Numbers 5:18

Num 5:18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which [is] the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:

Ver. 18. Uncover the woman’s head.] Because she stood now upon her justification, and thereupon laid aside, for present, this sign of subjection to the man. {1Co 11:7}

The offering of memorial.] Brought by her husband, {Num 5:15} who was now sick of one of those three diseases, that they say are hardly cured, jealousy, frenzy, and heresy.

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.

It was so called by the effect, because it declared the woman to be accursed, and turned to her destruction.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 18. Uncover the woman's head] To take off a woman's veil, and expose her to the sight of men, would be considered a very great degradation in the East. To this St. Paul appears to allude, 1Co 11:5-6; 1Co 11:10.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. The hair is let loose as a sign of mourning for her shame.

the water of bitterness] the water which causes physical pain.

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 the priest shall set the woman before the Lord,.... In the east of the tabernacle, with her face to the west, where was the holy of holies, so Ben Gersom; but not immediately for they had her from place to place, as Jarchi says, till she was weary, and her mind disturbed, that she might confess; and if she said, I am defiled, she rent the writing of her dowry, and went out; but if she said, I am pure, they brought her to the eastern gate, the gate of Nicanor, for there they made women suspected of adultery to drink the waters (t):

and uncover the woman's head; as a token of her immodesty and non-subjection to her husband, and that she might be seen by all, to cause shame in her: according to the Misnah (u), the priest took off her clothes, and loosed her hair--if she was clothed with white garments, he clothed her with black; if she had on her ornaments of gold, chains, earrings, or rings, he took them away from her, that she might be unseemly, and whoever would might come and look at her:

and put the offering of memorial into her hands, which is the jealousy offering; to weary her, as Jarchi says, that if perhaps her mind was disturbed she would confess; and so in the Misnah (w) it is said, that her husband put this offering into her hands to weary her; but the true reason here seems to be, that it might appear to be her own offering:

and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse; not that the water was bitter of itself, for it was the water out of the laver, and had nothing in it but the dust of the floor of the tabernacle; though some think some bitter thing was put into it, so Ben Gersom, as wormwood; but it is so called from the effects of it on those that were guilty; it produced sad effects in them, bitter and distressing, and made them appear to be accursed ones, for it was not bitter till it entered, Num 5:24; whereas it was not so to the innocent, nor attended with any such consequence to them; so that there was nothing in the water itself, but its efficacy was divine and supernatural.

(t) Sotah, c. 1. sect. 5. (u) Sotah, c. 1. sect. 5, 6. (w) Sotah, c. 2. sect. 1.

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

Before the Lord; before the tabernacle, with her face towards the ark.

Uncover the woman’s head; partly, that she might be made sensible how manifest she and all her ways were to God, and that she might be more visible to the congregation, that her shame might be greater if she were guilty; partly, in token of her sorrow either for her sin, or at least for any cause of suspicion which she had given; partly, as a sign that she was after a sort deprived of the help and protection of her husband, which the covering of the woman’s head signified, 1Co 11:5-7,10, and that she was neither virgin nor loyal with, for the heads of both these used to be covered.

In her hands, that she herself might offer it, and therefore call God to be witness of her innocency. Bitter; so called either from the bitter taste which the dust gave it, or from the bitter effects of it upon her if she were guilty. Compare Exo 32:20.

That causeth the curse; not by any natural power, but by a supernatural efficacy ordained and wrought by God for her punishment, and for the terror and caution of others.

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

18. The woman before the Lord — In Num_5:16 the offering was “before the Lord” when brought to the altar. The woman was “before the Lord” when, with her face toward the ark, where dwelt the Shekinah, she stood before the door of the tabernacle.

And uncover the woman’s head — The Mishna prescribes that she be clothed in black, with a rope girded around her waist. It would seem from the text that her head was vailed, probably also in black. This uncovering seems to typify her removal from the protection of her husband, and her exposure to the wrath of God. It was necessary, also, that the vail be removed in order that the people might mark the woman, and note the Divine stroke upon her in the future if she were guilty. We cannot accept the statement that dishevelling the hair is all that is here meant. In the same Hebrew words Aaron is forbidden to uncover his head in mourning for his sons, Nadab and Abihu. Lev_10:6. The jealousy offering was to be in her hands until her oath had entitled her to have it burned upon the altar. The woman, holding her offering — the priest, with the curse-water in his hand — and the jealous husband, the priests, and people looking on, constitute a tableau vivant of deep and solemn interest.

The bitter water — It was not bitter in its taste, but in its effects upon the guilty. The Septuagint reads, water of conviction.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Uncover the woman"s head. In token that she had forfeited her glory by breaking, or seeming to have broken, her allegiance to her husband; (1Co_11:5-10) perhaps also with some reference to the truth that "all things are naked and open to the eyes of him" with whom she had to do. (Heb_4:13) Put the offering of memorial in her hands. That she herself might present, as it were, the fruits of her life before God, and challenge investigation of them. Bitter water. It was not literally bitter, but it was so fraught with conviction and judgment as to bring bitter suffering on the guilty.

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

Before the Lord - Before the tabernacle with her face towards the ark. Uncover her head - Partly that she might be made sensible how manifest she and all her ways were to God; partly in token of her sorrow for her sin, or at least for any cause of suspicion which she had given. In her hands - That she herself might offer it, and thereby call God to be witness of her innocency. Bitter - So called either from the bitter taste which the dust gave it, or from the bitter effects of it upon her, if she were guilty. That causeth the curse - Not by any natural power, but by a supernatural efficacy.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

before Yahweh

"in the presence of Yahweh"

grain offering of suspicion

See how you translated this phrase in Numbers 5:15.

if you have not gone astray

The words "gone astray" is an idiom that means "to be unfaithful." AT: "if you have not been unfaithful to your husband" (See: Idiom)

and committed impurity

"by committing impurity." This phrase refers to "committing adultery."

you will be free from this bitter water

The phrase to "be free" from something means to not be harmed by it. AT: "this bitter water will not harm you, though it is able to" (See: Idiom)

this bitter water that can bring a curse

Here the bitter water is described as being able to bring a curse. This means that when the woman drinks the water it cause her to be unable to bear children, if she is guilty. AT: "this bitter water can be a curse to you" (See: Personification)

translationWords

curse

oath

had relations with

astray

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

והעמיד הכהן וגו׳ AND THE PRIEST SHALL PRESENT [THE WOMAN BEFORE THE LORD] — But has it not already been stated, (v. 16) “and he shall present her before the Lord”? But they used to move her about from place to place (and thus, as it were, present her many times) in order to wear her out so that her thoughts should become confused and she be unable to invent explanations of her conduct and so she would confess her guilt (Sotah 8a).

ופרע AND HE SHALL PUT IN DISORDER [THE WOMAN’S HAIR] — i.e. he pulls away her hair-plaits in order to make her look despicable. — We may learn from this that as regards married Jewish women an uncovered head is a disgrace to them (Sifrei Bamidbar 11).

לפני ה׳ [AND THE PRIEST SHALL PRESENT THE WOMAN] BEFORE THE LORD — i.e. in the gateway of Nicanor (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 14:11 and Note thereon) which was the eastern gate of the court, the passage for all who entered the court [and where she was therefore most exposed to public view] (Sotah 7a).

ונתן על כפיה AND HE SHALL PUT [THE MEAL-OFFERING OF MEMORIAL] IN HER HANDS — to wear her out even more (cf. Rashi on the beginning of the verse); — perhaps her thoughts would become confused now, so that she would confess her guilt and it would become unnecessary to blot out from the parchment the Divine Proper Name by the water (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 11; Sotah 14a).

המרים THE BITTER [WATERS] — They were called bitter waters because of their final effect, viz., that they proved bitter for her (Sifrei Bamidbar 11; Sotah 20a).

המאררים means, the waters that make her disappear (pine away) from the world. It has the same meaning as, (Ezekiel. 28:24): “a removing (ממאיר) brier” (one that removed some of the flesh). It would not be correct to explain מים המאררים as מים ארורים, “cursed waters” for actually they are holy (cf. v. 17). Besides, even if the meaning has anything to do with “cursing”, Scripture does not write ארורים, “waters that are cursed”, but מאררים — “that bring a curse to others”; and Onkelos, too, does not render it by ליטיא — “cursed waters” but by מלטטיא — “waters that show a curse on the body of this woman”.

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.

AND THE PRIEST SHALL HAVE IN HIS HAND ‘MEI HAMARIM’ (THE WATER OF BITTERNESS) THAT CAUSETH THE CURSE. The commentators have written that Scripture describes it [i.e., the water of bitterness] in terms of its final effect, for there will be a bitterness in it, and G-d will deal very bitterly with her, and it will effect a curse upon her. So also have our Rabbis said in the Sifre: 11. “the water is called water of bitterness because of its final effect, for it effects a curse on the body and brings to light the sin.” But in the Gemara [of Tractate Sotah] the Sages have said that the priest put a bitter substance in the water, in order to arouse her. If so, the verse stating, and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter should rather have said: “and the bitter water shall enter into her to cause the curse,” [since the bitter substance was already present in the water before she drank it]. And in the Sifre it is further stated: 16. “And he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness. The verse teaches you that it is the writing [on the scroll of the sotah which was blotted out into the water] which makes the water bitter.”The correct interpretation appears to me to be in accordance with its plain meaning, for when the woman drinks the water, it will taste to her just like any other water, and only afterwards when it enters into her, will it arouse her if she had become defiled [i.e., committed adultery], and then she will immediately feel the bitterness in her mouth and inside her. Therefore Scripture states, And when he hath made her drink the water, then it shall come to pass, if she be defiled, and have acted unfaithfully against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter, in our verse because of its final effect, for if she is guilty, the curses that have been erased into the water will cause a bitter taste and the fatal effects described further on. for it is after drinking, when the water enters her belly, that it immediately becomes bitter in her mouth and inside her, as happens with all substances which make one nauseous and cause vomiting, that they seem very bitter to those that drink them. After that her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away. in our verse because of its final effect, for if she is guilty, the curses that have been erased into the water will cause a bitter taste and the fatal effects described further on. The water is called [in the verse before us] m’orerim [from the root arur — “cursed”] because of the curses [written on the scroll] which have been erased into the water, and which cause her to suffer their effects.Now the commentators is a reference to the final effect of the water, the word mei cannot be in construct [‘the water of’ bitterness — for it is not yet bitter]; thus the word mei here merely means “water” — “the bitter water,” and is so called because of its final effect. However, as Ramban continues, according to the Rabbis who said that the bitter substance was mixed with the water, the word mei may indeed be understood as being in construct — “the water ‘of’ bitterness,” since the water was already bitter. have said that the word mei [‘mei’ hamarim] is like mayim hamarim [“the bitter water”], the word mei [literally: “the water of”] being stated here in a construct form in place of the absolute form, just as we find [an opposite verse]: mayim birkayim [literally: “the water the ankles,” where the word mayim occurs in the absolute form, but is really to be understood in the construct: mei birkayim — “the water ‘of’ the ankles,” i.e., water which reached as high as the ankles]. But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that “the word mei is [indeed] construct [meaning: the water ‘of’], but the word hamarim is an adjectival noun [meaning: ‘the bitter substances’ — thus mei hamarim means ‘the water of bitter substances’], and if so, the secret thereof is known.” — “the water of bitter substances.” But [Ibn Ezra’s interpretation] does not appear to me to be correct, because the verse states, and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.