Numbers 5

The use of curse in this passage has nothing to do with the English nickname for monthly periods in a woman. It is ארר, the only word I use for curse. It is the language of treaty and covenant. See Deuteronomy 27-28 for examples. The KJV uses curse for several Hebrew stems. It is particularly in these rarely used words that I want to be careful to separate things that may differ from the automatic reflexive responses that people will have to words on a page.

JB is pretty good but with many words, it makes for a speedy single reading. I note that it interprets תחת as under the authority of. Perhaps, reading into the culture of the time, but that makes it rather more than a simple preposition.

The story itself is quite strange, drinking water that has been touched with holy dust from the floor of the tabernacle (the dwelling in my work)? It's a bit like pixie dust in a fairy tale. It is not very far from holy to magic.

Verse 3 - from male to female, a peculiar use of prepositions - but it's there. Maybe they recognized sexual identity issues in those days.

Verse 8 - it sounds as if the offense was terminal to the offended party. Perhaps it is a case of repaying the estate (in today's terms).

There are several asides in this chapter. E.g. verse 9-10 on the implied ownership of things.

I wonder if the jealousy offering is a new offering type. Perhaps.

Numbers 5		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר	1		And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,	3e	3g	10
צַ֚ו אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וִֽישַׁלְּחוּ֙ מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה כָּל־צָר֖וּעַ וְכָל־זָ֑ב וְכֹ֖ל טָמֵ֥א לָנָֽפֶשׁ	2	C	Command the children of Israel that they send out from the camp every leper and everyone with a discharge, and everyone unclean from a cadaver.	3e	4C	22 7
מִזָּכָ֤ר עַד־נְקֵבָה֙ תְּשַׁלֵּ֔חוּ אֶל־מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה תְּשַׁלְּח֑וּם וְלֹ֤א יְטַמְּאוּ֙ אֶת־מַ֣חֲנֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֥ן בְּתוֹכָֽם	3		From male to female you will send out. Outside the camp you will send them, that they not defile the camps where I am dwelling among them.	3e	4C	21 19
וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְשַׁלְּח֣וּ אוֹתָ֔ם אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	4		And the children of Israel did so. And they sent out them outside the camp. As Yahweh had spoken to Moses, so the children of Israel did.	3e	4C	22 18
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר	5		And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,	3e	3g	10
דַּבֵּר֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַעֲשׂוּ֙ מִכָּל־חַטֹּ֣את הָֽאָדָ֔ם לִמְעֹ֥ל מַ֖עַל בַּיהוָ֑ה וְאָֽשְׁמָ֖ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִֽוא	6		Speak to the children of Israel, A man or a woman that does from any human sin to trespass a trespass against Yahweh, and that integrity has offended,	3e	4C	28 8
וְהִתְוַדּ֗וּ אֶֽת־חַטָּאתָם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂוּ֒ וְהֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ֙ בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וַחֲמִישִׁת֖וֹ יֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֑יו וְנָתַ֕ן לַאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָשַׁ֥ם לֽוֹ	7		Then they will confess their sin that they have done and will restore its offense in its beginning, and its fifth will add to it, and will give it to the one who was offended.	3e	4C	31 9
וְאִם־אֵ֨ין לָאִ֜ישׁ גֹּאֵ֗ל לְהָשִׁ֤יב הָאָשָׁם֙ אֵלָ֔יו הָאָשָׁ֛ם הַמּוּשָׁ֥ב לַיהוָ֖ה לַכֹּהֵ֑ן מִלְּבַ֗ד אֵ֚יל הַכִּפֻּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְכַפֶּר־בּ֖וֹ עָלָֽיו	8		But if there is no redeemer to whom to restore the guilt offering, the guilt offering may be restored to Yahweh for the priest, besides the ram of the cover-offerings, by which he makes the cover-offering over him.	3d	4C	26 15
וְכָל־תְּרוּמָ֞ה לְכָל־קָדְשֵׁ֧י בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֥יבוּ לַכֹּהֵ֖ן ל֥וֹ יִהְיֶֽה	9		And every contribution of all the holy things of the children of Israel that they bring near for the priest, his, it is.	3c	3g	25
וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־קֳדָשָׁ֖יו ל֣וֹ יִהְי֑וּ אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִתֵּ֥ן לַכֹּהֵ֖ן ל֥וֹ יִהְיֶֽה	10		And each his holy things, his, they are. Each that is given to the priest, his it is.	3d	4B	9 11
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר	11		And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,	3e	3g	10
דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ כִּֽי־תִשְׂטֶ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וּמָעֲלָ֥ה ב֖וֹ מָֽעַל	12		Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, Any man whose wife veers and she trespasses against him a trespass,	3e	4B	15 14
וְשָׁכַ֨ב אִ֣ישׁ אֹתָהּ֮ שִׁכְבַת־זֶרַע֒ וְנֶעְלַם֙ מֵעֵינֵ֣י אִישָׁ֔הּ וְנִסְתְּרָ֖ה וְהִ֣יא נִטְמָ֑אָה וְעֵד֙ אֵ֣ין בָּ֔הּ וְהִ֖וא לֹ֥א נִתְפָּֽשָׂה	13		And she lies down with a man for an emission of seed, and it is obscured away from the eyes of her man, and it is secret, and she is unclean, though there is no witness against her and she is not arrested,	3e	4B	27 10
וְעָבַ֨ר עָלָ֧יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָ֛ה וְקִנֵּ֥א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְהִ֣וא נִטְמָ֑אָה אוֹ־עָבַ֨ר עָלָ֤יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָה֙ וְקִנֵּ֣א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהִ֖יא לֹ֥א נִטְמָֽאָה	14		And a spirit of jealousy passes through him and he is jealous of his wife and she is unclean, or a spirit of jealousy passes through him and he is jealous of his wife, and she is not unclean,	3c	4C	20 20
וְהֵבִ֨יא הָאִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ֮ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵן֒ וְהֵבִ֤יא אֶת־קָרְבָּנָהּ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ עֲשִׂירִ֥ת הָאֵיפָ֖ה קֶ֣מַח שְׂעֹרִ֑ים לֹֽא־יִצֹ֨ק עָלָ֜יו שֶׁ֗מֶן וְלֹֽא־יִתֵּ֤ן עָלָיו֙ לְבֹנָ֔ה כִּֽי־מִנְחַ֤ת קְנָאֹת֙ ה֔וּא מִנְחַ֥ת זִכָּר֖וֹן מַזְכֶּ֥רֶת עָוֺֽן	15		Then the man will bring his wife to the priest, and he will bring her oblation for her, a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He will not infuse oil over it and he will not give frankincense over it, for a gift of jealousy it is, a gift of a memorial, for a memorial of iniquity.	3e	4C	33 31
וְהִקְרִ֥יב אֹתָ֖הּ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהֶֽעֱמִדָ֖הּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה	16		And the priest will bring her near, and stand her in the presence of Yahweh.	3e	4A	8 9
וְלָקַ֧ח הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מַ֥יִם קְדֹשִׁ֖ים בִּכְלִי־חָ֑רֶשׂ וּמִן־הֶֽעָפָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה֙ בְּקַרְקַ֣ע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִקַּ֥ח הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְנָתַ֥ן אֶל־הַמָּֽיִם	17		And the priest will take holy water in a vessel of earthenware, and from the dust that is on the floor of the dwelling the priest will take to consign to the waters.	3c	4C	13 27
וְהֶעֱמִ֨יד הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁה֮ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֒ וּפָרַע֙ אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְנָתַ֣ן עַל־כַּפֶּ֗יהָ אֵ֚ת מִנְחַ֣ת הַזִּכָּר֔וֹן מִנְחַ֥ת קְנָאֹ֖ת הִ֑וא וּבְיַ֤ד הַכֹּהֵן֙ יִהְי֔וּ מֵ֥י הַמָּרִ֖ים הַמְאָֽרֲרִֽים	18		And the priest will have the woman stand in the presence of Yahweh, and dishevel the head of the woman, and he will give over her palms the gift of the memorial, the gift of jealousy it is. And in the hand of the priest will be the bitter waters, those that cause cursing.	3e	4C	43 15
וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ אֹתָ֜הּ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאָמַ֤ר אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אִם־לֹ֨א שָׁכַ֥ב אִישׁ֙ אֹתָ֔ךְ וְאִם־לֹ֥א שָׂטִ֛ית טֻמְאָ֖ה תַּ֣חַת אִישֵׁ֑ךְ הִנָּקִ֕י מִמֵּ֛י הַמָּרִ֥ים הַֽמְאָרֲרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה	19		And the priest will adjure her and say to the woman, if no-one was lying down with you, and if you have not veered to be unclean, under your man, be innocent from these bitter waters that cause cursing.	3d	4C	34 15
וְאַ֗תְּ כִּ֥י שָׂטִ֛ית תַּ֥חַת אִישֵׁ֖ךְ וְכִ֣י נִטְמֵ֑את וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אִ֥ישׁ בָּךְ֙ אֶת־שְׁכָבְתּ֔וֹ מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֖י אִישֵֽׁךְ	20		But if you have veered, under your man, and if you are unclean, and a man has given within you his emission, apart from your man,	3d	4B	13 15
וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶֽת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֮ בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת הָאָלָה֒ וְאָמַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה יִתֵּ֨ן יְהוָ֥ה אוֹתָ֛ךְ לְאָלָ֥ה וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ עַמֵּ֑ךְ בְּתֵ֨ת יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־יְרֵכֵךְ֙ נֹפֶ֔לֶת וְאֶת־בִּטְנֵ֖ךְ צָבָֽה	21		Then the priest will adjure the woman with an oath of imprecation, and the priest will say to the woman, Yahweh give you to imprecation and to oath in the midst of your people, when Yahweh gives your thigh to fall and your belly to be distended.	3d	4C	43 17
וּ֠בָאוּ הַמַּ֨יִם הַמְאָרְרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ בְּֽמֵעַ֔יִךְ לַצְבּ֥וֹת בֶּ֖טֶן וְלַנְפִּ֣ל יָרֵ֑ךְ וְאָמְרָ֥ה הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אָמֵ֥ן ׀ אָמֵֽן	22	~	And these waters that cause cursing will enter into your inner parts, to make belly distend and to make flank fall. And the woman will say, Amen, amen.	3e	4C	24 10
וְ֠כָתַב אֶת־הָאָלֹ֥ת הָאֵ֛לֶּה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּסֵּ֑פֶר וּמָחָ֖ה אֶל־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִֽים	23	~	And the priest will write these imprecations in a book, and will erase by the bitter waters.	3d	4A	16 8
וְהִשְׁקָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אֶת־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִ֖ים הַמְאָֽרֲרִ֑ים וּבָ֥אוּ בָ֛הּ הַמַּ֥יִם הַֽמְאָרֲרִ֖ים לְמָרִֽים	24		And he will make the woman drink the bitter waters that cause cursing, and the waters that cause cursing will enter into her to be bitter.	3d	4B	16 13
וְלָקַ֤ח הַכֹּהֵן֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֵ֖ת מִנְחַ֣ת הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת וְהֵנִ֤יף אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְהִקְרִ֥יב אֹתָ֖הּ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ	25		And the priest will take from the hand of the woman the gift of jealousy, and he will elevate the gift in the presence of Yahweh and will bring her near to the altar.	3e	4C	17 21
וְקָמַ֨ץ הַכֹּהֵ֤ן מִן־הַמִּנְחָה֙ אֶת־אַזְכָּ֣רָתָ֔הּ וְהִקְטִ֖יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְאַחַ֛ר יַשְׁקֶ֥ה אֶת־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־הַמָּֽיִם	26		And the priest will extract from the gift its memorial and will make it burn with smoke toward the altar, and after will have the woman drink the waters.	3d	4C	22 13
וְהִשְׁקָ֣הּ אֶת־הַמַּ֗יִם וְהָיְתָ֣ה אִֽם־נִטְמְאָה֮ וַתִּמְעֹ֣ל מַ֣עַל בְּאִישָׁהּ֒ וּבָ֨אוּ בָ֜הּ הַמַּ֤יִם הַמְאָֽרֲרִים֙ לְמָרִ֔ים וְצָבְתָ֣ה בִטְנָ֔הּ וְנָפְלָ֖ה יְרֵכָ֑הּ וְהָיְתָ֧ה הָאִשָּׁ֛ה לְאָלָ֖ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב עַמָּֽהּ	27		And having made her drink the waters, it will be, if she is unclean, and she had trespassed a trespass against her man, then the waters that cause cursing will come into her to be bitter, and her belly will be distended and her thigh will fall, and the woman will be an imprecation within her people.	3c	4C	45 14
וְאִם־לֹ֤א נִטְמְאָה֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וּטְהֹרָ֖ה הִ֑וא וְנִקְּתָ֖ה וְנִזְרְעָ֥ה זָֽרַע	28		And the woman if is not unclean but she is clean, then she will be acquitted and will be seeded with seed.	3e	4C	13 9
זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּשְׂטֶ֥ה אִשָּׁ֛ה תַּ֥חַת אִישָׁ֖הּ וְנִטְמָֽאָה	29	f	This is the instruction for the jealousies, when a woman veers, under her man, and is unclean,	3d	4A	6 14
א֣וֹ אִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תַּעֲבֹ֥ר עָלָ֛יו ר֥וּחַ קִנְאָ֖ה וְקִנֵּ֣א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְהֶעֱמִ֤יד אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְעָ֤שָׂה לָהּ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת	30	B	Or a man over whom passes a spirit of jealousy and he is jealous of his wife, and he stands the woman in the presence of Yahweh, and the priest does for her all this instruction.	3d	4C	19 26
וְנִקָּ֥ה הָאִ֖ישׁ מֵעָוֺ֑ן וְהָאִשָּׁ֣ה הַהִ֔וא תִּשָּׂ֖א אֶת־עֲוֺנָֽהּ	31		And the man is innocent of iniquity, and that woman will bear her iniquity.	3e	4B	8 12