^5:29“ ‘This is the law for cases of jealousy,⁵² when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, ^5:30or when jealous feelings come over a man and he becomes suspicious of his wife; then he must have the woman stand before the Lord, and the priest will carry out all this law upon her. ^5:31Then the man will be free from iniquity, but that woman will bear the consequences⁵³ of her iniquity.’ ”⁵⁴

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Footnotes

52 Heb “law of jealousies.”
53 The text does not say what the consequences are. Presumably the punishment would come from God, and not from those administering the test.
54 The word “iniquity” can also mean the guilt for the iniquity as well as the punishment of consequences for the iniquity. These categories of meanings grew up through figurative usage (metonymies). Here the idea is that if she is guilty then she must “bear the consequences.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, or when the spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife. Then he shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall carry out for her all this law. The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“ ‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and makes herself impure while married to her husband, or when feelings of jealousy come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her. The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.’ ”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“This is the law regarding jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority, or when a feeling of jealousy comes over a husband and he becomes jealous of his wife. He is to have the woman stand before the Lord, and the priest will carry out all these instructions for her. The husband will be free of guilt, but that woman will bear her iniquity.”

NLTNew Living Translation

“This is the ritual law for dealing with suspicion. If a woman goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority, or if a man becomes jealous and is suspicious that his wife has been unfaithful, the husband must present his wife before the Lord, and the priest will apply this entire ritual law to her. The husband will be innocent of any guilt in this matter, but his wife will be held accountable for her sin.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“ ‘This is the regulation of jealousy, when a woman has an affair under her husband and she is defiled, or when a spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife, he will present the woman before Yahweh ,and the priest will do to her all of this law. The man will go unpunished from guilt, and the woman, she will bear her guilt.’ ”

KJV 1900King James Version

This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled; Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law. Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.

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