Numbers 5:15-17

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Numbers 5:15 tn All the conditions have been laid down now for the instruction to begin—if all this happened, then this is the procedure to follow.
2. Numbers 5:15 tn The Hebrew word is “jealousy,” which also would be an acceptable translation here. But since the connotation is that suspicion has been raised about the other person, “suspicion” seems to be a better rendering in this context.
3. Numbers 5:15 tn The word “remembering” is זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron); the meaning of the word here is not so much “memorial,” which would not communicate much, but the idea of bearing witness before God concerning the charges. The truth would come to light through this ritual, and so the attestation would stand. This memorial would bring the truth to light. It was a somber occasion, and so no sweet smelling additives were placed on the altar.
4. Numbers 5:15 tn The final verbal form, מַזְכֶּרֶת (mazkeret), explains what the memorial was all about—it was causing iniquity to be remembered.
5. Numbers 5:16 tn The verb is the Hiphil of the word “to stand.” It could be rendered “station her,” but that sounds too unnatural. This is a meeting between an accused person and the Judge of the whole earth.
6. Numbers 5:17 tn This is probably water taken from the large bronze basin in the courtyard. It is water set apart for sacred service. “Clean water” (so NEB) does not capture the sense very well, but it does have the support of the Greek that has “pure running water.” That pure water would no doubt be from the bronze basin anyway.
7. Numbers 5:17 tn Heb “from.” The preposition is used here with a partitive sense.
8. Numbers 5:17 sn The dust may have come from the sanctuary floor, but it is still dust, and therefore would have all the pollutants in it.