Numbers 5:13

Num 5:13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and [there be] no witness against her, neither she be taken [with the manner];

Ver. 13. And it be hid from the eyes] As Pro 30:20. Such a privy whore was Livia, the wife of Augustus Caesar, who, though otherwise very observant of her husband, yet lived in adultery with Eudemus her physician: qui specie artis frequens secretis, saith Taeitus; who, under a show of curing her, corrupted her. So do the Jesuits many dames at this day; being, as one saith of them, Connubi sanctifugae, clam meretricitegae. The friars are said to send men whose wives are barren, in pilgrimage to St. Joyce the patroness of fruitfulness, and meanwhile to lie with their wives.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. and be kept close &c.] and she be undetected, though she has defiled herself.

since she was not taken in the act] On the evidence of two witnesses at least (Deu_17:6; Deu_19:15) the woman and the man would be put to death (Lev_20:10 (P ), Deu_22:22); cf. Joh_8:4 f.

14b. The merest suspicion on the husband’s part might render her liable to the ordeal.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And a man lie with her carnally,.... That is, is suspected that he has so done, not that it is a clear case, for it follows:

and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close; so that it is not known by her husband, nor by any other; "she hath hid herself", so Ainsworth, being in a private place with another man, though warned to the contrary by her husband:

and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her; of her being defiled, though there may be of her being in private with such a man:

neither she be taken with the manner; or in the act of uncleanness.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

She utterly denying it, Pro 30:20, and none being able and willing to discover it; for if it was witnessed, she was to die for it, Lev 20:10; Deu 22:22.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

If it be laid. Or, "if he be hid." This verse is explanatory of the former. Taken with the manner. The latter words are not in the Hebrew. It means no doubt "taken in the act". (cf. Joh_8:4) Auth mh h suneilhmmenh , Septuagint.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then suppose that another man sleeps with her

"and another man sleeps with her." This sentence can be written as part of the previous sentence. This explains how she sinned against her husband. This is something that could possibly happen. Yahweh is telling Moses what to do if it does happen. (See: Hypothetical Situations)

she is defiled ... his wife is defiled ... his wife is not defiled

These phrases can be stated in active form. AT: "she has defiled herself ... his wife has defiled herself ... his wife has not defiled herself" (See: Active or Passive)

in the act

This refers to the act of adultery. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "in the act of adultery" or "sleeping with him" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

a spirit of jealousy might still inform the husband

Here the word "spirit" refers to a person's attitude and emotions. His "jealously" is spoken of as if it were a person who spoke to him. AT: "the husband might feel jealous and become suspicious" (See: Metonymy and Personification)

a spirit of jealousy might falsely come on a man

Here the word "spirit" refers to a person's attitude and emotions. The idea of the spirit "coming on him" means that he began to have these jealous feelings. AT: "a man might feel jealous for no reason" (See: Metonymy and Idiom)

translationWords

had relations with

defile

know

testimony

spirit

jealous

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ושכב איש AND A MAN LIETH [WITH HER] — a man, thus excluding a minor and a being that does not come under the term איש (i. e., an animal) (Sifrei Bamidbar 7:2; Sotah 24a).

אתה שכבת זרע [AND A MAN LIETH] WITH HER CARNALLY — This implies: that only her sexual intercourse with another man makes her unfit for continuing in marital relation with her husband, but the fact that her sister had sexual intercourse with him does not make her unfit for such (Yevamot 95a) [as was once the case with two sisters who greatly resembled each other (Tanchuma 5:2:6)]

תעלם מעיני אשה AND IT BE HID FROM THE EYES OF HER HUSBAND — Since it speaks of the eyes of the husband, it excludes the case of a blind man (i.e., a blind man cannot subject his wife to the ordeal). On the other hand, it states: “if it be concealed from his eyes”; it follows therefore that if he sees her improper conduct and wilfully closes his eyes to it the waters cannot try her (i.e., she cannot be subjected to the ordeal) (Sifrei Bamidbar 7:3; Sotah 27a).

ונסתרה AND SHE WAS ASIDE SECRETLY with him such a period of time wherein there was a possibility for her to become defiled by intercourse (Sotah 4a).

ועד אין בה AND THERE BE NO WITNESS AGAINST HER — But if there was even only one witness against her who stated that she was defiled she did not drink the מים המאררים, but was henceforth forbidden to her husband (Sotah 2b).

ועד אין בה AND THERE WAS NO WITNESS AGAINST HER, as regards defilement, but there were witnesses regarding her meeting with the man privily.

ונתפשה [AND SHE WAS NOT] SEIZED — i.e. subjected to force (Sifrei Bamidbar 7:3). Similar is, (Deuteronomy 22:28) “And seizes her (ותפשה) and lieth with her”.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.