.com" class="mw-redirect" title="Biblegateway.com">biblegateway.com</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Numbers+5&rft.btitle=Numbers&rft.series=New+International+Version&rft.pages=5%3A21&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.biblegateway.com%2Fpassage%2F%3Fsearch%3DNumbers%25205%26version%3DNIV&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFStrong1890" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/James_Strong_(theologian)" title="James Strong (theologian)">Strong, J.</a> (1890). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3409/kjv/wlc/0-1/">"yārēḵ"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Strong%27s_Concordance" title="Strong's Concordance"><i>Strong's Concordance </i>[cited on website as "Strong's Definitions"]<i><span></span></i></a>. H 3409 – via blueletterbible.org.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=y%C4%81r%C4%93%E1%B8%B5&rft.btitle=Strong%27s+Concordance+%5Bcited+on+website+as+%22Strong%27s+Definitions%22%5D&rft.pages=H-3409&rft.date=1890&rft.aulast=Strong&rft.aufirst=J.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueletterbible.org%2Flexicon%2Fh3409%2Fkjv%2Fwlc%2F0-1%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-brichto-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-brichto_27-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrichto1975" class="citation magazine cs1">Brichto, Herbert Chanan (1975). "The case of the śōṭā and a reconsideration of Biblical 'law'<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>". <i><a href="/wiki/Hebrew_Union_College_Annual" title="Hebrew Union College Annual">Hebrew Union College Annual</a></i>. Vol. 46. pp. 55–70. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/23506866">23506866</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Hebrew+Union+College+Annual&rft.atitle=The+case+of+the+%C5%9B%C5%8D%E1%B9%AD%C4%81+and+a+reconsideration+of+Biblical+%E2%80%98law%E2%80%99&rft.volume=46&rft.pages=55-70&rft.date=1975&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F23506866%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Brichto&rft.aufirst=Herbert+Chanan&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-''Sotah''1:5-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-''Sotah''1:5_28-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-''Sotah''1:5_28-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-''Sotah''1:5_28-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Mishnah, <i><a href="/wiki/Sotah_(Talmud)" title="Sotah (Talmud)">Sotah</a></i>, 1:<a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Nashim/Tractate_Sotah/Chapter_1/5" class="extiw" title="s:Mishnah/Seder Nashim/Tractate Sotah/Chapter 1/5">5</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-JewEncAdu-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-JewEncAdu_29-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/12px-PD-icon.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/18px-PD-icon.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/24px-PD-icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="196" data-file-height="196" /></span></span> This article incorporates text from a publication now in the <a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a>: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSinger1901–1906" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1"><a href="/wiki/Isidore_Singer" title="Isidore Singer">Singer, Isidore</a>; et al., eds. (1901–1906). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=865&letter=A">"adultery"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_Jewish_Encyclopedia" title="The Jewish Encyclopedia">The Jewish Encyclopedia</a></i>. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=adultery&rft.btitle=The+Jewish+Encyclopedia&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Funk+%26+Wagnalls&rft.date=1901%2F1906&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jewishencyclopedia.com%2Fview.jsp%3Fartid%3D865%26letter%3DA&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Mishnah Sotah 1:6</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-31">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Mishnah, <i>Sotah</i>, 3:<a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Nashim/Tractate_Sotah/Chapter_3/4" class="extiw" title="s:Mishnah/Seder Nashim/Tractate Sotah/Chapter 3/4">4</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.aish.com/tp/i/m/48964791.html">"GOD'S COOPERATION"</a>. 24 June 2009<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 2,</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=GOD%27S+COOPERATION&rft.date=2009-06-24&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aish.com%2Ftp%2Fi%2Fm%2F48964791.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-33">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Talmud, <i>Sotah</i> <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/he:%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%98%D7%94_%D7%9B%D7%95_%D7%90" class="extiw" title="s:he:סוטה כו א">26a</a>; <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMaimonides" class="citation web cs1"><a href="/wiki/Maimonides" title="Maimonides">Maimonides</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/960640/jewish/Chapter-Three.htm">"משנה תורה, ספר נשים: הלכות שוטה פרק ג הלכה כב"</a> [Mishneh Torah, Sefer Nashim: Sotah, Chapter Three, Halacha 22]<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 5,</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%94+%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%94%2C+%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8+%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9D%3A+%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA+%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%98%D7%94+%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%A7+%D7%92+%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94+%D7%9B%D7%91&rft.au=Maimonides&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chabad.org%2Flibrary%2Farticle_cdo%2Faid%2F960640%2Fjewish%2FChapter-Three.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Sotah</i>, 9:<a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Mishnah/Seder_Nashim/Tractate_Sotah/Chapter_9/9" class="extiw" title="s:Translation:Mishnah/Seder Nashim/Tractate Sotah/Chapter 9/9">9</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-35">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation encyclopaedia cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?search=ADULTERY&dict=isbe">"Adultery"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/International_Standard_Bible_Encyclopedia" title="International Standard Bible Encyclopedia">International Standard Bible Encyclopedia</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">June 4,</span> 2013</span>. <q>According to the Mishna (SoTah 9) this ordeal of the woman suspected of adultery was abolished by Johanan ben Zaccai (after 70 AD), on the ground that the men of his generation were not above the suspicion of impurity.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Adultery&rft.btitle=International+Standard+Bible+Encyclopedia&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fgospelhall.org%2Fbible%2Fbible.php%3Fsearch%3DADULTERY%26dict%3Disbe&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-36">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120522141806/http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/zakkai.htm">"Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/zakkai.htm">the original</a> on 2012-05-22<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 5,</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Rabbi+Yochanan+ben+Zakkai&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ou.org%2Fabout%2Fjudaism%2Frabbis%2Fzakkai.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-37">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Quoted in <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGrushcow1999" class="citation book cs1">Grushcow, Lisa (1999). "Interpretation and Authority: a History of <i>Sotah</i>". In Borrás, Judith Targarona; Sáenz-Badillos, Ángel (eds.). <i>Jewish Studies at the Turn of the Twentieth Century: Proceedings of the 6th EAJS Congress</i>. Vol. 1. European Association for Jewish Studies. p. 271. <q>When adulterers became many, the ordeal of the bitter water stopped (פםקו טי טריס), for the ordeal of bitter water is performed only in a case of doubt. But now there are many who see their lovers in public.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Interpretation+and+Authority%3A+a+History+of+Sotah&rft.btitle=Jewish+Studies+at+the+Turn+of+the+Twentieth+Century%3A+Proceedings+of+the+6th+EAJS+Congress&rft.pages=271&rft.pub=European+Association+for+Jewish+Studies&rft.date=1999&rft.aulast=Grushcow&rft.aufirst=Lisa&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-38">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Babylonian_Talmud" class="mw-redirect" title="Babylonian Talmud">Babylonian Talmud</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Sotah_(Talmud)" title="Sotah (Talmud)">Sotah</a></i> 2b</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, chapter 12: "And again Joseph was summoned to the altar, and the water of drinking of the Lord was given him to drink. And when any one that had lied drank this water, and walked seven times round the altar, God used to show some sign in his face. When, therefore, Joseph had drunk in safety, and had walked round the altar seven times, no sign of sin appeared in him. Then all the priests, and the officers, and the people justified him, saying: Blessed art thou, seeing that no charge has been found good against thee. [...] Then Mary said, stedfastly and without trembling: O Lord God, King over all, who knowest all secrets, if there be any pollution in me, or any sin, or any evil desires, or unchastity, expose me in the sight of all the people, and make me an example of punishment to all. Thus saying, she went up to the altar of the Lord boldly, and drank the water of drinking, and walked round the altar seven times, and no spot was found in her." <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_VIII/Apocrypha_of_the_New_Testament/The_Gospel_of_Pseudo-Matthew/Chapter_12" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Apocrypha of the New Testament/The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew/Chapter 12">(Wikisource)</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-40">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Joseph B. Tyson, <i>The New Testament and Early Christianity</i> (1984), page 199: "They each highlight a certain portion or aspect of Jesus' history, such as his family, his childhood, his resurrection, or his teachings. [...] But Mary became pregnant, and Joseph was afraid that his neglect had allowed an adulterer to seduce her. So the priests gave both of them a trial by bitter water, a trial they survived."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Bernhard Stade, <i><a href="/wiki/Zeitschrift_f%C3%BCr_die_Alttestamentliche_Wissenschaft" title="Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft">Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft</a></i> (1895), 15:166–178</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CHBHex-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-CHBHex_42-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CHBHex_42-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Joseph Estlin Carpenter, and George Harford-battersby (and the Society of Historical Theology, Oxford), <i>The Hexateuch</i> (1900, republished 2003), volume 2, pages 191–192</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-43">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">William Robertson Smith, <i>Lectures on the Religion of the Semites</i> (2nd edition, 1894), 181</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The New Oxford Annotated Bible Michael David Coogan, Marc Zvi Brettler, Carol Ann Newsom - 2007 Page 193. "A man who questions his wife's fidelity brings her to the sanctuary for an ordeal in which she drinks a mixture of water, dust, and ink to determine if she is culpable (cf. ... Ordeals to determine culpability are found in other societies of the ancient Near East (e.g., Hammurabi's Laws §132). ... aside to uncleanness while under your husband's authority, be immune to this water of bitterness that brings the curse ..."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-KitAdultMecca-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-KitAdultMecca_45-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Kitab_al-Aghani" title="Kitab al-Aghani">Kitab al-Aghani</a></i>, 1:156:3+</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Grandidier-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Grandidier_46-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGrandidierMabilleSaussureZehntner1908" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a href="/wiki/Alfred_Grandidier" title="Alfred Grandidier">Grandidier, Alfred</a>; Mabille, P.; Saussure, Henri de; Zehntner, Leo (1908). "III. Immigrations sémites". <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/122650#page/116/mode/1up"><i>Histoire physique, naturelle, et politique de Madagascar volume 4 tome 1</i></a> (in French). Impr. nationale. pp. 102–103<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">9 February</span> 2024</span>. <q>35° qu'ils soumettent les inculpés à diverses ordalies analogues à celle de la coupe des eaux amères des Juifs (112).</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=III.+Immigrations+s%C3%A9mites&rft.btitle=Histoire+physique%2C+naturelle%2C+et+politique+de+Madagascar+volume+4+tome+1&rft.pages=102-103&rft.pub=Impr.+nationale&rft.date=1908&rft.aulast=Grandidier&rft.aufirst=Alfred&rft.au=Mabille%2C+P.&rft.au=Saussure%2C+Henri+de&rft.au=Zehntner%2C+Leo&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.biodiversitylibrary.org%2Fitem%2F122650%23page%2F116%2Fmode%2F1up&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-47">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Helena Zlotnick, <i>Dinah's Daughters: Gender and Judaism from the Hebrew Bible to ... </i> 2002 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0812217977" title="Special:BookSources/0812217977">0812217977</a> Page 111. "The question that has never been asked by modern interpreters of the history of the ordeal of the bitter water is what replaced the ordeal after its abolition 41 In other words, what legal procedures were available to investigate and prosecute ...One underlying quest of this chapter is a search for the alternative that replaced the pre-70 procedures of detecting adulteresses, assuming that husbands did continue to suspect their wives of adultery and that sexual loyalty .."</span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAmzallagYona2017" class="citation cs2">Amzallag, Nissim; Yona, Shamir (2017), "The Kenite Origin of the Sotah Prescription (Numbers 5.11–31)", <i><a href="/wiki/Journal_for_the_Study_of_the_Old_Testament" title="Journal for the Study of the Old Testament">Journal for the Study of the Old Testament</a></i>, <b>41</b> (4): 383–412, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0309089216661176">10.1177/0309089216661176</a>, <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:171723202">171723202</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+for+the+Study+of+the+Old+Testament&rft.atitle=The+Kenite+Origin+of+the+Sotah+Prescription+%28Numbers+5.11%E2%80%9331%29&rft.volume=41&rft.issue=4&rft.pages=383-412&rft.date=2017&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1177%2F0309089216661176&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A171723202%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft.aulast=Amzallag&rft.aufirst=Nissim&rft.au=Yona%2C+Shamir&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AOrdeal+of+the+bitter+water" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li>Daniel Friedmann: <i>From the Trial of Adam and Eve to the Judgments of Solomon and Daniel</i></li> <li>Luzia Sutter Rehmann: "The Doorway into Freedom - The Case of the 'Suspected Wife' in Romans 7.1-6" in <i><a href="/wiki/Journal_for_the_Study_of_the_New_Testament" title="Journal for the Study of the New Testament">Journal for the Study of the New Testament</a></i> (JSNT) no 79, 91-104.</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Book_of_Numbers" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Book_of_Numbers" title="Template:Book of Numbers"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Book_of_Numbers" title="Template talk:Book of Numbers"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Book_of_Numbers" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Book of Numbers"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Book_of_Numbers" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Book_of_Numbers" title="Book of Numbers">Book of Numbers</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Chapters</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bemidbar_(parashah)" title="Bemidbar (parashah)">1–4</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Naso_(parashah)" title="Naso (parashah)">4–7</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Behaalotecha" title="Behaalotecha">8–12</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shlach" title="Shlach">13–15</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Korach_(parashah)" title="Korach (parashah)">16–18</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chukat" title="Chukat">19–22</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balak_(parashah)" title="Balak (parashah)">22–25</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pinechas_(parashah)" title="Pinechas (parashah)">25–30</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Matot#First_reading_—_Numbers_30:2–17" title="Matot">30</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Numbers_31" title="Numbers 31">31</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Matot#Sixth_reading_—_Numbers_32:1–19" title="Matot">32</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Masei" title="Masei">33–36</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Parashah" title="Parashah">Parashah</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bemidbar_(parashah)" title="Bemidbar (parashah)">Bemidbar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Naso_(parashah)" title="Naso (parashah)">Naso</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Behaalotecha" title="Behaalotecha">Behaalotecha</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shlach" title="Shlach">Shlach</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Korach_(parashah)" title="Korach (parashah)">Korach</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chukat" title="Chukat">Chukat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balak_(parashah)" title="Balak (parashah)">Balak</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pinechas_(parashah)" title="Pinechas (parashah)">Pinechas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Matot" title="Matot">Matot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Masei" title="Masei">Masei</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Places</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cities_of_Refuge" title="Cities of Refuge">Cities of Refuge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Desert_of_Paran" title="Desert of Paran">Desert of Paran</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eshcol" title="Eshcol">Eshcol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kibroth_Hattaavah" title="Kibroth Hattaavah">Kibroth Hattaavah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Levitical_city" title="Levitical city">Levitical city</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mount_Seir" title="Mount Seir">Mount Seir</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stations_of_the_Exodus" title="Stations of the Exodus">Stations of the Exodus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zoan" title="Zoan">Zoan</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">People</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Agag" title="Agag">Agag</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ahihud_(biblical_figure)" title="Ahihud (biblical figure)">Ahihud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ahira" title="Ahira">Ahira</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ammiel" title="Ammiel">Ammiel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ammihud" title="Ammihud">Ammihud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ammishaddai" class="mw-redirect" title="Ammishaddai">Ammishaddai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anak" title="Anak">Anak</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Asriel" title="Asriel">Asriel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balaam" title="Balaam">Balaam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balak" title="Balak">Balak</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caleb" title="Caleb">Caleb</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cozbi" title="Cozbi">Cozbi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dathan" title="Dathan">Dathan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Daughters_of_Zelophehad" title="Daughters of Zelophehad">Daughters of Zelophehad</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eldad_and_Medad" title="Eldad and Medad">Eldad and Medad</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eliab" title="Eliab">Eliab</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gatherer_(Bible)" title="Gatherer (Bible)">The Gatherer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gershon" title="Gershon">Gershon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gilead" title="Gilead">Gilead</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Joshua" title="Joshua">Joshua</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kohathites" title="Kohathites">Kohathites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Korah" title="Korah">Korah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Levite" title="Levite">Levites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Merari" title="Merari">Merari</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Merarites" title="Merarites">Merarites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moses" title="Moses">Moses</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nadab_and_Abihu" title="Nadab and Abihu">Nadab and Abihu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nahshon" title="Nahshon">Nahshon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nehemiah" title="Nehemiah">Nehemiah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nethaneel" title="Nethaneel">Nethaneel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Og" title="Og">Og</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Phinehas" title="Phinehas">Phinehas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Twelve_Spies" title="The Twelve Spies">The Twelve Spies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tirzah_(name)" title="Tirzah (name)">Tirzah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zimri_(prince)" title="Zimri (prince)">Zimri</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Terms</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Covenant_of_salt" title="Covenant of salt">Covenant of salt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manna" title="Manna">Manna</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nehushtan" title="Nehushtan">Nehushtan</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Ordeal of the bitter water</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Priestly_Blessing" title="Priestly Blessing">Priestly Blessing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Water_of_lustration" title="Water of lustration">Water of lustration</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Analysis</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Numbers_Rabbah" title="Numbers Rabbah">Numbers Rabbah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sifre" title="Sifre">Sifre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sifri_Zutta" title="Sifri Zutta">Sifri Zutta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Star_Prophecy" title="Star Prophecy">Star Prophecy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Textual_variants_in_the_Book_of_Numbers" title="Textual variants in the Book of Numbers">Textual variants</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Manuscripts</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ketef_Hinnom_scrolls" title="Ketef Hinnom scrolls">Ketef Hinnom scrolls</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/4Q121" title="4Q121">4Q121</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&useformat=desktop" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&oldid=1259632727">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&oldid=1259632727</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Book_of_Numbers" title="Category:Book of Numbers">Book of Numbers</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Hebrew_Bible_words_and_phrases" title="Category:Hebrew Bible words and phrases">Hebrew Bible words and phrases</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Jewish_marital_law" title="Category:Jewish marital law">Jewish marital law</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Judaism_and_abortion" title="Category:Judaism and abortion">Judaism and abortion</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Positive_Mitzvoth" title="Category:Positive Mitzvoth">Positive Mitzvoth</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Sexual_fidelity" title="Category:Sexual fidelity">Sexual fidelity</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Trial_by_ordeal" title="Category:Trial by ordeal">Trial by ordeal</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Water_and_Judaism" title="Category:Water and Judaism">Water and Judaism</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_articles_incorporating_text_from_the_1903_Encyclopaedia_Biblica" title="Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1903 Encyclopaedia Biblica">Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1903 Encyclopaedia Biblica</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_articles_incorporating_a_citation_from_the_1906_Jewish_Encyclopedia" title="Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia">Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_articles_incorporating_a_citation_from_the_1906_Jewish_Encyclopedia_without_a_Wikisource_reference" title="Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia without a Wikisource reference">Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia without a Wikisource reference</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_articles_incorporating_text_from_the_1906_Jewish_Encyclopedia" title="Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia">Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_French-language_sources_(fr)" title="Category:CS1 French-language sources (fr)">CS1 French-language sources (fr)</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_containing_Hebrew-language_text" title="Category:Articles containing Hebrew-language text">Articles containing Hebrew-language text</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_articles_with_specifically_marked_weasel-worded_phrases" title="Category:All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases">All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_specifically_marked_weasel-worded_phrases_from_March_2012" title="Category:Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from March 2012">Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from March 2012</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 26 November 2024, at 06:05<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy">Privacy Policy</a>. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/">Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.</a>, a non-profit organization.</li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About">About Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-contact"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us">Contact Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikipedia.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-mobileview"><a href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile" class="noprint stopMobileRedirectToggle">Mobile view</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg" width="84" height="29" alt="Wikimedia Foundation" loading="lazy"></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/w/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"></a></li> </ul> </footer> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-settings" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul></ul> </div><script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.main-5c59558b9d-bgk4v","wgBackendResponseTime":171,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"0.763","walltime":"1.011","ppvisitednodes":{"value":3486,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":77314,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":7446,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":16,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":2,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":1,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":118526,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":0,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 909.170 1 -total"," 31.94% 290.368 1 Template:Reflist"," 16.91% 153.755 15 Template:Cite_book"," 13.77% 125.235 1 Template:Langx"," 10.60% 96.383 1 Template:Book_of_Numbers"," 10.17% 92.436 1 Template:Navbox"," 8.92% 81.077 1 Template:Short_description"," 5.70% 51.845 1 Template:Infobox_Halacha"," 5.41% 49.229 1 Template:Infobox"," 4.62% 41.962 1 Template:Who"]},"scribunto":{"limitreport-timeusage":{"value":"0.478","limit":"10.000"},"limitreport-memusage":{"value":15073285,"limit":52428800}},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.codfw.main-5c59558b9d-vn4mb","timestamp":"20241130014121","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"Ordeal of the bitter water","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ordeal_of_the_bitter_water","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q7563951","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q7563951","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2007-07-16T11:01:12Z","dateModified":"2024-11-26T06:05:40Z","headline":"trial by ordeal administered to the wife whose husband suspected her of adultery but who had no witnesses to make a formal case"}</script> </body> </html>