MPV Commentary

The Trial of Jealousy.

12-15. If a husband suspected his wife of infidelity, he could bring her to the priest with an offering of barley meal as evidence of his good intentions and willingness to follow God's law. This provision was given both to discourage adultery among wives and to protect them from false accusations by their husbands. The absence of witnesses (Leviticus 20:10) would have been sufficient grounds for a trial, and the husband's suspicions were taken seriously.

17-18. The priest would take holy water mixed with dust, an emblem of shame and misery, and put it in an earthen vessel to be used in the ceremony. This fragile ware was chosen because it would be broken after use (Leviticus 6:28; 11:33). All aspects of this solemn ritual were designed to intimidate and appall a person who knew they had done wrong.

19-22. The woman would be placed with her face toward the ark, symbolizing her loss of protection from her husband (1 Corinthians 11:7), and she would be given the bitter potion to drink as part of the appeal to God. The priest's solemn adjuration was a formal declaration that would seal her fate.

21. The Lord make you a curse, says the priest, using a common form of imprecation (Isaiah 65:15; Jeremiah 29:22).

22. The woman would respond with "Amen, Amen," indicating her acceptance of God's judgment and willingness to face the consequences of her actions.

23-24. The curses and her name would be written in a book as evidence of the trial. If she were innocent, these could be easily erased; but if guilty, they would have fatal consequences.

29. This is the law regarding jealousy: adultery was punishable by death (Leviticus 20:10), but suspected cases required a different approach. This law provided for the conviction of the guilty person through an ordeal that would reveal guilt or innocence. The ceremony's terrifying nature made it impossible to hide one's true state.