Numbers 5:20

But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband,.... Gone aside from the paths of modesty and chastity, and betook herself to another man's bed instead of her husband's:

and if thou be defiled, by committing adultery:

and some man hath lain with thee beside thy husband; these phrases are all synonymous, and a heap of words are made use of to express the sin, and that there might be no evasion of it, and that it might be clear what was intended, this being said on oath.

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

under her husband

This phrase means that she is under her husband's authority. AT: "under her husband's authority" (See: Metonymy)

have gone astray

The words "gone astray" is an idiom that means "to be unfaithful." AT: "have been unfaithful to your husband" (See: Idiom)

you are defiled

This can be stated in active form. AT: "you have defiled yourself" (See: Active or Passive)

that can bring down a curse on her

The phrase "bring down a curse" is an idiom meaning for a curse to come upon her. AT: "that can cause a curse to come upon her" (See: Idiom)

Yahweh will make you into a curse ... your people to be such

Here the author speaks about the woman bearing the curse that Yahweh gives her, which causes other people to curse her. This is spoken of as if the woman herself becomes a curse. AT: "Because Yahweh curses you, other people will curse you as well, and Yahweh will show people that you are truly cursed" (See: Metaphor)

that will be shown to your people to be such

This can be stated in active form. AT: "that he will show to your people as a curse" (See: Active or Passive)

your thigh to waste away and your abdomen to swell

Possible meanings are 1) that the woman will become unable to have children or 2) that the woman's pregnancy will end too early and the baby will die.

your thigh to waste away

Here the word "thigh" is a polite way of referring to the woman's womb or her private parts. AT: "your womb to be useless" (See: Euphemism)

translationWords

defile

priest

people group

waste

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

ואת כי שטית BUT IF THOU HAST BUT IF THOU HAST GONE ASIDE ASIDE — The word כי must here be employed in the meaning of “if” (cf. Rashi on Genesis 18:15).

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.

BUT IF THOU HAST GONE ASIDE. This is connected with [the expression in the following verse], the Eternal make thee, the verses stating: “But if thou hast gone aside to uncleanness, being under thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee besides thy husband — the Eternal make thee a curse, and an oath among thy people. ” But due to the length of the conditions [mentioned in Verses 19-20] Scripture restates [in the following Verse 21] and the priest shall cause the woman to swear [although that has already been said at the beginning of Verse 19; and accordingly the phrase before us in Verse 20, but if thou hast gone aside etc. is connected with the expression the Eternal make thee in Verse 21], in order to explain that [the Eternal make thee a curse etc.] constitutes the oath of cursing. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that the first expression of swearing [and the priest shall cause her to swear, in Verse 19] means [that she must swear] by G-d’s Name, and the second one [in Verse 21] implies by means of the curse, as is clearly explained there [in Verse 21: and the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing]. But it is not correct, for the priest would not have caused her to swear by the Name of G-d using an expression of “if” [as in Verse 19: and the priest shall cause her to swear, and shall say unto the woman: ‘If’ no man have lain with thee etc.]. Now there is nothing amongst all the ordinances of the Torah which depends upon a miracle, except for this matter, which is a permanent wonder and miracle that will happen in Israel, when the majority of the people live in accordance with the Will of G-d; for He was pleased for His righteousness’ sake to teach the women that they do not do after the lewdness of the other nations, and to purify Israel from adulterous offspring, so that they are worthy that the Divine Presence dwell among them. Therefore this matter [i.e., the effect of the water on the sotah] stopped from the time that the people became debauched with [sexual] sins, as the Rabbis have said: “When adulterers became frequent, the water of sotah is a woman suspected of adultery, and is subject to the laws explained further on in Verses 11-31. The law concerning her meal-offering is found in Verse 15, where it is called a meal-offering of jealousy. ceased, for it is said, I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves consort with lewd women, and they sacrifice with harlots, and the people that is without understanding is distraught. Now this verse does not mean to say that adulterous women will be free from [punishment for their] sin, because their husbands [likewise] commit adultery; it [is only saying] that this great miracle will not be done for them, for it occurs as a sign of honor for them because of their being a holy people, but they do not understand this goodness, nor do they desire it. Therefore the verse states, and the people that is without understanding is ‘yilaveit’ (distraught), that is to say, trapped by its foolishness. Similarly, but a prating fool ‘yilaveit, ’ which the Jerusalem Targum translated: “but the fool is caught by his lips.” This is the reason for what the Sages have said: “And the man shall be clear from iniquity. When the man is clear of iniquity, the water [of the sotah] tests his wife; but if the man is himself not free from iniquity, the water does not put his wife to the proof.” Now the “freedom from iniquity” of the husband means [in this context] that he had no sexual relations with her after he had warned her and she [nevertheless] had secret contact [with the suspected adulterer]. And there are scholars 2:8. who explain that if the husband had ever in his lifetime had a forbidden sexual intercourse, the water [of the sotah] no longer tests his wife. And according to the final decision of the law, even if his sons or daughters committed adultery and he did not rebuke them the water did not put his wife to the test [even though he himself is clear from iniquity]. In short, this procedure was miraculous, as [a sign of] honor for Israel.

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.