Num. 5 God commands to put away all unclean persons from the camp; it is executed, Num. 5:1–4. Restitution commanded, and an offering, especially of hallowed things, which belong to the priest, Num. 5:5–10. Laws in case of jealousy, bitter water ordained, Num. 5:11–31.

Out of the camp, in which the people dwelt; as afterward out of the cities and towns, that they might not converse with others, and infect them. An issue, to wit, of genital seed in men, or of blood in women in their seasons. By the dead, i.e. by the touch of the dead. See Lev. 21:1, Num. 6:6.

By which caution God would intimate the possibility and danger of men’s being made guilty by other men’s sins, and the necessary duty of avoiding intimate converse with wicked men.

Any sin that men commit, Heb. any sins of men, i.e. either, 1. Of common infirmity, or such sins as men commit through human frailty; for if this were done knowingly and willingly, a greater punishment was appointed. See Lev. 6:5–6. Or rather, 2.

They shall not continue in the denial of the fact, as such persons oft do, but shall give glory to God, and take shame to themselves, by acknowledging their sin with grief and remorse. See Lev. 5:5, Lev. 6:4. With the principal thereof; i.e. the thing he took away, or what is equivalent to it.

If the man have no kinsman, which might be the case commonly with proselytes, if not with Israelites. This also suppposeth the person injured to be dead or gone away into some unknown place, and the person injured to be known to the injurer.

Heb. every heave offering, the heave-offering being here taken largely, so as to comprehend also the wave-offering for both of these were Aaron’s portion. See Ex. 29:26–28. Unto the priest to wit, to offer unto the Lord by his hands. Shall be his, i.e. the priest’s. See Lev. 6:16.

Every man’s hallowed things; understand this not of the sacrifices, no, not of such of them as were voluntary or vowed, as most understand it, because these were not the priest’s peculiar, but a good part of them was offered to God, and the remainder was eaten by the offerer as well as by the…

This law was given partly to deter wives from adulterous practices, and partly to secure wives against the rage of their hard-hearted husbands, who otherwise might upon mere suspicions destroy them, or at least put them away. Quest.

She utterly denying it, Prov. 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, Deut. 22:22.

The spirit of jealousy, i.e. a strong opinion or suggestion or inward motion of that kind, whether from a good or evil spirit. Thus we read of the spirit of wisdom, Isa. 11:2, of perverseness, Isa. 19:14, of fornication, Hos. 4:12, of fear, 2 Tim. 1:7, of slumber, Rom. 11:8.

Then, she persisting in her denial, and her husband requiring her submission to this way of trial. Her offering was partly because none were to appear before God empty, Ex.

i.e. the woman; but of her he speaks, Num. 5:18; or it, i.e. the offering, which is last spoken of, so the feminine gender is put for the masculine or the neuter, of both which we have instances. Before the Lord, i.e. before the sanctuary where the ark was.

Holy water; either water out of the holy laver, Ex. 30:18, or rather the water of purification appointed for such kind of uses, Num. 19:9. This was used, that if she were guilty, she might be afraid to add profaneness and the pollution of holy things to her other crime.

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,…

Charge her by an oath, to answer truly to his question, or to declare by oath whether she be guilty or no, and after such oath shall say as follows. If no man, to wit, except thy husband, as is manifest from the whole context; or no other man, the word another being understood here, as it is…

An oath, i.e. a form of cursing or imprecatory oaths, that when they would curse a person, they may wish that they may be as cursed and miserable as thou wast upon this occasion. See the phrase Isa. 65:15, Jer. 29:22, Gen. 48:20, Ruth 4:11–12.

i.e. So let it be if I be guilty. The word is doubled by her as an evidence of her innocency, and ardent desire that God would deal with her according to her desert.

These curses, wherewith she cursed herself, to which peradventure her name was added. In a book, i.e. in a scroll of parchment, which the Hebrews commonly call a book, as Deut. 24:1, 2 Sam. 11:11, Isa. 39:1.

To drink, to wit, after the jealousy-offering was offered, as is affirmed, Num. 5:26.

The memorial thereof, of which see Lev. 2:2.

She shall be free, to wit, from these bitter curses and miseries. Shall conceive seed, i.e. shall bring forth children, as the Jews say, in case of her innocency, infallibly she did, yea, though she was barren before; or shall be as capable of bearing children as other women.

Guiltless from iniquity; which he should not have been, if he had either dissembled or indulged her in so great a wickedness, and not endeavoured to bring her either to repentance or punishment; see Matt.