SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:18
Y hará el sacerdote estar en pie a la mujer delante del SEÑOR, y descubrirá la cabeza de la mujer, y pondrá sobre sus manos el presente de la recordación, que es el presente de celos; y el sacerdote tendrá en la mano las aguas amargas que acarrean maldición.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Numbers 5:18
Verse 18. Uncover the woman's head] To take off a woman's veil, and expose her to the sight of men, would be considered a very great degradation in the East. To this St. Paul appears to allude, 1 Cor. xi. 5, 6,10.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord , etc.] In the east of the tabernacle, with her face to the west, where was the holy of holies, so Ben Gersom; but not immediately for they had her from place to place, as Jarchi says, till she was weary, and her mind disturbed, that she might confess; and if she said, I am defiled, she rent the writing of her dowry, and went out; but if she said, I am pure, they brought her to the eastern gate, the gate of Nicanor, for there they made women suspected of adultery to drink the waters f40 : and uncover the woman’s head ; as a token of her immodesty and nonsubjection to her husband, and that she might be seen by all, to cause shame in her: according to the Misnah f41 , the priest took off her clothes, and loosed her hair--if she was clothed with white garments, he clothed her with black; if she had on her ornaments of gold, chains, earrings, or rings, he took them away from her, that she might be unseemly, and whoever would might come and look at her: and put the offering of memorial into her hands, which [is] the jealousy offering ; to weary her, as Jarchi says, that if perhaps her mind was disturbed she would confess; and so in the Misnah it is said, that her husband put this offering into her hands to weary her; but the true reason here seems to be, that it might appear to be her own offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse ; not that the water was bitter of itself, for it was the water out of the laver, and had nothing in it but the dust of the floor of the tabernacle; though some think some bitter thing was put into it, so Ben Gersom, as wormwood; but it is so called from the effects of it on those that were guilty; it produced sad effects in them, bitter and distressing, and made them appear to be accursed ones, for it was not bitter till it entered, ( Numbers 5:24); whereas it was not so to the innocent, nor attended with any such consequence to them; so that there was nothing in the water itself, but its efficacy was divine and supernatural.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-31 - This law would make the women of Israel watch against giving cause for suspicion. On the other hand, it would hinder the cruel treatment suc suspicions might occasion. It would also hinder the guilty from escaping, and the innocent from coming under just suspicion. When n proof could be brought, the wife was called on to make this solem appeal to a heart-searching God. No woman, if she were guilty, coul say "Amen" to the adjuration, and drink the water after it, unless sh disbelieved the truth of God, or defied his justice. The water i called the bitter water, because it caused the curse. Thus sin is called an evil and a bitter thing. Let all that meddle with forbidde pleasures, know that they will be bitterness in the latter end. From the whole learn, 1. Secret sins are known to God, and sometimes ar strangely brought to light in this life; and that there is a day comin when God will, by Christ, judge the secrets of men according to the gospel, Ro 2:16. 2 In particular, Whoremongers and adulterers God wil surely judge. Though we have not now the waters of jealousy, yet we have God's word, which ought to be as great a terror. Sensual lust will end in bitterness. 3. God will manifest the innocency of the innocent. The same providence is for good to some, and for hurt to others. And it will answer the purposes which God intends __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
והעמיד 5975 הכהן 3548 את 853 האשׁה 802 לפני 6440 יהוה 3068 ופרע 6544 את 853 ראשׁ 7218 האשׁה 802 ונתן 5414 על 5921 כפיה 3709 את 853 מנחת 4503 הזכרון 2146 מנחת 4503 קנאת 7068 הוא 1931 וביד 3027 הכהן 3548 יהיו 1961 מי 4325 המרים 4751 המאררים׃ 779
