What is the meaning of Numbers 5:28? But if the woman Numbers 5:28 opens with a conditional clause—“But if the woman…”. The Lord is acknowledging that the suspected wife may, in fact, be innocent. This protects her from unjust accusation and highlights God’s concern for truth (Deuteronomy 19:15; Proverbs 18:17). The verse stands in contrast to the potential outcome in 5:27, reminding all that divine judgment is fair and perfectly discerning (Psalm 9:8). has not defiled herself Here Scripture pinpoints the specific charge: adultery. “Defile” points to a breach of the marriage covenant, a sin God clearly forbids (Exodus 20:14; Proverbs 6:32). If she has remained faithful, her conscience is clear, and she can submit to the ordeal without fear (Psalm 26:1–2; 1 Peter 3:16). and is clean “Clean” speaks to ceremonial purity as well as moral integrity. Under the Law, uncleanness barred fellowship with God and community (Leviticus 15:31). Innocence restores and safeguards that fellowship, echoing Psalm 24:4—“He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” Cleanness also foreshadows the inner purity promised in Christ (1 John 1:7). she will be unaffected If innocent, “she will be unaffected.” The bitter water of the ritual will produce no harm. God Himself shields the righteous from unjust punishment (Psalm 91:9–10; Proverbs 12:21). This protection reassures the wife and vindicates her before her husband and the community (Isaiah 54:17). and able to conceive children Far from merely escaping harm, the faithful wife receives a positive blessing—continued fertility. In ancient Israel, children were a tangible sign of God’s favor (Psalm 127:3; Deuteronomy 7:13–14). Fertility after the ordeal publicly confirms her innocence and restores marital harmony, echoing God’s pattern of turning potential shame into honor (1 Samuel 1:19–20; Genesis 21:1–2). summary Numbers 5:28 assures that an innocent wife, wrongly suspected, will emerge unscathed and go on to bear children. God’s justice discerns truth, protects the blameless, and even transforms a moment of suspicion into a testimony of blessing. |
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