Numbers 5:15

then he is to bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring for her an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He is not to pour oil over it or put frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, an offering of memorial as a reminder of iniquity.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrative issues a procedural command following a husband's suspicion of his wife's unfaithfulness, directing him to present her and a specific offering to the priest.

The words — וְ/הֵבִ֨יא (ve./he.Vi') translates "and he will bring," and אִשְׁתּ/וֹ֮ ('ish.T/o) translates "his wife." These terms establish the husband's active obligation to physically present his wife to the priest for the ritual.

The thread — The stipulation of a tenth of an ephah of flour parallels Leviticus 5:11, while the phrase "reminder of iniquity" appears in Ezekiel 29:16 and 1 Kings 17:18.

Why it lands — The text mandates a specific, unadorned ritual response to marital suspicion, requiring the husband to submit his wife and a plain grain offering to the priest without symbolic additions. It demands acknowledgment that unresolved suspicion requires formal, divinely prescribed examination.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהֵבִ֨יאve./he.Vi'and/ he will bring הָאִ֣ישׁha./'Ishthe/ man אֶת־'et-<obj.>אִשְׁתּוֹ֮'ish.T/owife/ his אֶל־'el-to הַכֹּהֵן֒ha./ko.Henthe/ priest וְהֵבִ֤יאve./he.Vi'and/ he will bring אֶת־'et-<obj.>קָרְבָּנָהּ֙ka.re.ba.Na/hoffering/ her עָלֶ֔יהָ'a.Lei./haon/ her עֲשִׂירִ֥ת'a.si.Rit<the> tenth of הָאֵיפָ֖הha./'ei.Fah<the>/ ephah קֶ֣מַחKe.machflour of שְׂעֹרִ֑יםse.'o.Rimbarley<s>לֹֽא־lo'-not יִצֹ֨קyi.Tzokhe will pour out עָלָ֜יו'a.La/von/ it שֶׁ֗מֶןShe.menoil וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not יִתֵּ֤ןyi.Tenhe will put עָלָיו֙'a.La/von/ it לְבֹנָ֔הle.vo.Nahfrankincense כִּֽי־ki-for מִנְחַ֤תmin.Chat[is] a grain offering of קְנָאֹת֙ke.na.'Otjealousi<es>ה֔וּאHu'it מִנְחַ֥תmin.Chata grain offering of זִכָּר֖וֹןzi.ka.Ronremembrance מַזְכֶּ֥רֶתmaz.Ke.ret[which] brings to remembrance עָוֹֽן׃'a.Voniniquity

King James Version

Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 29:16 Egypt will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity in turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”
Leviticus 5:11 But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.
1 Kings 17:18 “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”
Leviticus 2:1 “When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it,
Hosea 3:2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
Hebrews 10:3 Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,