What is the meaning of Numbers 5:31? The husband will be free from guilt • By bringing his suspicions to the priest (Numbers 5:14-15) rather than taking matters into his own hands, the man submits to God-ordained due process. • His obedience places the final verdict in the Lord’s hands; therefore, “the man will be free of guilt.” Any potential resentment, violence, or false accusation is checked (compare Deuteronomy 19:15-19 and Proverbs 17:15). • The phrase underscores personal accountability: the husband’s responsibility ends once he follows God’s prescribed steps (see Leviticus 5:1 for the principle of cleared conscience and 1 Peter 2:19 for suffering unjustly but entrusting oneself to God). • This protection also guards the covenant of marriage. By deferring to divine judgment, the husband avoids complicity in sin and models righteous leadership (Ephesians 5:25-28). but the woman shall bear her iniquity. • Should the ordeal reveal hidden adultery (Numbers 5:27), the woman alone carries the moral and physical consequences; the sin is not transferred to her husband (Ezekiel 18:20). • “Bear her iniquity” signals both present repercussions—physical affliction, public shame—and eternal accountability before God (Galatians 6:7-8; Romans 6:23). • The wording parallels other passages where individuals bear guilt for specific covenant violations (Leviticus 20:17; Numbers 18:22-23). • The ordeal’s severity highlights the seriousness God assigns to marital faithfulness (Exodus 20:14; Proverbs 6:32-33) and exposes sin that might otherwise remain hidden (Psalm 90:8; 1 Corinthians 4:5). • At the same time, innocence is vindicated; if no judgment falls, the woman’s honor is restored (Numbers 5:28), illustrating God’s justice and mercy in safeguarding both spouses. summary Numbers 5:31 concludes the jealousy ordinance by affirming that when God’s procedure is followed, the husband is absolved of any wrongdoing, while a guilty wife faces the full weight of her sin. The verse upholds personal responsibility, protects the integrity of marriage, and showcases the Lord as the ultimate judge who exposes hidden sin and clears the innocent. |
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