Numbers

Numbers 5:19–24

¹⁹And he is to put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse. ²⁰But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority and have defiled yourself and lain carnally with a man other than your husband’— ²¹and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse— ‘then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell. ²²May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’

Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

²³And the priest shall write these curses on a scroll and wash them off into the bitter water. ²⁴He is to have the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and it will enter her and may cause her bitter suffering.

Read all of Numbers 5

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Numbers 5:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And	הַכֹּהֵ֗ן	hak·kō·hên	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3548 priest
is to put the woman under oath	וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ	wə·hiš·bî·a‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H7650 swear
and say	וְאָמַ֤ר	wə·’ā·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
her	הָֽאִשָּׁה֙	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
no other	לֹ֨א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
man	אִישׁ֙	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
has slept with you	שָׁכַ֥ב	šā·ḵaḇ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7901 lie down
and	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you have not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
gone astray	שָׂטִ֛ית	śā·ṭîṯ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular	H7847 turn aside
and become defiled	טֻמְאָ֖ה	ṭum·’āh	Noun - feminine singular	H2932 uncleanness
while under	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
your husband’s authority	אִישֵׁ֑ךְ	’î·šêḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H376 man
may you be immune	הִנָּקִ֕י	hin·nā·qî	Verb - Nifal - Imperative - feminine singular	H5352 be empty(?), clean
to this	הָאֵֽלֶּה׃	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
bitter	הַמָּרִ֥ים	ham·mā·rîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H4751 bitter, bitterness
water	מִמֵּ֛י	mim·mê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H4325 water, juice, urine
that brings a curse	הַֽמְאָרֲרִ֖ים	ham·’ā·ră·rîm	Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H779 curse

Numbers 5:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But if	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you	וְאַ֗תְּ	wə·’at	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person feminine singular	H859 thou
have gone astray	שָׂטִ֛ית	śā·ṭîṯ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular	H7847 turn aside
while under	תַּ֥חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
your husband’s authority	אִישֵׁ֖ךְ	’î·šêḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H376 man
and	וְכִ֣י	wə·ḵî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
have defiled yourself	נִטְמֵ֑את	niṭ·mêṯ	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person feminine singular	H2930 be or become unclean
and lain	וַיִּתֵּ֨ן	way·yit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
carnally	שְׁכָבְתּ֔וֹ	šə·ḵā·ḇə·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7903 copulation
with a man	אִ֥ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
other than	מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֖י	mib·bal·‘ă·ḏê	Preposition-m	H1107 apart from, except, without
your husband	אִישֵֽׁךְ׃	’î·šêḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H376 man

Numbers 5:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and the priest	הַכֹּהֵ֥ן	hak·kō·hên	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3548 priest
shall have the woman	הָֽאִשָּׁה֮	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
swear	וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ	wə·hiš·bî·a‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H7650 swear
under the oath	בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת	biš·ḇu·‘aṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H7621 oath, curse
of the curse	הָאָלָה֒	hā·’ā·lāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H423 oath
then may the LORD	יְהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
make	יִתֵּ֨ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
you	אוֹתָ֛ךְ	’ō·w·ṯāḵ	Direct object marker; second person feminine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
an attested	לְאָלָ֥ה	lə·’ā·lāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H423 oath
curse	וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה	wə·liš·ḇu·‘āh	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H7621 oath, curse
among	בְּת֣וֹךְ	bə·ṯō·wḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8432 midst
your people	עַמֵּ֑ךְ	‘am·mêḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H5971 people
by making	בְּתֵ֨ת	bə·ṯêṯ	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5414 give, put, set
your thigh	יְרֵכֵךְ֙	yə·rê·ḵêḵ	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H3409 thigh, loin, side, base
shrivel	נֹפֶ֔לֶת	nō·p̄e·leṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H5307 fall, lie
and your belly	בִּטְנֵ֖ךְ	biṭ·nêḵ	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb
swell	צָבָֽה׃	ṣā·ḇāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H6639 swelling, swollen

Numbers 5:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May this	הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
water	הַמַּ֨יִם	ham·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
that brings a curse	הַמְאָרְרִ֤ים	ham·’ā·rə·rîm	Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H779 curse
enter	וּ֠בָאוּ	ū·ḇā·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
your stomach	בְּֽמֵעַ֔יִךְ	bə·mê·‘a·yiḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person feminine singular	H4578 internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly
and cause your belly	בֶּ֖טֶן	be·ṭen	Noun - feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb
to swell	לַצְבּ֥וֹת	laṣ·bō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H6638 swell, swell up
and your thigh	יָרֵ֑ךְ	yā·rêḵ	Noun - feminine singular	H3409 thigh, loin, side, base
to shrivel	וְלַנְפִּ֣ל	wə·lan·pil	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5307 fall, lie
Then the woman	הָאִשָּׁ֖ה	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
is to say	וְאָמְרָ֥ה	wə·’ā·mə·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
Amen	אָמֵ֥ן׀	’ā·mên	Adverb	H543 verily, truly
Amen	אָמֵֽן׃	’ā·mên	Adverb	H543 verily, truly

Numbers 5:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And the priest	הַכֹּהֵ֖ן	hak·kō·hên	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3548 priest
shall write	וְ֠כָתַב	wə·ḵā·ṯaḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H3789 write
these	הָאֵ֛לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
curses	הָאָלֹ֥ת	hā·’ā·lōṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H423 oath
on a scroll	בַּסֵּ֑פֶר	bas·sê·p̄er	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5612 missive, document, writing, book
and wash them off	וּמָחָ֖ה	ū·mā·ḥāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H4229 wipe, wipe out
into	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the bitter	הַמָּרִֽים׃	ham·mā·rîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H4751 bitter, bitterness
water	מֵ֥י	mê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4325 water, juice, urine

Numbers 5:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He is to have the woman	הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
drink	וְהִשְׁקָה֙	wə·hiš·qāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H8248 quaff, irrigate, furnish a potion to
the bitter	הַמָּרִ֖ים	ham·mā·rîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H4751 bitter, bitterness
water	מֵ֥י	mê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4325 water, juice, urine
that brings a curse	הַמְאָֽרֲרִ֑ים	ham·’ā·ră·rîm	Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H779 curse
and it	הַמַּ֥יִם	ham·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
will enter	וּבָ֥אוּ	ū·ḇā·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
her	בָ֛הּ	ḇāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular
and may cause her bitter	לְמָרִֽים׃	lə·mā·rîm	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural	H4751 bitter, bitterness
suffering	הַֽמְאָרֲרִ֖ים	ham·’ā·ră·rîm	Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H779 curse

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Numbers 5:21 1 Samuel 14:24 · Nehemiah 10:29 · Joshua 6:26 · Jeremiah 29:22

Numbers 5:22 Psalm 109:18 · Proverbs 1:31 · Deuteronomy 27:15–26 · Psalm 41:13 · Job 31:21–22 · Psalm 89:52 · Psalm 72:19 · John 6:53 · John 3:3 · Ezekiel 3:3 · John 3:11 · John 5:24–25

Numbers 5:24 Malachi 3:5 · Zechariah 5:3–4

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.