Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Numbers 5
Numbers 5:3You shall send away both male and female; you shall send them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.”
This command establishes a foundational principle for Israel: because God dwells among them, the community must be kept holy, free from anything that would defile it.Numbers 5:7he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong.
This verse shows that for God, repentance requires action beyond words. It must be accompanied by action that restores what was broken and makes the victim whole again.Numbers 5:29-30This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband's authority, goes astray and defiles herself, or when the spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife.
This summary of the jealousy law underscores God's role as the ultimate judge in situations where human evidence is lacking, providing a path for both vindication and accountability.
Historical & Cultural Context
Life in the Shadow of the Tabernacle
The book of Numbers opens with the Israelites organized for the first time as a nation, camped in the wilderness at the foot of Mount Sinai. Having received the Law and constructed the Tabernacle, God's dwelling place, they are now learning how to live as a holy community with God literally in their midst. The camp is arranged in a specific, orderly way around the Tabernacle, making the concept of 'the camp's' purity a central concern for their daily life and worship.
From Public Purity to Private Integrity
Chapter 5 is part of a section of laws that moves from the general organization of the camp to specific rules governing relationships and purity. These instructions are not abstract legal theories but practical guides for handling real-life problems that could disrupt the community's peace and holiness. The chapter flows from public health and purity to interpersonal financial justice, and finally to the most intimate and private potential breach of trust within a marriage.
Laws for a Holy Community
In Numbers 5, God gives Moses three distinct sets of instructions for the people of Israel, who are encamped in the wilderness. These laws are designed to ensure the community remains a holy place fit for God's presence. The chapter begins with broad rules for camp purity, moves to specific instructions for making amends for sin, and concludes with a detailed, dramatic ritual for addressing suspected infidelity within a marriage.
Protecting the Purity of the Camp (Numbers 5:1-4)
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.
3 You shall send away both male and female; you shall send them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.”
4 And the people of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp, as the Lord said to Moses; so the people of Israel did.
Commentary:
To protect the holiness of God's dwelling place, those who were ceremonially unclean were temporarily sent outside the camp.
Making Wrongs Right Through Restitution (Numbers 5:5-10)
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
6 “Speak to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt,
7 he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong.
8 But if the man has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him.
9 And every contribution, all the holy donations of the people of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his.
10 And each man's holy donations shall be his own. What anyone gives to the priest shall be his."
Commentary:
When someone sins against another, they must confess, repay what they owe plus an extra twenty percent, and restore the relationship.
The Law of Jealousy (Numbers 5:11-31)
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
12 "Speak to the people of Israel, If any man's wife goes astray and breaks faith with him,"
13 and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act.
14 and if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself,
15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest and bring the offering required of her, a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 “And the priest shall bring her near and set her before the Lord.
17 Then the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.
18 And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord and unbind the hair of the woman's head and place in her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse.
19 Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you have not turned aside to uncleanness while you were under your husband's authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings the curse.
20 "But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband's authority, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you,"
21 then the priest shall make the woman take the oath of the curse, and he shall say to the woman, "the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your body swell.
22 May this water that brings a curse pass into your bowels and make your womb swell and your thigh fall away.’ And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
23 "Then the priest shall write these curses in a book and wash them off into the water of bitterness."
24 And he shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain.
25 And the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand and shall wave the grain offering before the Lord and bring it to the altar.
26 And the priest shall take a handful of the offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water.
27 And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become a curse among her people.
28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.
29 This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband's authority, goes astray and defiles herself,
30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife.
31 The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.
Commentary:
A divine ritual is established to resolve a husband's accusation of adultery, allowing God to judge and either vindicate the innocent or expose the guilty.
Related Verse Analysis
Core Truths About God and His People
The Holiness of God's Presence
The entire chapter is built on the reality that God is dwelling 'in the midst' of Israel. This incredible privilege comes with a great responsibility: the people must reflect His holy character. The laws about purity show that God's holiness affects every part of life, from physical health to relational integrity.
The Importance of Restoration
God's plan for dealing with sin involves both forgiveness and restoration. The law of restitution shows that sin damages relationships between people, and true repentance involves taking concrete steps to heal that damage. It's a tangible expression of turning away from sin and back toward God and neighbor.
God as the Ultimate Judge
The law of jealousy addresses a situation where human justice is powerless because of a lack of evidence. By bringing the matter before the priest and ultimately before God, the law shows that nothing is hidden from Him. He is the one who can righteously judge the heart and bring the truth to light, protecting the innocent and holding the guilty accountable.
Applying Ancient Laws to Modern Life
While we no longer practice ceremonial cleansing, the principle of holiness remains. It means we should actively address sin that harms our community's health and our collective witness for Christ. As God dwells in the church through His Spirit, we are called to live in ways that honor His presence, pursuing purity in our relationships and actions.
It teaches that a genuine apology often requires action beyond words. True repentance takes responsibility and actively seeks to repair the harm we've caused, even if it costs us something. It challenges you to ask, 'What can I do to make this right?' instead of hoping the other person will forget what happened.
In its original context, this law protected women from a husband's unchecked rage and private vengeance by requiring a public, God-centered process. It shows God's concern for justice and His ability to bring hidden things to light, as seen in His vindication of the innocent woman in verse 28. It reminds us to trust God with situations that seem impossible, believing He is a God who sees the truth and defends the vulnerable.
Holiness, Justice, and Relational Integrity
Numbers 5 reveals that God's presence among His people is not a passive reality. It actively shapes their community life. From the camp's overall purity to the integrity of each marriage, every aspect of life matters to Him. The message is that a community set apart for God must be characterized by justice, where wrongs are actively made right, and by faithfulness, where even hidden sins are brought before the Lord. It is a call to live with integrity, knowing that God sees all and desires to make His people holy.
What This Means for Us Today
The laws in Numbers 5 invite us to take the holiness of God's presence seriously in our own lives and communities. We are called to pursue purity, to be people who not only confess our wrongs but do the hard work of repairing them, and to trust God with the hidden areas of our lives. This chapter challenges us to build communities of integrity where God is honored in all our relationships.
- In what area of my life do I need to pursue greater purity to honor God's presence?
- Is there a relationship where I need to move beyond apology to active restitution?
- What hidden situation do I need to stop worrying about and entrust fully to God's justice and wisdom?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter details the specific duties of the Levite clans in caring for the Tabernacle, setting the stage for the laws on protecting its holiness.
The following chapter describes the Nazirite vow, a voluntary act of special devotion to God, further exploring the theme of personal holiness.
Connections Across Scripture
These chapters provide the detailed background for the laws of uncleanness from leprosy and bodily discharges mentioned at the start of Numbers 5.
Jesus addresses the root of adultery, linking it to lust in the heart and deepening the theme of marital faithfulness found in Numbers 5.
Paul instructs the Corinthian church to remove a man engaged in unrepentant sin, echoing the principle of maintaining community purity for the sake of its witness.
Theological Themes
This passage describes the relationship between husband and wife as a picture of Christ and the church, providing a New Testament framework for marital holiness.
Discussion Questions
- How does the concept of God 'dwelling in the midst' of His people change how we should think about our personal lives and our church community?
- Restitution required paying back more than what was taken. Why is that principle important for repairing broken relationships today?
- The ritual for a suspected adulteress is one of the most difficult passages in the Old Testament. What does it teach us about trusting God with situations where the truth is hidden and justice seems impossible?
Glossary
figures
theological concepts
Uncleanness
A temporary state of ritual impurity that prevented a person from participating in worship at the holy Tabernacle.
Restitution
The act of repairing a wrong by restoring what was lost or damaged, often with an additional penalty.
Atonement
The process by which sin is covered and a right relationship with God is restored, in this case through a ram sacrifice.