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Numbers 5:15

in Numbers 5

then he is to bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring for her an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He is not to pour oil over it or put frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, an offering of memorial as a reminder of iniquity.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and shall bring her oblation for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is a meal-offering of jealousy, a meal-offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

KJV

Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

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This verse in Numbers 5

Commentary

4 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

But on the occasion referred to, both these ingredients were to be excluded, partly because it was a solemn appeal to God in distressing circumstances, and partly because it was a sin offering on the part of the wife, who came before God in the character of a real or suspected offender.

This site's exposition

a tenth of an ephah of barley flour

Leviticus 2:1-2 gives the grain offering oil and frankincense, but here the husband “is not to pour oil over it or put frankincense on it”. This matches the poor man’s sin offering of Leviticus 5:11.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

If she did, she was not put to death, (which must have been, if it had been proved against her) but only was divorced and lost her dowry. Her offering - By way of solemn appeal to God, whom hereby she desired to judge between her and her husband, and by way of atonement to appease God, who had for her sins stirred up her husband against her.
Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest,....

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

HE SHALL POUR NO OIL UPON IT — “so that her offering shall not be enriched, for oil is called light, whereas she acted in darkness. NOR SHALL HE PUT FRANKINCENSE THEREON, for the matriarchs are compared to frankincense, as it is said, to the hill of frankincense.
Ramban: Spain, 1194–1270 · Ramban on Numbers 5:15:1, via Sefaria, Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
ועבר עליו AND [THE SPIRIT OF JEALOUSY] COME UPON HIM — i.e., had come upon him before her seclusion with the man.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Numbers 5:14:1, via Sefaria, Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

30 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְהֵבִ֨יאand he will bring

    vehevi'H935 →2568 times

  • הָאִ֣ישׁthe man

    haishH376 →1663 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • אִשְׁתּוֹ֮wife his

    ʾishtoH802 →781 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הַכֹּהֵן֒the priest

    hakohenH3548 →750 times

  • וְהֵבִ֤יאand he will bring

    vehevi'H935 →2568 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • קָרְבָּנָהּ֙offering her

    karebanahH7133 →82 times

  • עָלֶ֔יהָon her

    ʾaleihaH5921 →5755 times

  • עֲשִׂירִ֥ת<the> tenth of

    ʾasiritH6224 →29 times

  • הָאֵיפָ֖ה<the> ephah

    haeifahH374 →

  • קֶ֣מַחflour of

    kemachH7058 →

  • שְׂעֹרִ֑יםbarley<s>

    seorimH8184 →

  • לֹֽא־not

    lo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • יִצֹ֨קhe will pour out

    yitzokH3332 →

  • עָלָ֜יוon it

    ʾalavH5921 →5755 times

  • שֶׁ֗מֶןoil

    shemenH8081 →193 times

  • וְלֹֽא־and not

    velo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • יִתֵּ֤ןhe will put

    yitenH5414 →2011 times

  • עָלָיו֙on it

    ʾalavH5921 →5755 times

  • לְבֹנָ֔הfrankincense

    levonahH3828 →

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • מִנְחַ֤ת[is] a grain offering of

    minchatH4503 →211 times

  • קְנָאֹת֙jealousi<es>

    kenaotH7068 →43 times

  • ה֔וּאit

    hu'H1931 →1879 times

  • מִנְחַ֥תa grain offering of

    minchatH4503 →211 times

  • זִכָּר֖וֹןremembrance

    zikaronH2146 →24 times

  • מַזְכֶּ֥רֶת[which] brings to remembrance

    mazkeretH2142 →230 times

  • עָוֹֽן׃iniquity

    ʾavonH5771 →233 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Ezekiel 29:16Egypt will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity in turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”5 worksLeviticus 5:11But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.5 works1 Kings 17:18“O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”4 worksEzekiel 21:23It will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive.4 worksHosea 3:2So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.2 worksLeviticus 2:1“When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it,2 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Hebrews 10:3Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,2 worksNumbers 5:18After the priest has the woman stand before the LORD, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.2 worksNumbers 5:25The priest shall take from her hand the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the LORD, and bring it to the altar.2 worksNumbers 5:29This is the law of jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Leviticus 2:1

    “When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it,

    it leads to

    • Leviticus 6:14–18

      Now this is the law of the grain offering: Aaron’s sons shall present it before the LORD in front of the altar.

    • Isaiah 66:20

      And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the LORD on horses and chariots and wagons, on mules and camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the…

    • Revelation 8:3

      Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before…

  • Through

    1 Kings 17:18

    “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”

    it leads to

    • Luke 5:8

      When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”

    • 2 Kings 3:13

      Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for…

  • Through

    Ezekiel 29:16

    Egypt will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity in turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the…

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 29:6–7

      Then all the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD. For you were only a staff of reeds to the house of Israel.

    • Hosea 8:13

      Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to Me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins: They will return to…

  • Through

    Hosea 3:2

    So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.

    it leads to

    • Genesis 34:12

      Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”

Where this verse is studied

About Numbers

The Brazen Serpent, Anthony van Dyck, 1618 to 1620. Public domain.
The Brazen Serpent, Anthony van Dyck, 1618 to 1620. Public domain.
Numbers: the study guide →Read Numbers 5 →

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.

Read on in Numbers 5 →