A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Verſ. 2. COmmand the children of Iſrael that they put out of the camp every leper, &c.]
To wit, the lepers and thoſe that had running iſſues, till they were cured and cleanſed, and thoſe that were unclean by the dead, till after certain dayes they were purified according to the Law. More concerning this …e… in the note upon Levit. 13. 46.
Verſ. 6. When a man or woman ſhall commit any ſinne that men commit, &c.]
That is, when they ſhall commit any ſinne …ereinto by reaſon of humane frailty men are ſubject to fall, to wit, in regard of any wrong done to their neighbour, which is a …inne highly diſpleaſing to God, they ſhall then confeſſe and make ſatisfaction as is here appointed. Becauſe the purloyning of the goods of our brethren, and all other ſuch acts of injuſtice, are …innes that do more eſpecially …ind…r the well ordering of camps, therefore doth the Lord in this place urge this … Law againſt theſe kind of offences▪ that the camp of Iſrael now ſet in ord…r might neither be defiled nor diſordered thereby.
Verſ. 7. And he ſhall recompence his treſpaſſe with the principa…l …hereo…, and adde unto it the fifth part thereof.]
That is, he ſhall, by way of rec…mp…ncing the wrong he hath done to his neighbour, not onelyonly reſtore fully the whole principall he hath defrauded him of, but alſo give him more …ver and above the fifth part of ſo much as he had detained from him, which was …njoyned both by way of ſatisfying the party wronged as concerning the want of his goods whilſt they were detained, and alſo by way of a penalty on the party off…n…ing. Neither doth this contradict thoſ… Laws, Exod. 22. where the thief that had …t…llen f…om his neighbour is appointed to reſtore double what he had taken away, yea in ſome ca…e… fourfold and fivefold: for thoſe Laws were for ſuch againſt whom the crime was proved by witneſſes in a legall way, but this is for thoſe that did voluntarily confeſſe the wrong they had done, in which caſe the Lord impo…eth a lighter penalty, to wit, onelyonly a fifth part over and above the principall.
Verſ. 8. But if the man have …o kinſman to recompence the treſpaſſe unto, &c.]
In theſe words one direction is onelyonly implyed, to wit, that if the party were dead to whom the wrong was done, then the recompence muſt be made to his heir or next kinſman; and then another is expreſſed, to wit, that if there be no ſuch kinſman to be found, then muſt the treſpaſſe be recompenced unto the Lord, even to the prieſt, becauſe in all treſpaſſes done to our neighbours God is alſo injured, and the prieſts the Lord had appointed to be his receivers. But now this the Hebrews underſtand onelyonly of treſpaſſes done to ſtrangers: for there is no man in Iſra…l, they ſay, without an heir or kinſman, either child, or brother, or other of his bloud.
Verſ. 9. And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Iſrael, which they bring unto the prieſt, ſhall be his.]
This is here added by way of amplification, to ſhew why in the verſe before he had ſaid, that the treſpaſſe ſhall be recompenced to the Lord, even to the prieſt; for, …aith he, it is no otherwiſe ordered in this then in other things, my prieſts I have appointed to receive in my name whatever is due to me; every offering, or every heave-offering, &c. ſhall be his, that is whatever is of all the holy things onelyonly heaved or offered unto the Lord, and not burnt in my ſervice upon mine altar, the prieſt ſhall have it.
Verſ. 10. And every mans hallowed things ſhall be his.]
That is, not onelyonly thoſe meat-offerings, and thoſe parts of the peace-offerings which were waved and heaved before the Lord, but generally all the hallowed things▪ ſuch as were the firſt-fruits and things vowed, &c. were appointed for the prieſt: as if he ſhould have ſaid, in a word, whatſoever any man giveth the prieſt as due to God, it ſhall be the prieſts; for to him God hath given it. See this more fully expreſſed, Ezek. 44. 30.
Verſ. 12. If any mans wife go aſide and commit a treſpaſſe againſt him, &c.]
This is the order which God took for the try…ll of … wife, whether guilty or not guilty, of whom her husband was jealous: and preſcribed it was at this time happely, when God was now ſetting all things in order concerning the camp, both to prevent the defiling of the camp by ſuch filthineſſe, by keeping wives in aw with the fear of this triall; and likewiſe to prevent the inconveniencies that might ariſe by the jealouſies of men, where the dwellings of f…milies were not ſo ſeverall as in towns and cities. For though it be a ſinne in a husband unjuſtly to ſuſpect his wi…e, yet God allowed the husband to bring his wife to this triall, becauſe of the hardneſſe of their hearts, leſt the wife ſhould be ſubject to a greater miſchief for want of this triall, to wit, of being caſt off, or …lain, or otherwiſe oppreſſed by her husband in the rage of his jealouſie. But why was there not the …ame Law for the triall of the husband, if his wi…e were jealous of him? I anſwer, there are ſeverall reaſons given for this by Expoſitours: as 1. becauſe women are naturally more prone to be jealous and ſuſpicious then men, and therefore not ſo fit to enjoy this liberty; 2. becauſe women by reaſon of their ſubjection to their husbands were n… ſo fit to call their husbands to ſuch a triall; 3. becauſe the adultery of the wife is more miſchievous then the adultery of the husband, in regard that thereby the husband is made often to father another mans iſſue, & to leave his eſtate & inheritance to children that are not his; & laſtly, becauſe wives in their jealouſie had not ſo much power to oppreſſe and wrong their husbands as the husbands had to wrong their wives.
Verſ. 15. Then ſhall the man bring his wife unto the priest.]
The prieſt was in his office a figure of Chriſt, by whom God will judge the ſ…rets of men, Rom. 2. 16. and the tabernacle was the …igne of Gods pre…ence amongſt them. The jealous husband was therefore to bring his wife unto the prieſt, and the prieſt, ver. 16. was to bring her near, to ſet her before the Lord, to wit, at the doore of the tabernacle, that ſo perceiving her ſelf ſet as it were before Gods tribunal, the very fear of Gods all-ſe…eing ey…, and the ſhame that would fall upon her in the …ight of all the congregation now gazing upon her, might ſ…are her from ſubmitting her ſelf to this triall if indeed ſhe were guilty.
And he ſhall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal.]
The generall drift of this offering no doubt was, that it might be a teſtimony that ſhe willingly proffered her ſelf to b… tried by the Lord, to whom ſhe preſented this offering, whether ſhe were guiltie or no: yet becauſe the …ame quantity is preſ…ribed here that is preſcribed for the treſpaſſe-offering, Levit. 5. 11. namely the tenth part of an ephah, I conceive it was alſo brought by way of atonement for her other ſins, as deſiring that the Lord in his mercy, for his Chriſts ſake, paſſing by her other treſpaſſes, would in this particular deal with her according to her deſerts: And indeed he that will in regard of his innocency in any one particular appeal to Gods judgement with David, Pſal. 7. 8. Judgeme, O Lord, according to my righteouſneſſe, &c. muſt yet for the generall courſe of his life …ay with David, Pſal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy ſervant: for in thy …ight ſhall no man living be justified. Other meat-offerings were of fine wheat floure, this of barley meale; others had oyl and frankincenſe, Levit. 2. this no…e; no doubt both the courſe offering and the forbidding of oyl and …ncenſe (…ignes of joy and gladneſſe of heart) were to expreſſe the poore …ad and dolefull condition of this ſuſpected woman.
And he ſhall poure no oyl upon it, nor put frankincenſe thereon; for it is an offering of jealouſie, &c.]
That is, it is an offering whereby ſhe yiel…ed her ſelf to be judged by the Lord, if guilty of that iniquity whereof her husband was jealous, and did deſire the Lord to ſhew that he did remember it; and therefore nothing implying ſweetneſſe or joy was to be put to this offering.
Verſ. 17. And the priest ſhall take holy water in an …arthen veſſell.]
This holy water was either that water of ſeparation, w…ich was uſed for purifying, chap. 19. or rather water taken out of the holy laver, con…ecrated to holy u…es. No doubt the holineſſe of theſe things thus uſed was to ſtrike the greater terrour into her, that if guilty …he might not dar… to adde perjury to her other …inne: for the abuſe of holy things by the light of nature we know is a foul …inne, and perilous. As for the earthen veſſel, the baſeneſſe of the veſſel tended alſo to expreſſe the h…miliation of the woman, and the …adneſſe of the buſineſſe now in hand. Beſides, becauſe it was imployed in bringing uncleanneſſe to light, if any were, it may be probably thought that God would have no monument to remain of it, but appointed it to be broken after this work was ended, as in other caſes, Levit. 6. 28. and 11. 33. and 15. 12.
Verſ. 17. And of the dust th…t is in the floore of the tabernacle the prieſt ſhall take, and put it into the wa…er.]
It was fit the drink ſhould be diſtaſtfull, to put her in mind of the bitter curſe that would follow upon her drinking if …he were guilty: and to this end duſt is put into it. But be…ides, it was alſo firſt, becauſe duſt in all uſes was a …igne of baſeneſſe, ſorrow and afflictions, as Job 2. 12. Pſal. 1. 7, 5. Pſal. 22. 15. Lam. 3. 29. and ſo was fit to imply both the foul and unclean …inne which was in queſtion, the a…fliction of the woman ſuſpected, and the ſorrow ſhe would bring upon her ſelf if guilty: and ſecondly, becauſe duſt was the food of the curſed ſerpent, Gen. 3. 14. and ſo might ſignifie, that if ſhe had harkened to his temptations …he ſhould be partaker of his curſe. Withall it was holy duſt▪duſt of the …loore of the tabernacle (as the ground whereon Moſes …tood, Exod. 3. 5. was holy g…ound) that it might be the more terrible, and teach her to fear judgement from the Lord.
Verſ. 18. And the prieſt ſhall ſet the woman before the Lord, and uncover the womans head.
The uncovering of the head was a ſigne of ſorrow, Levit. 21. 10. And he that is the high prieſt among his brethr…n, upon whoſe head the anointing oyl was poured, ſhall not uncover his head nor rend his clothes; and to have her head bare in ſuch an aſſembly was a ſhame, 1. Cor. 11. 6. For if the woman be not covered, let her alſo be ſhorn; but if it be a ſhame for a woman to be ſhorn or ſhaven, let her be covered. The covering of this womans head was therefore pulled off by the prieſt, firſt, to ſhew the ſad and wofull condition this woman was now in; ſecondly, by the ſhame hereof to make other women carefull ſo to carry themſelves that they might not give any occaſion of ſuſpicion to their husbands; thirdly, and chi…fly, to ſignifie, that it was in vain any longer to hide her ſinne, if ſhe were guilty, becauſe God would now lay …er open, and diſcover to the eyes of all Iſrael whether or no ſhe were faul…y.
And the pri…st ſhall have in his hand the bitter water tha… cauſeth the curſe.]
It is called the bitter water, from the effe…t, becauſe it cauſed the curſe: to expreſſ… which the better it was no doubt made unpleaſing to the taſte by the duſt put …nto it.
Verſ. 21. The Lord make thee a curſe and an oath among thy people, &c.]
That …s, the Lord make thee ſuch a fearfull 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 thy people would uſe a fearfull curſe or imprecation upon any, they may therein make mention of thee, deſiring that ſuch plagues and miſ…ries might fall upon them …s fell upon ſuch a woman, that being guilty of adultery did yet drink the water of jealouſie. The like …xpreſſion we have, Jer. 29. 22.
Verſ. 22. And this water that cauſeth the curſe ſhall go into thy bowels▪ …o …ake thy be…ly to ſwell, and thy thigh to rot.]
And ſo God ſhould puniſh her in …oſe very parts which had been abuſed in the ſervice of …inne.
And the …oman ſhall ſay, Amen, Amen.]
This word of conſent is doubled, to ſhew the fervency of her zeal, the innocencie of her cauſe, the uprightneſſe of her conſcience, and the purity of her heart.
Verſ. 23. And the priest ſhall write theſe curſes in a book, and he ſhall blot them out with the bitter water.]
That is, he ſhall write them in a ſcroll of parchment, and then waſh and ſcrape them off into the water. And this, I conceive, was done, to aſſure the woman that the curſe threat…ed ſhould ſurely fall upon her, if ſhe were guilty; and that becauſe though there were no nat…r ll cauſe why this water thus …ingled with duſt ſhould have ſuch a …range operation, yet the word written ſhould cauſe the water to work this effect. And therefore as ſure as ſhe ſaw the writing of that ſcroll waſht off into the cup, ſo ſure ſhe mig…t be that the …urſe from the word ſhould, as I may ſay, paſſe into the water, and in that water ſhould paſſe into her bowels.
Verſ. 24. And he ſhall cauſe the woman to drink the bitter water, &c.]
To wi…, after ſhe had offered the jealous-offering; for it is evident in the following verſe, that firſt the prieſt did take out of her hand and offer her meat-offering for her, verſ. 25, 26. and then afterwards he made her to drink the bitter water, verſ. 27.
Verſ. 26. And the priest ſhall tak… an handfull of the offering, &c.]
See …he note upon Levit. 22.
Verſ. 28. And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean, then …e ſhall be free, and ſhall canceive ſeed.]
That is, the drinking this water ſhall no wi…e hurt her, inſomuch that ſhe …hall be as capable of bringing forth children as ever ſhe was before; whereas the guiltie woman ſhould by drinking the water be utterly diſabled for ever conceiving with child by reaſon of thoſe …ad effects it ſhould work in he… body, the innocent woman ſhould be free from all ſuch inconveniencies, and ſhould conceive and bring forth children as formerly. This may well be taken to be moſt probably the full meaning of the words; yet the moſt of Expoſitours judge that there is farre more intended thereby, to wit, that there is a promiſe here made to the innocent wi…e as by way of recompenſe from the Lord for the ſhame ſhe ſhould undergo by being ſo unjuſtly ſuſpected, to wit, that upon the drinking of this water ſhe ſhould not fail to conceive and bring forth children to her husband that was then bound to receive her to favour again, yea though before ſhe had been barren.
V…rſ. 31. The… ſhall the man be guiltleſſe, &c.]
That is, whereas if the husband ſhould nouri…h jealous thoughts in his mind concerning his wife, and thereupon either caſt her off, or any way oppreſſe her, this would be ſinne to him; if on the other ſide he ſhould take this legall way to find out whether his wife were faulty or no, he ſhould be guiltleſſe whatever the event ſhould be: if upon the drinking the water, her belly ſhould ſwell and her thighes rot, her miſeries ſhould no way be impu…ed to him, but muſt lie upon his wife, who by her uncleanneſſe and impudent denyall of it had drawn this judgement upon her ſelf; and on the other ſide, if the woman upon …is tryall ſhould be found innocent, the husband muſt not be lyable to any cenſure …or it, becauſe he onelyonly uſed the liberty given him of God for the diſcovery ofthe tr…th, the blame, if any, muſt lie upon the wife who had given occaſion of ſuſpicion to her h…sband, and ſo ſtill …aith the text, the woman ſhall bear her iniquity. And indeed i…is moſt probable that husbands were not admitted to bring their wives to this tryall unleſſe they could ſhow that their wives had given ſome cauſe of jealouſie, though they could not prove them guilty of adultery, in which caſe no wonder at all it is though the husband were judged guiltleſſe in bringing his wife to this tryall, and all the fault laid upon the wife, what ever the event of the tryall was.