Numbers 5:13

Verse

by sleeping with another man, and it is concealed from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she was not caught in the act),

American Standard Version (1901)

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, and she be not taken in the act;

Bible in Basic English

By taking as her lover another man, and keeps it secret so that her husband has no knowledge of it, and there is no witness against her, and she is not taken in the act;

Free Bible Version

by sleeping with someone else. It may be that her husband doesn't find out and her unclean act wasn't witnessed—she wasn't caught out.

King James (Authorized) Version

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;

One Unity Resource Bible

and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and is kept close, and she is defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she is not taken in the act;

Translation for Translators

but neither he nor anyone else knows if it is true or not, because no one saw her doing that.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then suppose that another man sleeps with her. In that case, she is defiled. Even if her husband does not see it or know about it, and even if no one catches her in the act and there is no one to testify against her,

Noah Webster Bible

And a man shall lie with her carnally, and it shall 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 ;

World English Bible

and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and this is kept concealed, and she is defiled, there is no witness against her, and she isn’t taken in the act;

Young's Literal Translation

and a man hath lain with her [with] the seed of copulation, and it hath been hid from the eyes of her husband, and concealed, and she hath been defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she hath not been caught,

Context

The Adultery Test

¹²“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that if any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him¹³by sleeping with another man, and it is concealed from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she was not caught in the act),¹⁴and if a feeling of jealousy comes over her husband and he suspects his wife who has defiled herself—or if a feeling of jealousy comes over him and he suspects her even though she has not defiled herself—

Summary

This verse in Numbers addresses the situation where a wife may have been unfaithful to her husband. It describes the process of bringing the woman before the priest with an offering of barley meal, but without the guilt offering, to determine her innocence or guilt. The ritual involving bitter water that brings a curse if she is guilty serves as a test of her faithfulness. This passage highlights the importance of marital fidelity and the consequences of unfaithfulness within the community.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

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.