Water Of Bitterness (or Of Jealousy)
Culture & SocietyWhat is the meaning of Water Of Bitterness (or Of Jealousy) in the Bible?
The water of bitterness, or of jealousy, was a ritual ordeal described in Numbers 5:11-31, where a priest prepared a mixture of holy water and dust from the tabernacle floor, inscribed curses on a scroll, and washed them into the water. The accused woman drank this mixture as a test of her guilt; if she was guilty, the text states the water would cause her belly to swell and thigh to rot, whereas if she was innocent, she would remain unharmed and be able to conceive children.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding this ritual clarifies the ancient Israelite legal framework regarding marital fidelity and the reliance on divine intervention to resolve disputes where human evidence was insufficient, illustrating how religious authority intersected with social regulation in the biblical world.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.