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Numbers 5:29 This is the law of jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband's authority,
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Numbers 5:29 This is the law of jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband's authority,</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/numbers/5-29.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/7/04_Num_05_29.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Numbers 5:29 - The Adultery Test" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="This is the law of jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband's authority," /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/numbers/5-29.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/numbers/5-29.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/numbers/">Numbers</a> > <a href="/numbers/5.htm">Chapter 5</a> > Verse 29</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad9.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/numbers/5-28.htm" title="Numbers 5:28">◄</a> Numbers 5:29 <a href="/numbers/5-30.htm" title="Numbers 5:30">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Heb </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/numbers/5.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter"> (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/numbers/5.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />“’This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and makes herself impure while married to her husband,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/numbers/5.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />“This is the ritual law for dealing with suspicion. If a woman goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/numbers/5.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />“This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/numbers/5.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/numbers/5.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />This <i>is</i> the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside <i>to another</i> instead of her husband, and is defiled;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/numbers/5.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />‘This <i>is</i> the law of jealousy, when a wife, <i>while</i> under her husband’s <i>authority,</i> goes astray and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/numbers/5.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />‘This is the law of jealousy: when a wife, <i>who is</i> under <i>the authority of</i> her husband, goes astray and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/numbers/5.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy: when a wife, being under the authority of her husband, goes astray and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/numbers/5.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />‘This is the law of jealousy: when a wife, <i>being</i> under <i>the authority of</i> her husband, goes astray and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/numbers/5.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />‘This is the law of jealousy: when a wife, <i>being</i> under <i>the authority of</i> her husband, goes astray and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/numbers/5.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />‘This is the law of jealousy: when a wife goes astray [while married] and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/numbers/5.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />“This is the law regarding jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/numbers/5.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />This is the law regarding jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/numbers/5.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goeth aside, and is defiled;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/numbers/5.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goeth aside, and is defiled;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/numbers/5.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />"These are the instructions for how to deal with jealousy. They tell you what to do when a woman is unfaithful to her husband and becomes unclean.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/numbers/5.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />This is the law in cases of jealousy when a woman defiles herself while under her husband's authority: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/numbers/5.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband?s authority,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/numbers/5.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />"'This is the law for cases of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband's authority, goes astray and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/numbers/5.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />"This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/numbers/5.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth astray to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/numbers/5.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />“‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled, <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/numbers/5.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />This [is] the law of jealousies when a wife turns aside under her husband and has been defiled,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/numbers/5.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> This is the law of jealousies, when a wife turneth aside under her husband, and hath been defiled,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/numbers/5.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />This the law of jealousies, when a woman shall turn aside instead of her husband, and she was defiled;<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/numbers/5.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy. If a woman hath gone aside from her husband, and be defiled, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/numbers/5.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />This is the law for jealousy. If a woman has turned aside from her husband, and if she has been polluted,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/numbers/5.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />This, then, is the ritual for jealousy when a woman goes astray while under the authority of her husband and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/numbers/5.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself,<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/numbers/5.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy when a woman does wrong by having lain with another man besides her husband and defiles herself,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/numbers/5.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy when a woman does wrong apart from her husband and she shall be defiled.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/numbers/5.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goeth aside, and is defiled;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/numbers/5.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />This is the law of jealousy, wherein a married woman should happen to transgress, and be defiled;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/numbers/5-29.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yauBFvKLNNo?start=1728" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/numbers/5.htm">The Adultery Test</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">28</span>But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will be unaffected and able to conceive children. <span class="reftext">29</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/2063.htm" title="2063: zōṯ (Pro-fs) -- Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that. Irregular feminine of zeh; this.">This</a> <a href="/hebrew/8451.htm" title="8451: tō·w·raṯ (N-fsc) -- Direction, instruction, law. Or torah; from yarah; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch.">is the law</a> <a href="/hebrew/7068.htm" title="7068: haq·qə·nā·’ōṯ (Art:: N-fp) -- Ardor, zeal, jealousy. From qana'; jealousy or envy.">of jealousy</a> <a href="/hebrew/834.htm" title="834: ’ă·šer (Pro-r) -- Who, which, that. A primitive relative pronoun; who, which, what, that; also when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.">when</a> <a href="/hebrew/802.htm" title="802: ’iš·šāh (N-fs) -- Woman, wife, female. Feminine of 'iysh or 'enowsh; irregular plural, nashiym; a woman.">a wife</a> <a href="/hebrew/7847.htm" title="7847: tiś·ṭeh (V-Qal-Imperf-3fs) -- To turn aside. A primitive root; to deviate from duty.">goes astray</a> <a href="/hebrew/2930.htm" title="2930: wə·niṭ·mā·’āh (Conj-w:: V-Nifal-ConjPerf-3fs) -- To be or become unclean. A primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense.">and defiles herself</a> <a href="/hebrew/8478.htm" title="8478: ta·ḥaṯ (Prep) -- Underneath, below, instead of. From the same as Towach; the bottom; only adverbially, below, in lieu of, etc.">while under</a> <a href="/hebrew/376.htm" title="376: ’î·šāh (N-msc:: 3fs) -- Man. Contracted for 'enowsh; a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term.">her husband’s authority,</a> </span><span class="reftext">30</span>or when a feeling of jealousy comes over a husband and he suspects his wife. He is to have the woman stand before the LORD, and the priest is to apply to her this entire law.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/20-10.htm">Leviticus 20:10</a></span><br />If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/22-22.htm">Deuteronomy 22:22</a></span><br />If a man is found lying with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/6-32.htm">Proverbs 6:32-35</a></span><br />He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. / Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. / For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/8-3.htm">John 8:3-11</a></span><br />The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them / and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. / In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?” ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/5-27.htm">Matthew 5:27-28</a></span><br />You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ / But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/6-9.htm">1 Corinthians 6:9-10</a></span><br />Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/13-4.htm">Hebrews 13:4</a></span><br />Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/20-14.htm">Exodus 20:14</a></span><br />You shall not commit adultery.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_samuel/11-2.htm">2 Samuel 11:2-5</a></span><br />One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. / So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” / Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hosea/4-14.htm">Hosea 4:14</a></span><br />I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/3-8.htm">Jeremiah 3:8-9</a></span><br />She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well. / Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/16-38.htm">Ezekiel 16:38</a></span><br />And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/malachi/3-5.htm">Malachi 3:5</a></span><br />“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/7-2.htm">Romans 7:2-3</a></span><br />For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. / So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/7-10.htm">1 Corinthians 7:10-11</a></span><br />To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. / But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goes aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;</p><p class="hdg">the law</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/leviticus/7-11.htm">Leviticus 7:11</a></b></br> And this <i>is</i> the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/leviticus/11-46.htm">Leviticus 11:46</a></b></br> This <i>is</i> the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/leviticus/13-59.htm">Leviticus 13:59</a></b></br> This <i>is</i> the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.</p><p class="hdg">when a wife goeth</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/numbers/5-12.htm">Numbers 5:12,15,19</a></b></br> Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him, … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/isaiah/5-7.htm">Isaiah 5:7,8</a></b></br> For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts <i>is</i> the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry… </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/numbers/5-20.htm">Astray</a> <a href="/numbers/5-20.htm">Authority</a> <a href="/exodus/18-26.htm">Cases</a> <a href="/numbers/5-28.htm">Defiled</a> <a href="/leviticus/21-9.htm">Defiles</a> <a href="/numbers/5-12.htm">Goes</a> <a href="/numbers/5-28.htm">Herself</a> <a href="/numbers/5-27.htm">Husband</a> <a href="/numbers/5-20.htm">Husband's</a> <a href="/numbers/5-20.htm">Instead</a> <a href="/galatians/5-20.htm">Jealousies</a> <a href="/numbers/5-25.htm">Jealousy</a> <a href="/numbers/5-20.htm">Married</a> <a href="/revelation/7-14.htm">Testing</a> <a href="/numbers/5-20.htm">Unclean</a> <a href="/numbers/5-15.htm">Wife</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/numbers/15-28.htm">Astray</a> <a href="/numbers/27-20.htm">Authority</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/1-16.htm">Cases</a> <a href="/numbers/6-9.htm">Defiled</a> <a href="/numbers/6-9.htm">Defiles</a> <a href="/numbers/15-28.htm">Goes</a> <a href="/numbers/22-25.htm">Herself</a> <a href="/numbers/5-30.htm">Husband</a> <a href="/numbers/30-10.htm">Husband's</a> <a href="/numbers/8-16.htm">Instead</a> <a href="/galatians/5-20.htm">Jealousies</a> <a href="/numbers/5-30.htm">Jealousy</a> <a href="/numbers/12-1.htm">Married</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/13-3.htm">Testing</a> <a href="/numbers/6-7.htm">Unclean</a> <a href="/numbers/5-30.htm">Wife</a><div class="vheading2">Numbers 5</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/5-1.htm">The unclean are removed out of camp</a></span><br><span class="reftext">5. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/5-5.htm">Restitution is to be made in trespass</a></span><br><span class="reftext">11. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/5-11.htm">The trial of jealously</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF2 --> <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/numbers/5.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/numbers/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/numbers/5.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>This is the law of jealousy</b><br>This phrase introduces a specific legal procedure within the Mosaic Law, addressing suspicions of marital infidelity. The "law of jealousy" is a divine ordinance given to maintain marital fidelity and social order within the Israelite community. It reflects the seriousness with which God views the covenant of marriage, emphasizing the need for trust and faithfulness. This law is unique to the Israelites and underscores the importance of purity and holiness in relationships, as seen in other parts of the Torah.<p><b>when a wife goes astray</b><br>The phrase "goes astray" implies a deviation from the expected path of marital faithfulness. In the cultural and historical context of ancient Israel, marriage was a covenantal relationship with significant social and religious implications. The act of going astray not only threatened the family unit but also the community's moral fabric. This concept is echoed in the prophetic literature, where Israel's unfaithfulness to God is often depicted as spiritual adultery (e.g., <a href="/hosea/1.htm">Hosea 1-3</a>).<p><b>and defiles herself</b><br>Defilement here refers to the act of adultery, which was considered a serious sin under the Mosaic Law. It not only affected the individual but also had communal repercussions, as purity was a central theme in Israelite worship and daily life. The idea of defilement is linked to the broader biblical theme of holiness, where God calls His people to be set apart and pure (<a href="/leviticus/11-44.htm">Leviticus 11:44-45</a>).<p><b>while under her husband’s authority</b><br>This phrase reflects the patriarchal structure of ancient Israelite society, where the husband held a position of authority within the family. The husband's role was to protect and provide for his wife, and her faithfulness was integral to the household's stability. This authority is not merely social but also spiritual, as the husband is seen as the head of the family, a concept that is further developed in the New Testament (<a href="/ephesians/5-23.htm">Ephesians 5:23</a>). The law of jealousy thus serves to uphold the sanctity of marriage and the proper order within the family as ordained by God.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a></b><br>The leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God, including the law of jealousy.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/i/israelites.htm">Israelites</a></b><br>The people to whom the law was given, living in the wilderness during their journey to the Promised Land.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_priest.htm">The Priest</a></b><br>The religious leader responsible for carrying out the ritual described in the law of jealousy.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_husband.htm">The Husband</a></b><br>The man who suspects his wife of infidelity and brings her before the priest.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_wife.htm">The Wife</a></b><br>The woman suspected of infidelity, who undergoes the ritual to determine her guilt or innocence.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/u/understanding_the_context_of_the_law.htm">Understanding the Context of the Law</a></b><br>The law of jealousy was given in a specific cultural and historical context where the integrity of family and community was paramount. It reflects the seriousness with which God views marital fidelity.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_role_of_the_priest.htm">The Role of the Priest</a></b><br>The priest acted as a mediator between God and the people, emphasizing the need for spiritual discernment and divine guidance in resolving personal conflicts.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/j/jealousy_and_trust_in_relationships.htm">Jealousy and Trust in Relationships</a></b><br>Jealousy can be destructive, but it also points to the importance of trust and faithfulness in marriage. Christians are called to cultivate trust and address suspicions with grace and truth.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_justice_and_mercy.htm">God's Justice and Mercy</a></b><br>While the law provided a means to address infidelity, it also points to God's desire for justice and purity among His people. In Christ, we see the fulfillment of the law through mercy and forgiveness.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/a/application_in_modern_context.htm">Application in Modern Context</a></b><br>While the specific ritual is not applicable today, the principles of fidelity, trust, and seeking God's guidance in relationships remain relevant.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_numbers_5.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Numbers 5</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_assume_guilt_in_numbers_5_ritual.htm">Why does this ritual seem to assume the woman is guilty until proven innocent (Numbers 5)?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_the_bible_say_about_daughters.htm">What does the Bible say regarding daughters?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_replace_moses'_covenant_for_jesus.htm">Why should the covenant through Moses be replaced if Hebrews 3:3-6 claims Jesus is greater, without historical or archeological proof of Jesus' authority then?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/bible's_view_on_civil_disobedience.htm">What does the Bible say about civil disobedience?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/numbers/5.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 29.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">This is the law of jealousies.</span> A law prescribed by God, and yet in substance borrowed from half civilized heathens; a practice closely akin to yet prevalent superstitious, and yet receiving not only the toleration of Moses, but the direct sanction of God; an ordeal which emphatically claimed to be infallibly operative through supernatural agencies, yet amongst other nations obviously lending itself to collusion and fraud, as does the trial by red water practiced by the tribes of West Africa. In order to justify heavenly wisdom herein, we must frankly admit, to begin with - <p><span class="note_emph">(1)</span> That it was founded upon the superstitious notion that immaterial virtue can be imparted to physical elements. The holiness of the gathered dust and the awfulness of the written curses were both supposed to be held in solution by the water of jealousy. The record does not <span class="accented">say</span> as much, but the whole ordeal proceeds on this supposition, which would undoubtedly be the popular one. <p><span class="note_emph">(2)</span> That it was only fitted for a very rude and comparatively barbarous state of society. The Talmud states that the use of it ceased forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem (if so, during our Lord's earthly lifetime); but it may be held certain that it ceased long before - indeed there is no recorded instance of its use. It was essentially an ordeal, although one Divinely regulated, and as such would have been morally impossible and highly undesirable in any age but <span class="cmt_word">one</span> of blind and uninquiring faith. And we find the justification of it exactly in the fact that it was given to a generation which believed much and knew little; which had a profound belief in magic, and no knowledge of natural philosophy. It was ever the wisdom of God, as revealed in the sacred volume, to take men as they were, and to utilize the superstitious notions which could not at once be destroyed, or the imperfect moral ideas which could not at once be reformed, by making them work for righteousness and peace. It is, above all, the wisdom of God not to destroy the imperfect, but to regulate it and restrain its abuses, and so impress it into his service, until he has educated his people for something higher. Everybody knows the extreme violence of jealousy amongst an uncivilized people, and the widespread misery and crime to which it leads. It may safely be affirmed that <span class="accented">any</span> ordeal which should leave no place for jealousy, because no room for uncertainty, would be a blessing to a people rude enough and ignorant enough to believe in it. Ordeals arc established in a certain stage of civilization because they are wanted, and are on the whole useful, as long as they remain in harmony with popular ideas. They are, however, always liable <span class="cmt_word">to</span> two dangers. <p><span class="note_emph">(1)</span> They occasionally fail, and are known to have failed, and so fall into disrepute. . . . <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/numbers/5-29.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">This</span><br /><span class="heb">זֹ֥את</span> <span class="translit">(zōṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Pronoun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2063.htm">Strong's 2063: </a> </span><span class="str2">Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that, </span><br /><br /><span class="word">is the law</span><br /><span class="heb">תּוֹרַ֖ת</span> <span class="translit">(tō·w·raṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8451.htm">Strong's 8451: </a> </span><span class="str2">Direction, instruction, law</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of jealousy</span><br /><span class="heb">הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת</span> <span class="translit">(haq·qə·nā·’ōṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - feminine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7068.htm">Strong's 7068: </a> </span><span class="str2">Ardor, zeal, jealousy</span><br /><br /><span class="word">when</span><br /><span class="heb">אֲשֶׁ֨ר</span> <span class="translit">(’ă·šer)</span><br /><span class="parse">Pronoun - relative<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_834.htm">Strong's 834: </a> </span><span class="str2">Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that</span><br /><br /><span class="word">a wife</span><br /><span class="heb">אִשָּׁ֛ה</span> <span class="translit">(’iš·šāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_802.htm">Strong's 802: </a> </span><span class="str2">Woman, wife, female</span><br /><br /><span class="word">goes astray</span><br /><span class="heb">תִּשְׂטֶ֥ה</span> <span class="translit">(tiś·ṭeh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7847.htm">Strong's 7847: </a> </span><span class="str2">To deviate from duty</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and defiles herself</span><br /><span class="heb">וְנִטְמָֽאָה׃</span> <span class="translit">(wə·niṭ·mā·’āh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2930.htm">Strong's 2930: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be or become unclean</span><br /><br /><span class="word">while under</span><br /><span class="heb">תַּ֥חַת</span> <span class="translit">(ta·ḥaṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8478.htm">Strong's 8478: </a> </span><span class="str2">The bottom, below, in lieu of</span><br /><br /><span class="word">her husband’s authority,</span><br /><span class="heb">אִישָׁ֖הּ</span> <span class="translit">(’î·šāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_376.htm">Strong's 376: </a> </span><span class="str2">A man as an individual, a male person</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/numbers/5-29.htm">Numbers 5:29 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/numbers/5-29.htm">OT Law: Numbers 5:29 This is the law of jealousy when (Nu Num.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/numbers/5-28.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Numbers 5:28"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Numbers 5:28" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/numbers/5-30.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Numbers 5:30"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Numbers 5:30" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>