Numbers 5:22
Numbers 5:22 in Multiple Translations
May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’ Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
and this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, and make thy body to swell, and thy thigh to fall away. And the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.
And this water of the curse will go into your body, causing disease of your stomach and wasting of your legs: and the woman will say, So be it.
May this water that curses go into your stomach and make your belly swell up and your thighs shrink. The woman is to answer, ‘I agree, I agree.’
And that this cursed water may goe into thy bowels, to cause thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot. Then the woman shall answere, Amen, Amen.
and these waters which cause the curse have gone into thy bowels, to cause the belly to swell, and the thigh to fall; and the woman hath said, Amen, Amen.
and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.” The woman shall say, “Amen, Amen.”
And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to perish. And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
Let the cursed waters enter into thy belly, and may thy womb swell and thy thigh rot. And the woman shall answer, Amen, amen.
Berean Amplified Bible — Numbers 5:22
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Numbers 5:22 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וּ֠/בָאוּ
הַ/מַּ֨יִם
הַ/מְאָרְרִ֤ים
הָ/אֵ֨לֶּה֙
בְּֽ/מֵעַ֔יִ/ךְ
לַ/צְבּ֥וֹת
בֶּ֖טֶן
וְ/לַ/נְפִּ֣ל
יָרֵ֑ךְ
וְ/אָמְרָ֥ה
הָ/אִשָּׁ֖ה
אָמֵ֥ן
אָמֵֽן
וּ֠/בָאוּ
bôwʼ
H935
Lebo
Conj | V-Qal-3cp
הַ/מַּ֨יִם
mayim
H4325
Water (Gate)
Art | N-mp
הַ/מְאָרְרִ֤ים
ʼârar
H779
to curse
Art | V-Piel
הָ/אֵ֨לֶּה֙
ʼêl-leh
H428
these
Art | Pron
בְּֽ/מֵעַ֔יִ/ךְ
mêʻeh
H4578
belly
Prep | N-mp | Suff
לַ/צְבּ֥וֹת
tsâbâh
H6638
to swell
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
בֶּ֖טֶן
beṭen
H990
belly
N-fs
וְ/לַ/נְפִּ֣ל
nâphal
H5307
to fall
Conj | Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
יָרֵ֑ךְ
yârêk
H3409
thigh
N-fs
וְ/אָמְרָ֥ה
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-3fs
הָ/אִשָּׁ֖ה
ʼishshâh
H802
woman
Art | N-fs
אָמֵ֥ן
ʼâmên
H543
amen
Adv
אָמֵֽן
ʼâmên
H543
amen
Adv
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Numbers 5:22
וּ֠/בָאוּ
bôwʼ
H935
"Lebo"
Conj | V-Qal-3cp
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Definition: A shortened name of Lebo Hamath complined withcha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) This name means to go in, enter
Usage: Occurs in 2307 OT verses. KJV: abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. See also: Genesis 2:19; Genesis 32:7; Exodus 1:19.
הַ/מַּ֨יִם
mayim
H4325
"Water (Gate)"
Art | N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
הַ/מְאָרְרִ֤ים
ʼârar
H779
"to curse"
Art | V-Piel
To curse someone or something, like God cursing the serpent in Genesis 3. It means to execrate or wish harm upon someone, often used in the context of punishment or judgment. This word appears in various biblical accounts.
Definition: 1) to curse 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to curse 1a2) cursed be he (participle used as in curses) 1b) (Niphal) to be cursed, cursed 1c)(Piel) to curse, lay under a curse, put a curse on 1d) (Hophal) to be made a curse, be cursed
Usage: Occurs in 52 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] bitterly curse. See also: Genesis 3:14; Deuteronomy 27:23; Psalms 119:21.
הָ/אֵ֨לֶּה֙
ʼêl-leh
H428
"these"
Art | Pron
This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.
Definition: 1) these 1a) used before antecedent 1b) used following antecedent Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)
Usage: Occurs in 697 OT verses. KJV: an-(the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m). See also: Genesis 2:4; Exodus 35:1; Deuteronomy 1:35.
בְּֽ/מֵעַ֔יִ/ךְ
mêʻeh
H4578
"belly"
Prep | N-mp | Suff
This word refers to the internal organs, like the intestines or stomach, and can also mean sympathy or emotions. The KJV translates it as belly, bowels, or womb, depending on the context.
Definition: 1) internal organs, inward parts, bowels, intestines, belly 1a) inward parts 1b) digestive organs 1c) organs of procreation, womb 1d) place of emotions or distress or love (fig.) 1e) external belly Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְעָא "belly" H4577)
Usage: Occurs in 30 OT verses. KJV: belly, bowels, [idiom] heart, womb. See also: Genesis 15:4; Psalms 71:6; Psalms 22:15.
לַ/צְבּ֥וֹת
tsâbâh
H6638
"to swell"
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
This Hebrew word means to swell or grow, and can also refer to preparing for battle or arraying an army. It's used in the Bible to describe physical swelling, such as an adulteress' belly. The KJV translates it as 'fight' or 'swell'.
Definition: 1) to swell, swell up 1a) (Qal) to swell (of adulteress' belly) 1b) (Hiphil) to cause to swell (of adulteress' belly)
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: fight swell. See also: Numbers 5:22; Numbers 5:27.
בֶּ֖טֶן
beṭen
H990
"belly"
N-fs
This Hebrew word refers to the belly or womb, and is used to describe the seat of hunger, emotions, and even the depths of the afterlife. It is used in the Bible to describe the body and its functions. The KJV translates it as belly, body, or womb.
Definition: : abdomen 1) belly, womb, body 1a) belly, abdomen 1a1) as seat of hunger 1a2) as seat of mental faculties 1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.) 1b) womb
Usage: Occurs in 72 OT verses. KJV: belly, body, [phrase] as they be born, [phrase] within, womb. See also: Genesis 25:23; Psalms 22:10; Psalms 17:14.
וְ/לַ/נְפִּ֣ל
nâphal
H5307
"to fall"
Conj | Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Definition: : fall/drop/fail 1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to fall 1a2) to fall (of violent death) 1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before 1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of 1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result 1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to 1a7) to lie, lie prostrate 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate 1b2) to overthrow 1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot 1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.) 1b5) to cause to fall 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon 1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself 1d) (Pilel) to fall
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל)), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. See also: Genesis 2:21; 1 Samuel 17:52; Esther 9:3.
יָרֵ֑ךְ
yârêk
H3409
"thigh"
N-fs
In the Bible, this word refers to the thigh or the side of something, and can also symbolize strength or power. It is used to describe where a sword is worn, and also represents the loins as the seat of procreative power.
Definition: 1) thigh, side, loin, base 1a) thigh 1a1) outside of thigh (where sword was worn) 1a2) loins (as the seat of procreative power) 1b) side (flank) (of object) 1c) base
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] body, loins, shaft, side, thigh. See also: Genesis 24:2; Numbers 3:35; Psalms 45:4.
וְ/אָמְרָ֥ה
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-3fs
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
הָ/אִשָּׁ֖ה
ʼishshâh
H802
"woman"
Art | N-fs
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Definition: : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. See also: Genesis 2:22; Genesis 34:4; Numbers 5:12.
אָמֵ֥ן
ʼâmên
H543
"amen"
Adv
Amen means something is true or faithful, like a promise or a statement of fact. Jesus often used it to begin his teachings, as in Matthew 5:18. It expresses certainty or agreement.
Definition: verily, truly, amen, so be it
Usage: Occurs in 24 OT verses. KJV: Amen, so be it, truth. See also: Numbers 5:22; Deuteronomy 27:26; Psalms 41:14.
אָמֵֽן
ʼâmên
H543
"amen"
Adv
Amen means something is true or faithful, like a promise or a statement of fact. Jesus often used it to begin his teachings, as in Matthew 5:18. It expresses certainty or agreement.
Definition: verily, truly, amen, so be it
Usage: Occurs in 24 OT verses. KJV: Amen, so be it, truth. See also: Numbers 5:22; Deuteronomy 27:26; Psalms 41:14.
Study Notes — Numbers 5:22
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Numbers 5:22 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Numbers 5:22
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 5:22
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
- Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
- Cambridge Bible on Numbers 5:22
- Whedon's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
- Sermons on Numbers 5:22
Context — The Adultery Test
20But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority and have defiled yourself and lain carnally with a man other than your husband’—
21and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse—‘then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell.
22May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’ Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
23And the priest shall write these curses on a scroll and wash them off into the bitter water. 24He is to have the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and it will enter her and may cause her bitter suffering.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 109:18 | The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil. |
| 2 | Psalms 89:52 | Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and amen. |
| 3 | Job 31:39–40 | if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job. |
| 4 | Psalms 72:19 | And blessed be His glorious name forever; may all the earth be filled with His glory. Amen and amen. |
| 5 | John 5:24–25 | Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life. Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. |
| 6 | John 3:3 | Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. ” |
| 7 | Ezekiel 3:3 | “Son of man,” He said to me, “eat and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. |
| 8 | Psalms 41:13 | Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. |
| 9 | John 6:53 | So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. |
| 10 | Job 31:21–22 | if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate, then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket. |
Numbers 5:22 Summary
[This verse is about a woman who may have been unfaithful to her husband, and she has to say 'Amen, Amen' to agree that she will accept God's judgment if she is guilty, which is similar to the concept of agreeing with God's judgment in Deuteronomy 27:15-26. The priest is asking her to confirm that she is willing to accept the consequences of her actions, which could include physical suffering, as described in Numbers 5:22. This shows that God takes sin and unfaithfulness very seriously, as seen in passages like Exodus 20:17 and Hebrews 13:4. By saying 'Amen, Amen', the woman is acknowledging that God's judgment is just and that she will accept the consequences of her actions.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the priest having the woman say 'Amen, Amen' in Numbers 5:22?
The woman's declaration of 'Amen, Amen' serves as a confirmation of her willingness to submit to the curse if she is guilty, as seen in Numbers 5:22, similar to the concept of agreeing with God's judgment in Deuteronomy 27:15-26.
Is the curse in Numbers 5:22 only physical or does it have spiritual implications?
The curse in Numbers 5:22 has both physical and spiritual implications, as it is a call for God's judgment, similar to the curses mentioned in Leviticus 26:14-39 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68, which emphasize the importance of obedience to God's commands.
Why does the water cause the belly to swell and the thigh to shrivel in Numbers 5:22?
The physical effects of the curse, as described in Numbers 5:22, serve as a visible sign of God's judgment, much like the plagues in Exodus 7-12, which demonstrated God's power and judgment against those who disobeyed Him.
Can this passage be applied to modern situations of infidelity or unfaithfulness?
While the specific ritual described in Numbers 5:22 may not be directly applicable today, the principle of God's judgment against unfaithfulness and the importance of faithfulness in marriage, as seen in Ephesians 5:22-33 and Hebrews 13:4, remains a relevant and timeless truth.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about God's character and His attitude towards sin and unfaithfulness?
- How can I apply the concept of submitting to God's judgment, as seen in the woman's declaration of 'Amen, Amen', to my own life and relationships?
- What role does faith and trust in God play in navigating difficult situations, like the one described in Numbers 5:22?
- How does this verse relate to the broader theme of covenant faithfulness in the Bible, as seen in passages like Malachi 2:14-16?
Gill's Exposition on Numbers 5:22
And this water that causeth the curse,.... Upon the drinking of which the curse follows, if guilty: shall go into thy bowels; and there operate and produce the above effects, which are repeated again
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 5:22
And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen. Amen, amen.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
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.
Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
Numbers 5:22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make [thy] belly to swell, and [thy] thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.Ver. 22. Amen, amen.] Twice; to show the fervency of her zeal, the innocency of her cause, the uprightness of her conscience, and the purity of her heart.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
Verse 22. Thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot] What is meant by these expressions cannot be easily ascertained. לנפל ירך lanpel yarech signifies literally thy thigh to fall. As the thigh, feet, c., were used among the Hebrews delicately to express the parts which nature conceals, (see Genesis 46:26), the expression here is probably to be understood in this sense and the falling down of the thigh here must mean something similar to the prolapsus uteri, or falling down of the womb, which might be a natural effect of the preternatural distension of the abdomen. In 1 Corinthians 11:29, St. Paul seems to allude to the case of the guilty woman drinking the bitter cursed waters that caused her destruction: He who eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation (κριμα, condemnation or judgment) to himself; and there is probably a reference to the same thing in Psalms 109:18, and in Daniel 9:11. And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.] This is the first place where this word occurs in the common form of a concluding wish in prayer. The root אמן aman signifies to be steady, true, permanent. And in prayer it signifies let it be so - make it steady - let it be ratified. Some have supposed that it is composed of the initial letters of אדני מלך נאמן Adonai Melech Neeman, My Lord the faithful King, but this derivation is both far-fetched and unnecessary.
Cambridge Bible on Numbers 5:22
11–31. The Ordeal of Jealousy. Though in its present form a late priestly composition this section is evidently based upon very ancient material. Its contents find no parallel in the other Pentateuchal codes; but the custom of trial by ordeal was a very ancient feature in Israelite life, as it was in the life of many other nations, and it still has a wide prevalence, especially in Africa. The forms of ordeal differ greatly—drinking a potion (as here), being thrown into water (as in the case of suspected witches in the middle ages in Europe), walking upon heated metal, or holding it in the hand, or very frequently invoking upon oneself a curse which will come true in the event of guilt. The latter, as well as the potion, forms part of the ordeal in the present passage1 [Note: References to ordeals in other nations are given in Gray’s Numbers, pp. 44 f.] . Another Biblical instance of an ordeal appears in the story of Korah (Numbers 16:16-18), and the practice perhaps underlies Psalms 109:18, Proverbs 6:27 f. The essential element in all cases is that the accused is subjected to a test, the visible results of which will be a conclusive divine sentence of innocence or guilt. In the present instance a woman is suspected of adultery which cannot be legally proved, and her husband’s jealousy is roused. He brings her to the priest with an accompanying offering of flour.
The priest places her ‘before Jehovah,’ and after dictating a curse upon herself which the woman endorses by responding ‘Amen, Amen,’ he causes her to drink a potion, consisting of holy water with two added ingredients—dust from the floor of the Tabernacle, and the written words of the curse which have been washed off into the water. If she is guilty of the charge, the potion will have a harmful effect upon her body which will prevent her being delivered of a child, but if she is innocent it will do her no harm and she will conceive seed.
Whedon's Commentary on Numbers 5:22
22. Amen, amen — True, true. Thus the guilty one appropriates the penalty to herself, and proclaims the righteousness of her sentence.
Sermons on Numbers 5:22
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Lord's Return by H.J. Vine | H.J. Vine preaches about the imminent return of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the certainty of His second coming as promised in the Bible. Believers are encouraged to eagerly anticipat |
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If You Agree by Paris Reidhead | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being wholly committed to Christ and spending time in prayer and studying the Word of God. He calls on the audience to sacr |
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A Free Salvation by C.H. Spurgeon | In this sermon, preached by H. Spurgeon on June 11, 1858, the speaker invites the audience to come and buy wine and milk without money and without price. He describes the gospel as |
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(John - Part 27): The Material Kingdom and the Spiritual Kingdom by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the similarities between the physical world we live in and the spiritual world of God's presence. He uses the example of the four living crea |
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From the Hands of Esau by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Jacob and his encounter with his brother Esau after many years of separation. Jacob, feeling guilty about his past actions, fear |
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The Trinity by Ernest Barker | In this sermon, Chapman discusses the claim of Jesus to understand the motives and desires of mankind. He references John 2:24, where it is stated that Jesus knew what was in man. |
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Span-01 the Three Wise Men by Art Katz | In this video, the preacher emphasizes the importance of worship as giving our treasure, which includes our life and substance, to God alone. He explains that worship is not just e |