Preface:    There are two short sections on uncleanness and removal from the camp; and on restitution. Most of this chapter deals with a woman who may or may not have committed adultery, and a husband who is certain that she did.

The Bible Summary of Numbers 5 (in 140 characters or less): Anyone who sins shall make restitution and add a fifth. If a man suspects his wife of unfaithfulness he shall take her to the priest.

There are many chapter commentaries on the book of Numbers. This will be the most extensive examination of Numbers 5, where you will be able to examine in depth every word of the original text. Every attempt has been made to make this both a complete and self-contained study. Therefore, all references, vocabulary, and related concepts should be found within this extensive study. Easy access links to more in-depth studies of some vocabulary words, concepts and doctrines are also provided.

Outline of Chapter 5:

Introduction

         vv.     1–

         vv. 

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         vv. 

Chapter Summary

Addendum

Charts, Graphics and Short Doctrines:

         Preface               Quotations

         Introduction         Titles and/or Brief Descriptions of Numbers 5 (by various commentators)

         Introduction         Brief, but insightful observations of Numbers 5 (various commentators)

         Introduction         Fundamental Questions About Numbers 5

         Introduction         The Prequel of Numbers 5

         Introduction 

         Introduction 

         Introduction         The Principals of Numbers 5

         Introduction         The Places of Numbers 5

         Introduction         By the Numbers

         Introduction         Timeline for Numbers 5

         Introduction         A Synopsis of Numbers 5

         Introduction         Outlines of Numbers 5 (Various Commentators)

         Introduction         A Synopsis of Numbers 5 from the Summarized Bible

         Introduction         The Big Picture (Numbers 1–15)

         Introduction 

         Introduction 

         Introduction         Changes—additions and subtractions (for Numbers 5)

         Introduction 

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         v.      16              What happens at a new dispensation or increment of a dispensation?

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         Summary            A Set of Summary Doctrines and Commentary

         Summary            Why Numbers 5 is in the Word of God

         Summary            What We Learn from Numbers 5

         Summary            Jesus Christ in Numbers 5

         Summary            Edersheim Summarizes Numbers 5

         Summary 

         Addendum          Extensive Footnote on Redemption (from the Heritage Bible)

         Addendum 

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         Addendum 

         Addendum          Josephus’ History of this Time Period

         Addendum          A Complete Translation of Numbers 5

         Addendum          Doctrinal Teachers Who Have Taught Numbers 5

         Addendum          Word Cloud from a Reasonably Literal Paraphrase of Numbers 5

         Addendum          Word Cloud from Exegesis of Numbers 5

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An Introduction to Numbers 5

I ntroduction: In the first portion of Numbers 5, we will see certain defiled people removed from the camp of Israel. Then we quickly examine restitution when the person to be compensated is no longer on the scene. Finally, in part II, we will see a test applied to determine whether one has committed adultery or not. These are not necessarily connected in anyway—these are three different topics presented that way. The fact that they are in the same chapter is nothing more than a convenient man-made division, which has been quite helpful, but not necessarily inspired.

Timeline for Numbers

There is very little narrative in the book of Numbers; so this information may have been given to Moses in a few days or, at most, a few weeks; and Moses both wrote these things down and informed the people. Because of information previously studied in the introduction, we are not 100% certain if all of this material was given to Moses while in the newly erected Tabernacle. I would lean towards that being the case.

As I have done previously, since this chapters is what God is saying to Moses, I will begin and end the chapter with quotation marks. I will not insert a new set of quotation marks for each new paragraph.

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Here is how others have translated this passage:

Ancient texts:                       Note: I compare the Hebrew text to English translations of the Latin, Syriac (= Aramaic) and Greek texts, using the Douay-Rheims translation; George Lamsa’s translation, and Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton’s translation as revised and edited by Paul W. Esposito, respectively. I often update these texts with non-substantive changes (e.g., you for thou, etc.). I often use the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible instead of Brenton’s translation, because it updates the English text.

The Septuagint was the earliest known translation of a book (circa 200 b.c.). Since this translation was made before the textual criticism had been developed into a science and because different books appear to be translated by different men, the Greek translation can sometimes be very uneven.

When there are serious disparities between my translation and Brenton’s (or the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible), I look at the Greek text of the Septuagint (the LXX) to see if a substantive difference actually exists (and I reflect these changes in the English rendering of the Greek text). I use the Greek LXX with Strong’s numbers and morphology available for e-sword. The only problem with this resource (which is a problem for similar resources) is, there is no way to further explore Greek verbs which are not found in the New Testament. Although I usually quote the Complete Apostles’ Bible here, I have begun to make changes in the translation when their translation conflicts with the Greek and note what those changes are.

The Masoretic text is the Hebrew text with all of the vowels (vowel points) inserted (the original Hebrew text lacked vowels). We take the Masoretic text to be the text closest to the original. However, differences between the Masoretic text and the Greek, Latin and Syriac are worth noting and, once in a great while, represent a more accurate text possessed by those other ancient translators.

In general, the Latin text is an outstanding translation from the Hebrew text into Latin and very trustworthy (I say this as a non-Catholic). Unfortunately, I do not read Latin—apart from some very obvious words—so I am dependent upon the English translation of the Latin (principally, the Douay-Rheims translation).

The comparisons which I do are primarily between the English translations which are taken from the ancient tongues. For the most part, the variances are so minor that I rarely investigate them any further than that.

Underlined words indicate differences in the text.

Bracketed portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls are words, letters and phrases lost in the scroll due to various types of damage. Underlined words or phrases are those in the Dead Sea Scrolls but not in the Masoretic text.

I will only list the translation from the Dead Sea Scrolls if it exists and if it is different from the Masoretic text.

The Targum of Onkelos is actually the Pentateuchal Targumim, which are The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan Ben Uzziel. On the Pentateuch With The Fragments of the Jerusalem Targum From the Chaldee by J. W. Etheridge, M.A. From http://www.becomingjewish.org/texts/targum/onkelos_Numbers.html and first published in 1862.

Occasionally, there is an obvious error in the English translation, and I correct those without additional mention or footnoting. For instance, the online version of the Targum of Onkelos which I use has gorund in Ex. 4:9; I simply corrected the text. This may occur once or twice in a chapter.

I attempt to include translations which are different in their vocabulary and phrasing. On many occasions, I may include a translation which is not substantially different than another listed translation.

Most of the translations can be found here.

Ancient texts:

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        And so speaks Y^ehowah unto Moses, to say, “Charge sons of Israel and they will send out from the camp every epidermal disorder, and every discharge and every unclean to a soul. From male as far as female, you (all) will send out; unto from outside to the camp you (all) will send them out and they will not defile their camps, where I keep on dwelling in their midst.” And so do so, sons of Israel, and so they send them out unto from an outside to the camp, as which spoke Y^ehowah unto Moses, so did sons of Israel.

Dead Sea Scrolls                   .

Targum (Onkelos)                  . Translation for Onkelos and Pseudo-Jonathan by J. W. Etheridge, M.A. (1862).

Targum (Pseudo-Jonathan)   .

Jerusalem targum                  .

Updated Douay-Rheims         .

Douay-Rheims 1899 (Amer.) And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Command the children of Israel, that they cast out of the camp every leper, and whosoever hath an issue of seed, or is defiled by the dead:

Whether it be man or woman, cast ye them out of the camp, lest they defile it when I shall dwell with you,

And the children of Israel did so, and they cast them forth without the camp, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

Aramaic ESV of Peshitta        Mar-Yah spoke to Mosha, saying,

"Command the B'nai Yisrael that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead.

Both you shall put male and female outside of the camp; that they not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell."

The B'nai Yisrael did so, and put them out outside of the camp; as Mar-Yah spoke to Mosha, so did the B'nai Yisrael.

Lamsa’s Peshitta (Syriac)     .

V. Alexander’s Aramaic T.     .

Samaritan Pentateuch           .

Updated Brenton (Greek)       And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Command the children of Israel, and let them send forth out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has in issue of the reins, and everyone who is unclean from a dead body.

Whether male or female, send them forth out of the camp; and they shall not defile their camps in which I dwell among them.

And the children of Israel did so, and sent them out of the camp: as the Lord said to Moses, so did the children of Israel.

Significant differences: 

Limited Vocabulary Translations:

Bible in Basic English             And the Lord said to Moses, 

Give orders to the children of Israel to put outside the tent-circle every leper, and anyone who has any sort of flow from his body, and anyone who is unclean from the touch of the dead; 

Male or female they are to be put outside the tent-circle, so that they may not make unclean my resting-place among them. 

So the children of Israel did as the Lord had said to Moses, and put them outside the tent-circle.

Easy English                          .

Easy-to-Read Version–2008  The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the people to send away from the camp anyone who is unclean, that is, anyone who has a serious skin disease or discharge and anyone who has touched a dead body. Whether they are a man or a woman, send them away so that the camp where I am living among you will not be made unclean."

So the Israelites obeyed God's command. They sent those people outside the camp. They did what the LORD had told Moses.

God’s Word™                         The LORD said to Moses, "Command the Israelites to send outside the camp anyone who has a serious skin disease or a discharge or anyone who is unclean from touching a dead body. Send all of these unclean men and women outside the camp. They must not make this camp where I live among you unclean."

So the Israelites did as the LORD had told Moses. They sent these unclean people outside the camp.

Good News Bible (TEV)         The LORD said to Moses, "Command the people of Israel to expel from the camp everyone with a dreaded skin disease or a bodily discharge and everyone who is unclean by contact with a corpse. Send all these ritually unclean people out, so that they will not defile the camp, where I live among my people."

The Israelites obeyed and expelled them all from the camp.

The Message                         .

Names of God Bible               .

NIRV                                      .

New Simplified Bible              .

Thought-for-thought translations; dynamic translations; paraphrases:

Casual English Bible             .

Contemporary English V.       The LORD told Moses to say to the people of Israel, "Put out of the camp everyone who has leprosy or a bodily discharge or who has touched a dead body. Now that I live among my people, their camp must be kept clean."

The Israelites obeyed the LORD's instructions.

The Living Bible                     .

New Berkeley Version           .

New Life Version                    .

New Living Translation           .

UnfoldingWord (Simplified)    Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell this to the Israelite people: 'You must send away from your camp where you have your tents any man or woman who has leprosy and anyone who has a discharge of some fluid from his body, and anyone who has become unacceptable to God because of having touched a corpse. Send them away in order that they will not touch people in the camp area where I live among you and cause them to become unacceptable to me.'"  

So the Israelite people obeyed what Yahweh commanded Moses.

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

American English Bible          .

Beck’s American Translation .

Common English Bible           .

New Advent (Knox) Bible       .

Translation for Translators     .

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Christian Standard Bible        .

Berean Study Bible                .

Conservapedia                       .

Revised Ferrar-Fenton Bible  .

God’s Truth (Tyndale)           .

The Heritage Bible                 . any soul

International Standard V        .

Lexham English Bible            .

NIV, ©2011                             .

Unfolding Word Literal Text   Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said, "Command the people of Israel to send away from the camp everyone with an infectious skin disease, and everyone who has an oozing sore, and whoever is unclean through touching a dead body. Whether male or female, you must send them out of the camp. They must not defile the camp, because I live in it."

The people of Israel did so. They sent them out of the camp, as Yahweh commanded Moses. The people of Israel obeyed Yahweh.

Urim-Thummim Version         YHWH spoke to Moses saying, Command the sons of Israel that they send out of the camp every leper and everyone with a discharge, and everyone defiled by an unclean body. Both male and female you will put outside the camp so that they not do make their camps unclean among where I live. And the children of Israel instituted this, and sent away such people outside the camp as YHWH commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

Wikipedia Bible Project          .

Catholic Bibles (those having the imprimatur):

Christian Community (1988)  Various laws

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said: “Order the Israelites to put out of the camp all lepers, and all who suffer from a contagious infection, or who have become unclean by touching a corpse. Man or woman, you must put them out and forbid them to return to the camp. The Israelites must not allow the camp where I dwell among them to become unclean in this way.”

The Israelites did so: they put them out of the camp. The Israelites did as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Dt 23:11; 1Cor 5:7; 2Cor 6:16; Rev 21:27

New American Bible(2011)    .

The Catholic Bible                  .

New Jerusalem Bible             .

NRSV (Anglicized Cath. Ed.) .

Revised English Bible–1989            .

Jewish/Hebrew Names Bibles:

Complete Jewish Bible           .

Eth Cepher Bible                    AND Yahuah spoke unto El־Mosheh, saying, 

Command the children of Yashar’el, that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone that has an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell. 

And the children of Yashar’el did so, and put them out without the camp: as Yahuah spoke unto Mosheh, so did the children of Yashar’el.

exeGeses companion Bible   .

Hebraic Roots Bible               .

Kaplan Translation                 .

The Scriptures–2009              And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 

"Command the children of Yisra’ěl to send out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled for a being. 

“Send out both male and female, send them outside the camp, so that they do not defile their camps in the midst of which I dwell.” 

And the children of Yisra’ěl did so, to send them outside the camp. As יהוה had spoken to Mosheh, so the children of Yisra’ěl did.

Tree of Life Version                Adonai spoke to Moses saying, “Command Bnei-Yisrael to send out from the camp everyone with tza’arat, who has some kind of discharge, or any contaminated by a dead body. Whether male or female, you are to send them outside the camp so as not to defile the camp where I am dwelling among them.”

This Bnei-Yisrael did, sending them outside the camp. Just as Adonai spoke to Moses, so Bnei-Yisrael did.

Weird English, Olde English, Anachronistic English Translations:

Alpha & Omega Bible            AND JESUS SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING,

CHARGE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND LET THEM SEND FORTH OUT OF THE CAMP EVERY LEPER, AND EVERY ONE WHO HAS IN DISCHARGE OF THE REINS, AND EVERY ONE WHO IS UNCLEAN FROM A DEAD BODY.

WHETHER MALE OR FEMALE, SEND THEM FORTH OUT OF THE CAMP; AND THEY SHALL NOT DEFILE THEIR CAMPS IN WHICH I DWELL AMONG THEM.

AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID SO, AND SENT THEM OUT OF THE CAMP: AS JESUS SAID TO MOSES, SO DID THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

Awful Scroll Bible                   Sustains To Become was speaking to Moses, to the intent:

Be commanding the sons of Contends-with-he-mighty that they were to send out of the camp they being leprous, they being with issue, and they defiled by a breather.

Indeed the males and females was you to send out without the camp, even were they to be sent out - were they to defile the camp in the midst of where I dwell? -

The sons of Contends-with-he-mighty were to effect it, and were to put them without the camp, as Sustains To Become is to have declared it to Moses, even effected the sons of Contends-with-he-mighty.

Concordant Literal Version    Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.

Instruct the sons of Israel that they shall send away from the camp every leprous human and everyone having a discharge and everyone defiled by a deceased soul. Both male and female shall you send them away outside the camp. You shall send them away so that they may not defile their camps in the midst of which I am tabernacling.

The sons of Israel did so and sent them outside the camp. Just as Yahweh had spoken to Moses so did the sons of Israel.

exeGeses companion Bible   PURIFYING THE CAMP

And Yah Veh words to Mosheh, saying,

Misvah the sons of Yisra El,

to send from the camp

every leper and every one who fluxes

and every one defiled by a soul:

send, from male to female,

send them outside the camp;

that they not foul their camps

midst where I tabernacle.

And thus the sons of Yisra El work

and send them outside the camp:

as Yah Veh words to Mosheh

thus the sons of Yisra El work.

Orthodox Jewish Bible           And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

Command the Bnei Yisroel, that they put out of the machaneh every tzaru'a, and every one that hath a discharge, and whosoever is tameh lanefesh (unclean, defiled by reason of contact with a corpse),

Both zakhar and nekevah shall ye put out, without the machaneh shall ye put them; that they defile not their machanot, in the midst whereof I dwell.

And the Bnei Yisroel did so, and put them outside the machaneh; just as Hashem spoke unto Moshe, so did the Bnei Yisroel.

Rotherham’s Emphasized B. .

Expanded/Embellished Bibles:

The Amplified Bible                .

The Expanded Bible              .

International Standard V        On Unclean Persons

The Lord told Moses, “Command the Israelis to send outside the encampment every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is ritually defiled by contact with a corpse. [Lit. soul] Whether male or female, send them outside the camp so that they won’t defile their camp, because I live among them.” So the Israelis sent them outside the camp. The Israelis did just what the Lord had told Moses.

Kretzmann’s Commentary    .

Lexham English Bible            Rules Concerning Those Unclean

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the Israelites: [Literally “sons/children of Israel”] they must send everyone from the camp who is afflicted with a rash, [The precise meaning is uncertain; many modern translations suggest “leprosy”] everyone with a fluid discharge, and everyone unclean through contact with a corpse. You will send away both male and female; [Literally “from male until female”] you will send them outside the camp. [Literally “to an outside place of the camp”] They must not make unclean their camps where I am dwelling in their midst.” So the Israelites [Literally “sons/children of Israel”] did so. They sent them away outside the camp; [Literally “to an outside place of the camp”] just as Yahweh spoke to Moses, so did the Israelites. [Literally “sons/children of Israel”]

Syndein/Thieme                     .

The Voice                               .

Bible Translations with Many Footnotes:

The Complete Tanach           .

The Geneva Bible                  .

Kaplan Translation                 Purifying the Camp

God spoke to Moses, saying:

Instruct the Israelites to send out of the camp everyone who has a leprous mark or a male discharge, and all who are ritually defiled by the dead.

Whether male or female, they must be sent out of the camp so that they not defile their camp where I dwell among them.

The Israelites did this, sending [all such people] out of the camp. The Israelites did exactly as God had told Moses. The Kaplan Translation, particularly in Numbers through Deuteronomy, takes note of historic rabbinic opinions.

God spoke to Moses...

This occurred on the first of Nissan, the day the Tabernacle was erected; see Exodus 40:17 (Gittin 60a,b). According to some, this is true of everything in this section up to the Priestly Blessings (see Numbers 6:22). Thus, the narrative now goes back one month to the first of Nissan.

leprous mark

See Leviticus 13:1-46.

male discharge

See Leviticus 15:1-15.

defiled by the dead

(Targum; Rashi; Septuagint). Literally, 'unclean for a soul.' See Numbers 19:14,16.

NET Bible®                             .

New American Bible(2011)    .

Rotherham’s Emphasized B.                                                § 5. Sundry Laws.

Chapter 5.

And Yahweh spake unto Mosesˎ saying:—

Command the sons of Israelˎ that they send forth out of the camp, every leperˎ and every one that hath a flux,—and every one that is unclean by the dead:^b <whether male or female> ye shall send them forth, <unto the outside of the camp> shall ye send them,—that they make not their camps unclean, in the midst whereof ||I|| have my habitation.

And the sons of Israel |did so|, and sent them forth unto the outside of the camp,—<as Yahweh spake unto Moses> ||so|| did the sons of Israel.

^b Ml.: “by the soul (life).”

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

C. Thomson Updated OT       .

Charles Thomson OT            Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Give orders to the children of Israel, and let them send out of the camp every one who is a leper, and every one who hath a gonorrhea, and every one who is defiled by the dead; whether male or female, send them out of the camp, that they may not defile their camps in which I am present among them. Whereupon the children of Israel did so. They sent them away out of the camp, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Context Group Version          .

English Standard Version      .

Green’s Literal Translation    .

Legacy Standard Bible           .

Literal Standard Version        .

Modern English Version         .

Modern Literal Version 2020  And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Command the sons of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper and every man who has a discharge and whoever is unclean by the dead. You* will put out both male and female. You* will put them outside the camp, that they do not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.

And the sons of Israel did so and put them outside the camp. As Jehovah spoke to Moses, so the sons of Israel did.

New American Standard B.    .

New European Version          .

New King James Version       .

Niobi Study Bible                   .

Revised Mechanical Trans.    ...and YHWH spoke to Mosheh saying, direct the sons of Yisra'eyl, and they will send from the camp all the infected, all the ones issuing, and every dirty one to the soul^[857]. From the male until the female you will send, to the outside of the camp you will send them, and they will not dirty their camps, which I am dwelling in the midst of them, and the sons of Yisra'eyl will do so, and they sent them to the outside of the camp, just as YHWH spoke to Mosheh, so the sons of Yisra'eyl did do,...

857. The meaning of the phrase “to the soul” is uncertain.

Updated Bible Version 2.17   .

A Voice in the Wilderness      .

Webster’s Bible Translation  .

World English Bible                .

Young's Literal Translation     .

Young's Updated LT              .

The gist of this passage: 

1-4

Translation: Y^ehowah then spoke to Moses, saying,...

God speaks to Moses and His words are preserved for us.

Numbers 5:1 Y^ehowah then spoke to Moses, saying,... (Kukis mostly literal translation)

A true red-lettered edition of the Bible would just about run out of red ink in Leviticus and Numbers. The parallel passage for the next four verses is Leviticus 15:1–33.

Translation: ...“Command the sons of Israel and they will send out from the camp every [one with] and epidermal disorder and every [one with] a discharge and every [unclean] with respect to a body [lit., soul].

The encampment of Israel must be cleansed. Those with a skin disorder or a discharge or who have touched a dead body (possibly man or beast) must be separated from the camp.

Regarding that last item, the touching of a dead body seems to be the agreed upon understanding. It is interesting as, when a person is dead, the soul is not longer there. Besides which, you cannot touch a soul. Nevertheless, I would be hard-pressed to come up with a better understanding of the third example of uncleanness.

Anyone unclean in any of these ways was sent outside their encampment.

This is essentially a quarantine. With regards to illnesses and diseases which can spread, the people separate themselves from these kinds of ailments.

At the same time, this was representative of a spiritual truth, a separation from that which is unclean. The Israelites would have understood the spiritual truth, but not the medical quarantine.

Numbers 5:2 ...“Command the sons of Israel and they will send out from the camp every [one with] and epidermal disorder and every [one with] a discharge and every [unclean] with respect to a body [lit., soul]. (Kukis mostly literal translation)

According to the NIV Study Bible, these discharges from the body were primarily continual discharges from the sexual organs. This is not merely confined to sexually transmitted diseases, but could also refer to women who are hemorrhaging, as in Luke 8:43–48.

We might look upon this as cruel, but the camp of Israel is illustrative of those who are set aside for Yahweh and the only ones who can be set aside are those who are without spot and without blemish. Everyone else is dismissed from the camp, as they are illustrative of what it means to be lost. The NIV Study Bible called them object lessons. The concept of uncleanness was not left abstract nebulous; but God gave Israel concrete illustrations of uncleanness. Any uncleanness whatsoever, and you are kept from fellowship with God and from God's blessing. In this day and age when so many people claim to visit face to face with Jesus while they are shaving, or visit with God the Son in between watching Lavern and Shirley, we have totally lost track that God is perfection; God is holy. Contact with God is not some whimsical notion. God does not have any contact with that which is unclean.

The ultimate, if you will, in the realm of uncleanness, was that of a dead body. This is a person whose entire earthly existence has stopped; his internal organs no longer function; his body has run out of energy and has begun to decay. It illustrates the absolutely lost state that we find ourselves in with no way out of this life except death. This is why contact with the dead is considered an act of uncleanness. We are not speaking of punishment here or wrongdoing, but contact which makes one unclean. Just as the entire earth and the entire realm of humanity became unclean due to the sins of Adam and the woman; so now we, as of the earth, are unclean. Our Lord, whose work on the cross cleanses us from all unrighteousness, had contact with the dead, as in the case of the daughter of the synagogue official in Mark 5:41—His contact gave her life instead of making Him unclean, as He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world.

Translation: From males to females, you (all) will send [them] out. You (all) will send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camps,...

ʿAd (עַד) [pronounced ģahd] is used in four entirely different ways: it can be a noun which means perpetuity, a noun which means booty, prey, a preposition that means as far as, even to, up to, until, while, and a conjunction that means until, until that, to the point that, so that even. Here is a preposition which clearly states that every single person is subject to this ban from the camp. Strong’s #5704 BDB #723.

Describing where one is sent with regard to the camp is two prepositions. ʾEl (אֶל) [pronounced ehl] and it is a preposition which denotes direction and is often rendered in, into, unto. Strong's #413 BDB #39. It is followed by the prefixed preposition min (מִן) [pronounced min], a preposition which denotes separation (away from, out from, out of from). The noun which follows means outside. They are being sent in the direction of the outside of the camp away with everyone else. This is all said by placing these two little prepositions prior to the word outside.

In these circumstances, it does not matter whether the person is a man or a woman. With any of those problems, they had to go outside the large encampment.

Translation: ...where I keep on dwelling in their midst.”

After the first person pronoun, the final verb is the Qal active participle of shâkan (שָכַן) [pronounced shaw-KAHN], the verbal cognate for our word tabernacle (tent). This is why many translations render this where I tabernacle. God dwelling in the camp of Israel, in the tent of meeting, speaks of fellowship on earth and of an eternal relationship in heaven. Strong’s #7931 BDB #1014.

The reason for this separation is, God lives in the midst of Israel. Now, in some form or fashion, God occupied the Tabernacle. Whether He manifested Himself by speaking to Moses there or exactly what this was, the Tabernacle was intimately associated with God. For this reason, people did not simply go in and out of the Tabernacle. Only a handful of men entered the Tabernacle, and this was for specific duties. My reading suggests that no one was in there for more than five minutes or so to do their duties.

There were three furniture pieces in the main section: the Altar of Incense, the Bread of Presence and the Menorah. The incense was supposed to be lit; the bread was supposed to be set on the table; and the Menorah was supposed to be lighted. All of these things spoke of Jesus Christ, His Person and His work, but no one could see them yet. They would be able to see Jesus Christ during His public ministry. Until then, He was hidden.

In any case, God said that He keep in living in the midst of this encampment, which would have placed Him in the Tabernacle. Quite obviously, God could manifest Himself there, but being omnipresent, He was not confined in any way to the Tabernacle.

Numbers 5:3 From males to females, you (all) will send [them] out. You (all) will send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camps, where I keep on dwelling in their midst.” (Kukis mostly literal translation)

In the Bible, we have distinctions between the sexes—that is the laws are applied differently. We have areas where either the man or the woman is named, but what is covered is applicable to both sexes. And, there are passages like this where it is made clear that uncleanness cuts across sexual lines. So there is no confusion, all males and females alike were cast outside the camp. A marvelous illustration, untouched here but implied: what of the man whose wife is unclean and put outside the camp, yet he loves her? What are his options? He chooses to join her in the area of the unclean outside the camp, just as our Lord Jesus Christ left the throne room of God to pursue His beloved Israel, who is outside the camp through uncleanness.

God's Presence remained with Israel in the tent of meeting, foretelling what would occur in eternity. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the tent of God is among men and He will dwell among them and they will be His people and God Himself will be among them. And He will wipe away ever tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be mourning, or crying or pain; the first things have passed away." And nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying will ever come into it [the new Jerusalem], but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 21:3–4, 27).

Translation: And so the sons of Israel do [this]; they send them outside the camp.

Our often used verb for to do, manufacture, make—ʿâsâh (עָשָֹה) [pronounced ģaw-SAWH]—is found here twice; first in the Qal imperfect tense, referring to a process; and then in the Qal perfect, meaning the action was completed. Strong's #6213 BDB #793.

The people of Israel do as they are told, and the people with those various circumstances were sent outside of the encampment.

Translation: As Y^ehowah said to Moses, so the sons of Israel did. (Kukis mostly literal translation)

The Israelites did exactly as what God told them to do.

Numbers 5:4 And so the sons of Israel do [this]; they send them outside the camp. As Y^ehowah said to Moses, so the sons of Israel did. (Kukis mostly literal translation)

They rounded up those who were with physical defects, which took time—this is a process; and finally, they were removed from the camp. That was the completed (perfective) action. This in no way means that these persons were unbelievers or that they had no chance of being saved. They played a part in God's plan. We all have a place in God's plan and their was outside the camp to portray God's absolute perfection and holiness.

Numbers 5:1–4 Y^ehowah then spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the sons of Israel and they will send out from the camp every [one with] and epidermal disorder and every [one with] a discharge and every [unclean] with respect to a body [lit., soul]. From males to females, you (all) will send [them] out. You (all) will send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camps, where I keep on dwelling in their midst.” And so the sons of Israel do [this]; they send them outside the camp. As Y^ehowah said to Moses, so the sons of Israel did. (Kukis mostly literal translation)

Numbers 5:1–4 Jehovah then spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the sons of Israel to cleanse their encampment. Everyone with a skin disorder, who has a discharge, or has touched a dead body must be sent outside of the camp, males and females alike. You will send them outside the encampment, because I live in the midst of you.” Therefore, the sons of Israel did exactly as God said. They sent those groups of people outside their encampment. (Kukis paraphrase)

——————————

The entire passage is vv. 5–10; however, vv. 9–10 are apparently a new topic; and v. 8 is an addition to vv. 5–7 in some individual cases.

Here is how others have translated this passage:

Ancient texts:

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        And so speaks Y^ehowah unto Moses, to say, “Speak unto sons of Israel, ‘A man or a woman that does from all sins of the Adam to transgress a transgression in Y^ehowah and has been guilty a soul, she; and he has confessed their sin which they have done and he has been caused to return his guilt in his head; and his fifth he should add upon him and he has given to that [which] he has been guilty to him.

Dead Sea Scrolls                   .

Jerusalem targum                  .

Targum (Onkelos)                  .

Targum (Pseudo-Jonathan)   .

Aramaic Targum                    .

The Psalms Targum              .

Updated Douay-Rheims         .

Douay-Rheims 1899 (Amer.) And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Say to the children of Israel: When a man or woman shall have committed any of all the sins that men are wont to commit, and by negligence shall have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and offended,

They shall confess their sin, and restore the principal itself, and the fifth part over and above, to him against whom they have sinned.

Aramaic ESV of Peshitta        Mar-Yah spoke to Mosha, saying,

"Speak to the B'nai Yisrael: 'When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Mar-Yah, and that soul is guilty;

then he shall confess his sin which he has done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty.

Original Aramaic Psalms        .

V. Alexander’s Aramaic T.     .

Plain English Aramaic Bible   .

Lamsa’s Peshitta (Syriac)     .

Samaritan Pentateuch           .

Updated Brenton (Greek)       And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Every man or woman who shall commit any sin that is common to man, or if that soul shall have neglected the commandment and transgressed;

that person shall confess the sin which he has committed, and shall make satisfaction for his trespass: he shall pay the principal, and shall add to it the fifth part, and shall make restoration to him against whom he has trespassed.

Significant differences: 

Limited Vocabulary Translations:

Bible in Basic English             And the Lord said to Moses, 

Say to the children of Israel, If a man or a woman does any of the sins of men, going against the word of the Lord, and is in the wrong; 

Let them say openly what they have done; and make payment for the wrong done, with the addition of a fifth part, and give it to him to whom the wrong was done.

Easy English                          .

Easy-to-Read Version–2008  The LORD said to Moses,

"Tell this to the Israelites: You might do something wrong to another person. When you do that, you are really sinning against God. So you are guilty of doing wrong.

You must confess that sin. Then you must fully pay for that wrong thing you did. You must add one-fifth to the payment and give it all to the person you had done wrong to..

God’s Word™                         The LORD said to Moses,

"Tell the Israelites: If you do something wrong to another person, you have been unfaithful to the LORD. When you realize your guilt,

you must confess your sin, pay in full for what you did wrong, add one-fifth to it, and give it to the person who was wronged.

Good News Bible (TEV)         The LORD gave Moses

the following instructions for the people of Israel. When any of you are unfaithful to the LORD and commit a wrong against someone,

you must confess your sin and make full repayment, plus an additional 20 percent, to the person you have wronged.

The Message                         .

Names of God Bible               .

NIRV                                      .

New Simplified Bible              .

Thought-for-thought translations; dynamic translations; paraphrases:

Casual English Bible             .

Contemporary English V.       The LORD told Moses

to say to the community of Israel: If any of you commit a crime against someone, you have sinned against me.

You must confess your guilt and pay the victim in full for whatever damage has been done, plus a fine of twenty percent.

The Living Bible                     .

New Berkeley Version           .

New Life Version                    .

New Living Translation           .

The Passion Translation        .

Unfolding Bible Simplified      Yahweh also told Moses,  

"Tell this to the Israelite people: 'If someone commits a crime against another person, I consider that that person has done wrong to me.  

That person must confess that he or she is guilty, and he or she must pay to the person to whom wrong was done what others consider to be a suitable payment for what he has done, and he must pay an extra 20 percent.

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

American English Bible          .

Beck’s American Translation .

Common English Bible           .

New Advent (Knox) Bible       .

Translation for Translators     .

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Berean Study Bible                .

Christian Standard Bible        .

Conservapedia Translation    .

Revised Ferrar-Fenton Bible  .

God’s Truth (Tyndale)           .

The Heritage Bible                 . treachery

International Standard V        .

H. C. Leupold                         .

Lexham English Bible            .

NIV, ©2011                             .

Unfolding Bible Literal Text    Again Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said, "Speak to the people of Israel. When a man or woman commits any sin such as people do to one another, and is unfaithful to me, that person is guilty. Then he must confess the sin that he has done. He must completely pay back the price of his guilt and add to the price one-fifth more. He must give this to the one he has wronged.

Urim-Thummim Version         YHWH spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the children of Israel, When a man or woman will commit any sin that human beings commit, as an unfaithful act against YHWH, and that person is guilty. Then they will confess their sin that they have done, and he will recompense his trespass with the principal, and add to it the 5th part, and give it to him against whom he has trespassed against.

Wikipedia Bible Project          .

Catholic Bibles (those having the imprimatur):

Christian Community (1988)           Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

“Tell the people of Israel:

If anyone commits a fault against another person, and thus is unfaithful to Yahweh, that person must confess the sin committed and give back in full the amount which was taken plus 20% more. Payment is to be made to the person who was wronged. Lev 5:15

New American Bible (2011)   .

The Catholic Bible                  .

New Jerusalem Bible             .

NRSV (Anglicized Cath. Ed.) .

Revised English Bible–1989   .

Jewish/Hebrew Names Bibles:

Complete Jewish Bible           .

Eth Cepher Bible                    And Yahuah spoke unto Mosheh, saying, Speak unto the children of Yashar’el, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against Yahuah, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he has trespassed.

exeGeses companion Bible   .

Hebraic Roots Bible               .

Kaplan Translation                 .

The Scriptures–2009              And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the children of Yisra’ěl, ‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit in trespass against יהוה, and that being is guilty, then they shall confess their sin which they have done. And he shall restore his guilt in its principal, plus one-fifth of it, and give it to whom he has been guilty.

Tree of Life Version                Adonai spoke to Moses saying, “Say to Bnei-Yisrael: Whenever a man or woman commits any sins against any person, thus breaking faith with Adonai, that soul bears guilt. That person is to confess the sin he has committed, make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it to the one he wronged.

Weird English, Olde English, Anachronistic English Translations:

Alpha & Omega Bible            AND JESUS SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING,

SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, SAYING, EVERY MAN OR WOMAN WHO SHALL COMMIT ANY SIN THAT IS COMMON TO MAN, OR IF THAT SOUL SHALL IN ANYWISE HAVE NEGLECTED THE COMMANDMENT AND TRANSGRESSED;

THAT PERSON SHALL CONFESS THE SIN WHICH HE HAS COMMITTED, AND SHALL MAKE SATISFACTION FOR HIS TRESPASS: HE SHALL PAY THE PRINCIPAL, AND SHALL ADD TO IT THE FIFTH PART, AND SHALL MAKE RESTORATION TO HIM AGAINST WHOM HE HAS TRESPASSED.

Awful Scroll Bible                   Sustains To Become was to speak to Moses, to the intent:

Be speaking to the sons of Contends-with-he-mighty A man or woman that was to miss the mark, even is that human to wrong a wrong against Sustains To Become surely that breather is to have been guilty.

Is he to have confessed the missing of the mark that he is to have made, then he is to have turned back for his offense, from his best, and was to add to it a fifth, and is to have given it to him whom he has trespassed.

Concordant Literal Version    Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In case a man or a woman should commit any of the sins of humanity so as to offend with an offense against Yahweh, and that soul realizes his guilt, then they will confess their sin which they had committed, the sinner will make restoration for his guilt in its full value, and he shall add a fifth of it onto it and give it to him to whom he became guilty.

exeGeses companion Bible   And Yah Veh words to Mosheh, saying,

Word to the sons of Yisra El,

When a man or woman works any sin of humanity

to treason a treason against Yah Veh

and that soul guilts;

and wrings hands for the sin he works,

and he restores for his guilt to the top

and adds the fifth thereto,

and gives it to him against whom he guilted.

Orthodox Jewish Bible           And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

Speak unto the Bnei Yisroel, When a man or woman shall commit any chattot that men commit, l'me'ol ma'al baHashem (thereby trespassing against Hashem), and feels guilty;

Then they shall make vidduy (confession of sin) of their chattot which they have committed; and shall make reparation in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom they hath incurred liability.

Rotherham’s Emphasized B. And Yahweh spake unto Mosesˎ saying:

Speak unto the sons of Israel: <When ||any man or woman|| shall do aught of any humanʹ sin, in acting unfaithfully against Yahweh,—and that person shall become aware of his guilt> then shall they confess their sin which they have done, and he shall make good that wherein he is guiltyˎ in the principal thereof, and <the fifth part thereof> shall he add thereunto,—and give to him against whom he is guilty.

Expanded/Embellished Bibles:

The Amplified Bible                .

The Expanded Bible              .

International Standard V        On Restitution for Offenses

The Lord told Moses, “Instruct the Israelis that whenever a man or woman does something contained in the list [The Heb. lacks something contained in the list] of the sins of man, thereby acting treacherously against the Lord, then that person stands guilty. He [Lit. they] is to confess the sin that he had committed, pay its full compensation, add one fifth to it, and give the compensation to whomever he offended.

Kretzmann’s Commentary    

Lexham English Bible            Rules of Restitution

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

“Speak to the Israelites: [Literally “sons/children of Israel”] ‘When a man or woman commits [Literally “does”] any of the sins of humankind by acting unfaithfully, it is a sin against Yahweh, and that person will be guilty; they will confess their sin that they did and will make restitution for their [Hebrew “his”] guilt by adding a fifth to it [Literally “on top of it”] and giving it to whomever was wronged. [Literally “to whomever he was guilty”]

Syndein/Thieme                     .

The Voice                               .

Bible Translations with Many Footnotes:

The Complete Tanach           .

The Geneva Bible                  .

Kaplan Translation                 Offerings

God spoke to Moses, telling him to

speak [as follows] to the Israelites:

If a man or woman sins against his fellow man, thus being untrue to God, and becoming guilty of a crime,

he must confess the sin that he has committed. He must [then] make restitution of the principle plus a 20% surcharge, and give it to the victim of his crime.

If a man or woman...

See Leviticus 5:21.

he must confess...

This is a commandment to confess a sin to God as part of one's repentance (Yad, Teshuva 1:1; Sefer HaMitzvoth, Positive Commandment 73). See Leviticus 5:5, 26:40.

principle

See Leviticus 5:24.

NET Bible®                             .

New American Bible (2011)   .

New Catholic Bible                 .

Rotherham’s Emphasized B. .

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

A Faithful Version                  .

C. Thomson Updated OT       .

Charles Thomson OT            And when they had done so, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and say, When a man or a woman shall commit any sin incident to man; or by inadvertency overlook or commit a trespass, that person shall confess the sin which he or she hath committed, and make compensation for the trespass. Adding one fifth to the principal, he shall give it to the person against whom the trespass hath been committed.

Context Group Version          And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any disgrace that man commits, so as to trespass against YHWH, and that life shall be declared guilty; then he shall confess his disgrace which he has done: and he shall make restitution for his sentence of guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part, and give it to him against whom he has been wicked.

English Standard Version      .

Green’s Literal Translation    .

Legacy Standard Bible           .

Literal Standard Version        .

Modern English Version         .

Modern Literal Version 2020  And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

Speak to the sons of Israel, When a man or woman will commit any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Jehovah and that soul will be guilty,

then he will confess his sin which he has done. And he will make restitution for his guilt in full and add to it the fifth part of it and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty.

New American Standard B.    .

New European Version          .

New King James Version       .

Niobi Study Bible                   .

Owen's Translation                .

Revised Mechanical Trans.    ...and YHWH spoke to Mosheh saying, speak to the sons of Yisra'eyl, a man or a woman that will do from any of the failures of the human to transgress a transgression in YHWH, then that soul will be guilty, and they will confess their failures that they did, and they will turn back his guilt in his head, and a fifth of him he will add upon him, and he will give it to him he did the guilt,...

Updated Bible Version 2.17   .

A Voice in the Wilderness      . unfaithfulness

Webster’s Bible Translation  .

World English Bible                .

Young's Literal Translation     .

Young’s Updated LT             .

The gist of this passage: 

5-7

Translation: And Y^ehowah spoke to Moses, saying,...

It is possible that God spoke a great many of these things to Moses all at once, and then Moses presents these things in paragraph form (each paragraph being separated by, and Y^ehowah spoke to Moses, saying...). In the alternative, because God knew that there was a great deal of time, would give Moses a paragraph of information and this would be taught that day (or that week) to the congregation of Israel.

Numbers 5:5 And Y^ehowah spoke to Moses, saying,... (Kukis mostly literal translation)

We covered the doctrine of inspiration back in Genesis; however, it does not get much more inspired than this. There are people who try to draw a connection between v. 4 and v. 5 (and between vv. 10 and 11; however, there is no need for such a relation to exist. This are presented as different periods of time when Yahweh spoke to Moses. Therefore, just because they appear in the same chapter, does not mean they hae to be related or connect, nor is there necessarily a natural segue between these three portions of scripture.

Translation: ...“Speak to the sons of Israel:...

Nearly everything that God said to Moses he was to teach to the Israelites.

Translation: ...‘A man or a woman who does from among all sins of mankind, to commit an infraction against Y^ehowah.

The direct vocabulary of God is sometimes more complex than what I am able to deal with without examining it. There are two different words for man here, the first, with woman, is without the definite article and is therefore rendered by some Bibles as a man or a woman; and the second word for man has the definite article and is more of a generic term. Since it is in the singular, I have gone with mankind. This is a sin which was against another person, which is why it is called a sin of mankind. This is followed by the verb and its cognate, acting unfaithfully and unfaithful. This gives great emphasis upon the transgression.

Anyone who commits a sin from among all the sins man can commit, commits a sin specifically against God.

Numbers 5:6a-b ...“Speak to the sons of Israel: ‘A man or a woman who does from among all sins of mankind, to commit an infraction against Y^ehowah. (Kukis mostly literal translation)

The Bible so far has already given us a list of transgressions against God. Now we are going to deal with those who have transgressed against Him.

Translation: And it, [his] soul has been guilty...

This is the only way I came up with to include both the personal pronoun and the subject of the verb. Even the most accurate of the translations appear, at first, to leave out this additional word:

Modern Literal Version 2020  ...and that soul will be guilty,...

English Standard Version      ...and that person realizes his guilt,...

Literal Standard Version        ...and that person [is] guilty,...

However, you will note how they used this as a demonstrative, inserting the word that.