Numbers 5:18

“And the priest shall set the woman before YHWH and let loose the hair of the head of the woman and put on her palms the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering of jealousy; and in the hand of the priest shall be the water of bitterness that brings a curse.”

Numbers 5:18 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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18

Numbers 5:18, word by word

And the priestכֹּהֵןkohen

priest

One who serves in the sanctuary and offers for the people.

Where else “kohen” appears
shall setהֶעֱמִידheemid

appoint

To put in place, name to a post.

Where else “heemid” appears
the womanאִשָּׁהisha

woman

An adult female person: single, married or widowed.

Where else “isha” appears
beforeפְנֵיfene

before

Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.

Where else “fene” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
and let looseפָרַעfara

let hair hang

To leave one's hair unbound in mourning.

Where else “fara” appears
the hair of the headרֹאשׁrosh

head

The upper part of the body, where the face and hair are.

Where else “rosh” appears
and putנָתַןnatan

put

To place something somewhere.

Where else “natan” appears
on her palmsכַּפֶּיkape

palm

The flat, hollow part of the hand; also what someone does or can do with it.

Where else “kape” appears
the grain offeringמִנְחַתminchat

grain offering

The grain offering.

Where else “minchat” appears
of memorialזִּכָּרוֹןzikaron

memorial

Memorial: something done or kept in order to remember.

Where else “zikaron” appears
of jealousyקְנָאֹתkenaot

jealousy

A husband's burning that tolerates no rivals; so is YHWH with his people.

Where else “kenaot” appears
and in the handיַדyad

hand

The part of the body with which one takes, gives and works; also what one does.

Where else “yad” appears
shall beיִהְיוּyihyu

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “yihyu” appears
the waterמֵיme

water

Water: for drinking, of rivers or seas.

Where else “me” appears
of bitternessמָּרִיםmarim

bitter

Bitter in taste, unpleasant to the tongue.

Where else “marim” appears
that brings a curseמְאָרֲרִיםmeararim

curse

Curse: declare someone or something under punishment, deprived of blessing. It is the opposite of bless.

Where else “meararim” appears

The context

17And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and from the dust that is on the floor of the dwelling the priest shall take and put it into the water.

18 · This verse (above)

19And the priest shall make her swear and say to the woman, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone astray into uncleanness while under the authority of your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse.

Read all of Numbers 5

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