The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 47
SECT. XLVII.
CErtain Laws are now given them which did concern the whole Congregation. Firſt, Touching removing thoſe that were defiled by Leproſie, or had a running Iſſue, or had touched a dead body, out of the Camp, till they were cleanſed and purified according to the Order preſcribed in that caſe. For ſeeing the divine Preſence was among them, and they encamped round about the Tabernacle, it was fit they ſhould keep themſelves from all uncleanneſs, Numb. Ch. 5. from 1. to 5.
2ly, When any man or woman ſhall commit any ſin whereunto by reaſon of humane frailty they are ſubject to fall, to wit, in regard of any wrong done to their Neighbour, (which is a ſin highly diſpleaſing to God) then they ſhall confeſs their fault and make ſatisfaction, not only by reſtoring the whole Principal, but by adding a fifth part (q)Exod. 22. The Thief that had ſtolen was appointed to reſtore double what he had taken away, yea in ſome caſes four-fold and five-fold. But thoſe Laws were enacted for ſuch againſt whom the Crime was proved by witneſſes in a legal way. But this is for thoſe that did voluntarily confeſs the wrong they had done, in which caſe the Lord impoſeth a lighter penalty.thereunto. But if the party were dead to whom the wrong was done, then the recompence muſt be made to his Heir or next Kinſman, (r)This the H…brews underſtand of treſpaſſes done to ſtrangers. For they ſay there is no man in Iſrael without an Heir or Kinſman, either Child or Brother, or other of his blood.and if there be no ſuch Kinſman to be found, then muſt the recompence be made to the Lord; that is, to the Prieſts whom the Lord had appointed to be his Receivers. And it is no otherwiſe ordered in this than in other things.
For God had appointed the Prieſts to receive in his Name whatſoever was due unto Him; all the Offerings, Heave-Offerings, and whatſoever was not burnt for his Service upon the Altar, the Prieſt was to have, with the Firſt-fruits, and things vowed. So that whatſoever any man gave the Prieſt as due to God, the Prieſt was to have for himſelf, for to him God*See Ez…k. 44.30. hath given it. Numb. Ch. 5. from 5. to 11.
3ly, Concerning the Husbands jealouſie, and ſuſpition of his Wives honeſty, and the means how to clear her. There is a ſtrict Order(s)Why there was not ſuch a Law appointed for the trial of the Husband if his Wife were jealous of him, theſe reaſons are given; 1. Becauſe women, by reaſon of their ſubjection to their husbands, were not fit to have this liberty to call their Husbands to ſuch a Trial. 2ly, Becauſe the Adultery of the Wife is more miſchievous to that particular Family than the Adultery of the Husband, in regard that a Baſtard-iſſue is brought in thereby to inherit the Eſtate. Yet we find that the woman could divorce her Husband, Mark 10.12. appointed by the Lord for her Trial in this caſe. And poſſibly it was preſcribed the rather at this time both to prevent the defiling of the Camp by ſuch Ʋncleanneſs, as alſo to keep Wives in awe with the fear of this Trial, and to prevent the inconveniences that might ariſe by the jealouſie of men, where their Tents and dwellings were ſo near together. And poſſibly God allowed them to bring their Wives whom they ſuſpected to this Trial, partly for the hardneſs of their hearts, and partly leaſt their Wives ſhould be ſubject to a greater miſchief for want of ſuch a Trial, to wit, of being caſt off or killed, or otherwiſe injur'd by their Husbands in the rage of their jealouſie. The jealous Husband was therefore to bring his ſuſpected Wife to the Prieſt, and the Prieſt was to bring her to the door of the Tabernacle, that ſo perceiving her ſelf, as it were, before Gods Tribunal, the very fear of Gods all-ſeeing Eye, and the ſhame that would fall upon her in the eyes of all the Congregation now gazing upon her, might deter her from ſubmitting her ſelf to this Trial if ſhe knew her ſelf guilty. Then the Prieſt was to offer an Offering for her, viz. the tenth part of an Ephab of Barleymeal. The intent of this Offering ſeems to be that it might be a teſtimony that ſhe did willingly offer her ſelf to be tried by the Lord, to whom ſhe preſented this Offering by way of atonement for her other ſins, deſiring thereby mercy from the Lord for them, for the ſake of the Meſſias promiſed; but as to this particular, ſhe left her ſelf to him to be dealt with according to her deſerts. And whereas other Meat-Offerings were of fine Wheat-flower, and to be accompanied with Oil and Frankincenſe, (ſigns of joy and gladneſs of heart) this was to be of Barley-meal without either of them, to expreſs the ſad and doleful condition of this ſuſpected woman; and it being an Offering of Jealouſie, occaſioning iniquity to be remembred, therefore nothing implying ſweetneſs or joy was to be joyned to this Offering; And the Prieſt was to take water out of the holy Laver, and to put it into an earthen Veſſel, and to mix with it the duſt of the floor of the Tabernacle. The drink was in this manner to be made diſtaſtful, to put her in mind of the bitter Curſe that would follow upon her drinking of it, if ſhe were guilty. No doubt all theſe things were thus to be done, to ſtrike a greater terror into her, and that if ſhe were guilty, ſhe might not dare to put her ſelf upon this ſevere Trial. Then the Prieſt was to ſet her before the Lord, and to uncover her head, not only thereby to expoſe her to the view of all the people, but to make other women alſo carful not to give their Husbands occaſion of jealouſie; as alſo to ſignifie to her that it was in vain for her any longer to hide her ſin if ſhe were guilty, for God would now lay open, and diſcover what ſhe was to the eyes of all Iſrael. Then the Prieſt putting the Offering of Jealouſie into her hands, and taking the bitter water that cauſes the Curſe into his own; He was to adjure her upon her Oath to declare, Whither ſhe were innocent or no? ſaying to her after this manner, If thou be innocent, thou ſhalt be free from the bitter effects of this water thou art to drink; but if thou be guilty, the Lord make thee a Curſe and an Oath among thy people; that is, make thee a fearful example of his wrath and indignation, by cauſing thy Thigh to rot, and thy Belly to ſwell, that in time to come when any of the people are ſo ill diſpos'd as to uſe a fearful Curſe and Imprecation upon any perſons whatſoever, they may make mention of thee, deſiring that ſuch a Plague may fall upon them as fell upon thee, [ſee Jerem. 29.22.] The Prieſt having thus ſpoken, the Woman was to anſwer hereunto Amen, Amen; that is, be it unto me as thou denounceſt. Then the Prieſt was to write theſe Curſes in a ſcroll of Parchment, and ſprinkling ſome of the bitter water upon the writing, He was to ſcrape it off into the water which the woman was to drink, thereby to aſſure Her that the Curſe threatned would certainly fall upon her, if ſhe were guilty; and as ſure as ſhe ſaw the writing of the Scroll ſcraped off into the Cup, ſo ſure the water and the Curſe with it would paſs into her bowels. Then the Prieſt was to take the Offering of Jealouſie out of her hand, and to wave it before the Lord, and then to offer it upon the Altar, having firſt taken an handful out of it to burn (s)Pars Sacrificii farinacei fuit Deo cremata, reliquo cedente in uſum ſacerdotis. Janſon.upon the Altar as a Memorial to the Lord to be gracious to Her, if ſhe were innocent, Theſe things being done, the Prieſt was to give the bitter water to the woman to drink, and ſhe was to drink it accordingly. And if ſhe were innocent the water did no way hurt her, nay, if ſhe had been barren before it made her fruitful, God thereby recompencing her for the ſhame ſhe had undergone by being ſuſpected, and thus ſeverely tried. But if ſhe were guilty the dreadful puniſhment before threatned certainly fell upon her, and her Husband was held guiltleſs and blameleſs in putting Her upon this Trial; though it is probable that Husbands were not allowed to bring their Wives to this dreadful Trial, unleſs they could ſhew that their Wives had given them ſome juſt cauſe of Jealouſie.
Numb. Ch. 5. from 11. to the end.