But 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’—
Parallel translations
- WEB But if you have gone astray, being under your husband, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband:”
- KJV But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
- NKJV But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has lain with you”—
- NASB if, however, you have gone astray, though under the authority of your husband, and if you have defiled yourself and a man other than your husband has had sexual intercourse with you”
- NLT But if you have gone astray by being unfaithful to your husband, and have defiled yourself by having sex with another man—’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The priest sets out the alternative: if she has been defiled by another man, she stands guilty. The oath addresses the case of real unfaithfulness.
Overview
This verse states the condition under which the curse would take effect, namely actual adultery against her husband. The plain statement of guilt underscores the seriousness of covenant-breaking. By framing both innocence and guilt, the ritual ensured a just outcome determined by God, who knows the truth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- Num 5:12“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that if any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 5:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.