Numbers 5:21 net — Then the priest will put the woman under the oath of the curse and will say to her,“The LORD make you an attested curse…

NET Bible

"Then the priest will put the woman under the oath of the curse and will say to her,“The LORD make you an attested curse among your people, if the LORD makes your thigh fall away and your abdomen swell;"

— Numbers 5:21, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

Numbers 5:21 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;”

  • ASV

    “then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, Jehovah make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when Jehovah doth make thy thigh to fall away, and thy body to swell; ”

  • WEB

    “then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, "Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Yahweh allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell;”

  • DRB

    “These curses shall light upon thee: The Lord make thee a curse, and an example for all among his people: may he make thy thigh to rot, and may thy belly swell and burst asunder.”

  • BBE

    “Then the priest will put the oath of the curse on the woman, and say to her, May the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, sending on you wasting of the legs and disease of the stomach;”

  • KJVA

    “Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;”

Numbers 5 — Context

18

Then the priest will have the woman stand before the LORD, uncover the woman’s head, and put the grain offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of suspicion. The priest will hold in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse.

19

Then the priest will put the woman under oath and say to her,“If no other man has gone to bed with you, and if you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be free from this bitter water that brings a curse.

20

But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has had sexual relations with you….”

21

Then the priest will put the woman under the oath of the curse and will say to her,“The LORD make you an attested curse among your people, if the LORD makes your thigh fall away and your abdomen swell;

22

and this water that causes the curse will go into your stomach, and make your abdomen swell and your thigh rot.” Then the woman must say,“Amen, amen.”

23

“‘Then the priest will write these curses on a scroll and then scrape them off into the bitter water.

24

He will make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and the water that brings a curse will enter her to produce bitterness.

Numbers 5:21 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Numbers 5:21 say?
Numbers 5:21 in the NET Bible reads: “Then the priest will put the woman under the oath of the curse and will say to her,“The LORD make you an attested curse among your people, if the LORD makes your thigh fall away and your abdomen swell;”
Where is Numbers 5:21 in the Bible?
Numbers 5:21 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Numbers, chapter 5, verse 21.
Who wrote Numbers?
Numbers is traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional). It was written c. 1446–1406 BC.
What is the book of Numbers about?
Numbers records Israel's forty years of wilderness wandering — two censuses (hence the name), rebellions, the failure at Kadesh-Barnea, and the slow journey to the plains of Moab. It is a sober portrait of human unbelief and God's patient faithfulness across a generation.
What are the major themes of Numbers?
Numbers explores themes including Wilderness, Faithfulness, Rebellion, Guidance, Provision. These themes shape the meaning and context of Numbers 5:21.
What translation should I read Numbers 5:21 in?
Numbers 5:21 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Numbers 5:21?
Numbers 5:21 reads (NET): “Then the priest will put the woman under the oath of the curse and will say to her,“The LORD make you an attested curse among your people, if the LORD makes your thigh fall away and your abdomen swell;” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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