Numbers

15 then the husband is to take his wife to the priest and take him the required offering of two quartsa of barley flour for her. Note: Because this is a grain offering for jealousy,b a reminder offeringc to draw attention tod guilt, he must not pour oil on it or put incense on it. 16 The priest is toe bring her near and have her stand before the L; 17 take some holy water in a clay jar and put dust from the tabernacle floor into the water; 18 uncover the woman’s head while she is standing before the L and put the reminder offering of grain (the grain offering for jealousy) in her hands; hold the bitter water, which is able to bring a curse, in his hand; and 19 put the woman under oath, saying to her, “If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while married, may you be immune to the bitter water that is able to bring a curse. 20 But if you have gone astray while married and you have defiled yourself by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse of the oath—and say to the woman, “may the L make you a curse and an oath among your people when he makes your abdomen swell and your womb miscarry.f 22 May this water that brings a curse go into your bowels and make your abdomen swell and womb miscarry.” The woman is to say, “So be it. So be it.” g 23 Then the priest shall write these curses on a scroll and wash them off into the bitter water, and 24 make the woman drink the bitter water that is able to bring a curse. It shall enter her and cause bitterness. Do it this way: 25 Take the grain offering from her hands for jealousy, wave it before the L, and bring it to the burnt offering altar. 26 Take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial offering and burn it on the altar; and afterward make the woman drink the water.

a Literally, “a tenth of an ephah.” b Or “for suspicion.” And throughout this section. c Or “a memorial offering.” d Or “to bring to remembrance.” e “The priest is to” is repeated in verses 17, 18, and 19. f Or “and makes you infertile.” Literally, “and makes your thigh waste away.” And verses 22 and 27. g Hebrew: amen, amen.