Numbers 5:13 meaning
In this passage, we encounter a law concerning marital fidelity and the protocol for addressing suspicions of adultery. The text outlines a solemn process whereby a husband who fears infidelity can bring his wife before the priest for a divine judgment. It underscores the relationship between jealousy and the sanctity of marriage, depicting the gravity of potential unfaithfulness as not just a societal concern but a spiritual one.
The ceremony involves the priest, holy water, and a specific offering, signifying both the husband's grief and the seriousness of invoking God's presence in such matters. The absence of witnesses amplifies the tension, as the woman's purity or guilt hangs in the balance, determined by the act of consuming "bitter water" that could lead to severe consequences for the guilty. This law serves as a reminder of God's omnipresence in human relationships and the need for accountability in the community.
This is captured succinctly in Numbers 5:13, which illustrates the seriousness of a suspected betrayal and the divine mechanisms put in place for resolution, emphasizing integrity within marriage and the communal responsibility to uphold it.
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Deeper Commentary Covering this Verse:
- Numbers 5:11-15 meaning. The next subject, which is called "the law of jealousy" in Numbers 5:29, is discussed in verses 11-31. It concerns marital infidelity that was suspected but not verified. The marriage relationship, the most basic of all between humans, and the building block for a successful self-governing society, was a reflection of one's relationship to the LORD. To be unfaithful in marriage was to be unfaithful to one's LORD.
Other Relevant Commentaries:
- Deuteronomy 18:1-8 meaning. Having dealt with the principles concerning a king, Moses then turns to another source of authority in the Promised Land when he instructs the Israelites on how the Levitical priests were to be supported. Since the Levitical priests would minister before the LORD at the central sanctuary, they were not supposed to do any secular job. They were to depend upon the dues and offerings of the other tribes.
- Joel 3:1-3 meaning. When the LORD restores the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, He will judge the Gentile nations for the way they treated His covenant people.
- Numbers 5:11-15 meaning. The next subject, which is called "the law of jealousy" in Numbers 5:29, is discussed in verses 11-31. It concerns marital infidelity that was suspected but not verified. The marriage relationship, the most basic of all between humans, and the building block for a successful self-governing society, was a reflection of one's relationship to the LORD. To be unfaithful in marriage was to be unfaithful to one's LORD.
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