Parashat Naso

Numbers 5

I couldn’t help myself from taking the easy way out this week.

We could start in and begin with the census of the Levites and the delineation of their differing roles. We could do that (and look at the other topics…); and we would probably learn something profound. Actually, it’s the Bible, we would definitely learn something profound… But I just couldn’t help but jump right into the most glaringly difficult passage of the ‘wife suspected of adultery’. It poses so many avenues for enquiry and so many difficult questions.

Numbers 4 NKJV

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. “This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things: When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles. “On the table of showbread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the pitchers for pouring; and the showbread shall be on it. They shall spread over them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. And they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it. Then they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of badger skins, and put it on a carrying beam. “Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. Then they shall take all the utensils of service with which they minister in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of badger skins, and put them on a carrying beam. Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it. They shall put on it all its implements with which they minister there—the firepans, the forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the utensils of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of badger skins, and insert its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. “These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry. “The appointed duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily grain offering, the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, of all that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.” Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; but do this in regard to them, that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them to his service and his task. But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.” Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Also take a census of the sons of Gershon, by their fathers’ house, by their families. From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who enter to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and carrying: They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of meeting with its covering, the covering of badger skins that is on it, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, the screen for the door of the gate of the court, the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and altar, and their cords, all the furnishings for their service and all that is made for these things: so shall they serve. “Aaron and his sons shall assign all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, all their tasks and all their service. And you shall appoint to them all their tasks as their duty. This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting. And their duties shall be under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. “As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families and by their fathers’ house. From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. And this is what they must carry as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, and the pillars around the court with their sockets, pegs, and cords, with all their furnishings and all their service; and you shall assign to each man by name the items he must carry. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting, under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” And Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and by their fathers’ house, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting; and those who were numbered by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. These were the ones who were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses. And those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families and by their fathers’ house, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting—those who were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ house, were two thousand six hundred and thirty. These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord. Those of the families of the sons of Merari who were numbered, by their families, by their fathers’ house, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting—those who were numbered by their families were three thousand two hundred. These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses. All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and by their fathers’ houses, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who came to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tabernacle of meeting—those who were numbered were eight thousand five hundred and eighty. According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

This passage is found in .

It is known as ‘The Sotah’ which also refers specifically to the woman suspected of adultery.

As a quick aside, the word ‘Sotah’ is derived from;

Numbers 5:12 NKJV

“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and behaves unfaithfully toward him,

The word goes ‘goes astray’ is ‘tisteh’ and means ‘to commit adultery’.

It’s root word is ‘sotah’ and means ‘to deviate, to turn aside, to go astray...’. Thus the going ‘astray’ of a wife is the act of adultery.

Focus: Sotah

The Ordeal Itself.

This is a truly fascinating occurence. It remains the only legal code in the Bible where someone’s ‘trial’ and verdict is determined by ‘ordeal’. Judgement is determined by a miracle.

Now as we keep moving through this you’ll hear me continue to refer to the the Sotah as a ‘trial by ordeal’. It’s the only case where you had to go through something, i.e. an ordeal such as the bitter waters etc. which would determine your guilt or innocence. Some disagree with the phrase but it is recognised widespread in Christendom and Judaism that these verses are the Bible’s ‘trial by ordeal’.

The Bible gives us 2 scenarios where a husband can present his wife for the ordeal;

If a woman sleeps with another man and the husband suspects (i.e. has a spirit of jealousy)

The Bible gives us 2 scenarios where a husband can bring his wife forward

If a woman has not committed adultery yet the husband suspects it anyway

Simply put, the initiation of the trial was instigated by the husband who suspected his wife.

Comparing the ordeal to similar cases in the Ancient World does help us to highlight some of the facts with regard to the Sotah.

Trial by ordeal, with regard to adultery, was widespread in the Ancient World. The Sotah is unique in many ways (as we shall see…) but it is hardly a unique phenomenon in many respects.

The Code of Hammurabi (CH) gives us some of the most clear comparisons where a woman could be put through trial by ordeal with respect to adultery. There are 2 criteria in the code;

1.If the husband of a married woman has accused her but she is not caught lying with another man...

2. If a finger has been pointed at the married woman with regard to another man and she is not caught lying with the other man...

Notably, as is the case in other cultures, if any man suspects a woman committing adultery she could be accused and put through ordeal.

This is unlike the Bible which only allows for the husband, who under suspicion of his wife, can present her for the ordeal. Other people can accuse all they want (they probably can’t as that might be slander…), but they cannot put a suspected adulteress through trial. (New Testament alarm bells should be going off…)

The ordeal itself is fascinating.

It consisted of a process where the husband and wife went go the priest;

There is the presentation of the wife which includes having her hair uncovered (an act of shaming/mourning)

Initially it is the husband who brings the grain offering however before the oath it is put in the woman’s hands

The woman is put under oath by the priest

The woman drinks the bitter waters which the priest prepared for her to drink

The grain offering is taken from her and presented to God

Then there is the verdict

The verdict itself is fascinating when compared with the ancient world.

In the Bible the woman is blessed with children if innocent; if guilty, her thigh rots and her belly swells. It’s interpreted that the guilty woman will not conceive children.

Outside of Israel the penalty for the guilty party is death. There are also laws in the ancient world where the woman would not die, however the husband could exact financial restitution from the woman’s family.

That might not sound so profound but the difference lay in the fact that the punishment for adultery in Israel’s case lay with God who determines verdict and restitution. In the ancient world they viewed adultery as a sin against the gods yet it was man who could determine the punishment.

Did This Really Occur?

Why The Ordeal?

Rabbininc restrictions on the ordeal?

Did This Really Occur?

Did this actually happen, or was it some mythical legal thing that never really took place?

Well, we know it was a thing.

The Talmud has this to say;

“[Now] if she said, “I am unclean,” she gives a quittance for her marriage contract [which is not paid over to her], and goes forth [with a writ of divorce]. And if she said, “I am clean,” they bring her up to the eastern gate, which is at the entrance of Nicanor’s Gate. There it is that they force accused wives to drink the bitter water.”

Mishnah, Sotah 1:4, The Mishnah: A New Translation by Jacob Neusner, Yale University Press, pg. 448

It’s in interesting because it indicates that if a woman wanted to admit to adultery, she was then given a writ of divorce. Notably, she was not put to death.

What we learn here though is that there was an actual place in the Temple Grounds (the eastern gate) where this occurence was known to be initiated.

The Talmud actually teaches us a little bit about the ordeal and how it may have been executed in the time of the Second Temple period. My JPS commentary sums up the evidence like this;

The precise architectural details concerning the construction and function of installations in the Temple court for the execution of the ordeal further corroborate the presumption that it had continued to be a living practice. To cite but a few of these details: The officiating priest was chosen by lot (Tosef. Sot. 1:2); he prepared the potion by mixing the holy water from the laver with dust taken from the Temple court, from beneath a slab one cubit square, located at the right of the entrance; the slab was affixed with a ring so that it could be easily lifted (Mish. Sot. 2:2); the verses containing the imprecation were inscribed on a golden tablet hung on the Temple wall so that it was visible from the court (Tosef. Sot. 2:1). Such a tablet was one of the many donations of Queen Helena of Adiabene (Mish. Yoma 3:10). Its purpose was to obviate the need to bring in a Torah scroll in order to copy out the appropriate verses (cf. Rashi on Sot. 37a).

JPS Numbers

Interestingly enough, my JPS commentary continues to say;

Despite the evidence of these facilities and of cases of the ordeal, the many restrictions imposed by the rabbis for its administration render it likely that it was a rare occurrence.

JPS Numbers

What the commentary is referring to, is the fact that the Rabbi’s legislated for the Sotah and created a number of criteria which had to be met in order for a husband to be permitted to present his wife for the ordeal.

The sages required;

That the suspicion of the husband be warranted. There need not be a witness to the act but there had to be witness to the fact that the woman had occasion to commit adultery (i.e. was secluded and alone with another man).

The sages also interpreted the verse ‘he is jealous of his wife’ to mean that he had already expressed his suspicions to his wife and warned her to not go astray with certain men. His suspicions had to be expressed to her with at least 2 witnesses.

Without these criteria being met the husband was not permitted to bring forth his wife for the ordeal. The sages also taught that if a husband had committed adultery himself in secret that the ordeal would be of nil effect.

Christian and Jewish scholars agree, whilst there is evidence of the ordeal, it was likely a rare occurence.

You may have picked up on this difficulty by now, or paradox.

Adultery warrants the death penalty;

Leviticus 20:10 NKJV

‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.

Adultery = Death

Before we elaborate as to why the adulteress, in the case of the ordeal, is not put to death; let’s understand the sin of adultery a little bit more.

It’s a sin that is described by the Hebrew word ‘ma’al’.

We see this here in where it says she has ‘behaved unfaithfully toward him’. The Hebrew here makes use of the word ‘ma’al’ within this phrase.

Ma’al can be understood as meaning ‘to trespass’. Unlike the word for sin though, which can be general, ma’al is used for sins specifically against God.

It’s use in this verse is the only time where it is used outside of referring to sins pertaining directly to the tabernacle (including idolatry) or with regard to sins of an oath (oaths were taken in the name of God…). This teaches, as we already know, that the sin of adultery is in truth a sin against God. No surprises then that the unfaithful wife is frequently used as a typology by the prophets for Israel’s infidelity against God.

Regardless, the question remains. If guilty of the ordeal, why not kill her?

Notably, every other mention of adultery in the Bible includes the Hebrew verb ‘na’af’, which simply means, ‘to commit adultery’.

Adultery = Ma’al

Notably, every other mention of adultery in the Bible includes the Hebrew verb ‘na’af’, which simply means, ‘to commit adultery’.

Leviticus 20:10 NKJV

‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.

Surprisingly, this verb is excluded, intentionally it would seem from the texts of the Sotah. It is clear that the guilty party has committed adultery and yet doesn’t quite say it the same way the other parts of the law do. It creates an intentional separation from the ordeal and the death penalty.

The key to understanding the absence of the death penalty lay in the fact that the woman was not apprehended by man.

My JPS again explains this quite aptly;

That this element (secrecy) is the most significant in her case is shown by the fact that it is cited four times in her indictment, each in a different manner: (1) “unbeknown to her husband”; (2) “she keeps secret” (or “it was done clandestinely”); (3) “without being apprehended”; (4) “and there is no witness against her” (v. 13).

JPS Numbers

This teaches an important principal, especially when it comes to adultery.

The adulterer that is not caught in the act is not subject to a human court. The criminal that does so in secret, and gets away without 2-3 witnesses to the crime, belongs under the jurisdiction of God.

So to summarise these points;

The adulteress act of the Sotah is done so in secret.

The Torah separates this kind of adultery from human courts. This kind of adultery is judged by God himself.

Adultery is ‘ma’al’. It is a sin against God and it punished by God.

This kind of adultery attracts the divine punishment which in this case is not the death penalty.

We will return to this...

John 8 NKJV

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come. Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?” And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

These facts should greatly inform our understanding of all that is wrong with ;

John 7:53–8:11 NKJV

And everyone went to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

There’s so much that can be said about this passage. To keep on point though it’s worth noting;

The woman was not caught in the act

Other man are not able to put forward a woman for trial

Feminists have a field day with the law of the Sotah.

It’s understandable, at face value its denigrating and as men can’t be put to trial it’s a little bit unequal.

Unfortunately, the truth again shows that God is righteous where men are not.

When you work through the laws you come to the following conclusion;

The law for dealing with a woman suspected of adultery ensures her safety as she cannot be killed by mob justice.

The legislation takes the whole case out of human hands and places it in the hand of God.

Jacob Milgrom points out;

‘The right to such a supreme court belongs only to a woman....’

My JPS ends its commentary noting the brilliance of the laws of the Sotah. It says the laws;

‘thereby guarantee that she would not be put to death.’

Is it any wonder why Yeshua then said ‘neither do I condemn you...’. Adulterers, unless put forward within the strict laws required for their conviction, where guaranteed to live (not withstanding punishment mind you if guilty…)

The Innocent is Purified

Absence of Na’af

Human Apprehension

Judgement Belongs To God

John 8 NKJV

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come. Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?” And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

The Legislation Guarantees That She Would Be Free

I mentioned before that the trial by ordeal has its counterparts within the Ancient World. There is ample evidence to suggest that many ancient cultures participated in this practice for this adultery.

I left out the difference in method before when I quote the Code of Hammurabi.

Let’s re read one of my references but with the full quote.

If a finger has been pointed at the married woman with regard to another man and she is not caught lying with the other man, she shall leap into the divine river (or river god) for her husband. (Driver and Miles 1955: 53, 282–285)

In the ancient world they didn’t drink bitter waters, the women were thrown into a river and the gods were left to judge her. Sink and you die guilty. Emerge from the water and live.

Contrast this to Israel’s practice and the ancient world did their trial with a sort ‘guilty’ until proved innocent.

This ordeal, of plunging someone into the river, is the ancient world’s equivalent to the Sotah. Because it was so widespread Israelite’s would have recognised the practice as synonymous with theirs.

Before I make my next point I want to draw your attention to the impurity associated with adultery.

Our chapter says;

(NKJV)

13 and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and it is concealed that she has defiled herself, and there was no witness against her, nor was she caught—

The word for ‘defiled herself’ comes from the word ‘tame’ which means ‘to be unclean’.

This is the same word for ceremonial uncleanliness used throughout the Torah.

Other verses in the Torah make it clear that sexual sin defiles and renders someone impure.

says things like this;

(NKJV)

20 Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her.

(NKJV)

24 ‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.

What we learn is that the impurity associated with sexual sin has to be understood in and of itself. It’s just incredibly fascinating though because if you were ritually impure, you could not go near the Temple as you would be killed. Yet here, at risk the greater impurity, that of sexual immorality, and the Sotah is allowed to enter the Temple.

I’ll stress that. Impurity does not abide in the Temple and yet God, at risk of letting something impure into his Holy dwelling, allows a Sotah, a woman possibly impure, into His court.

That you have someone impure, the immoral sense, in the court of God is an amazing fact. It speaks to God’s unwavering desire for justice and mercy.

The impurity then of the sexual immoral has to be understood in its own light.

During the ordeal the priest makes it clear that if the woman is innocent that she would be rendered ‘clear’. The word for ‘clear’ or in my King James ‘be free from this bitter water’ is the root word ‘naqi’.

Naqi is interesting because it means to be clean but it is often used outside of the ritual purity system of the Temple. It’s a cleanliness that makes someone pure, but is referring to a moral and legal purity beyond ritual uncleanliness.

My point however is that the adulteress;

Is viewed as someone who is impure. That an possibly impure person is allowed to be inside the Temple is an amazing phenomenon

If someone is rendered innocent, it also equates to someone being declared ‘pure’ (even if that goes beyond the ritual sense of the word)

Thus the potentially unclean woman, in the eyes of all, if innocent is declared clean.

Baptism

I said before that the Sotah is the only trial by ordeal in the Bible.

In my opinion, that is actually an incorrect statement. There is one other trial by ordeal that we have all undergone, it is the trial of baptism and what we see in the Sotah greatly informs the ancient perception of baptism and it’s legal weight.

When one goes under the water we’ve learnt it was for judgement. Sink, and you die guilty. Live and be exonerated and be declared pure.

When one undergoes baptism we do so in a state of adultery. We have all sinned and committed harlotry against God. In His mercy, though we come in an impure state, He still receives us.

Under the water He judges us.

Arising from the water He declares you innocent.

With regard to baptism we all know that we are guilty of the sin we stand accused of.

It’s interesting. People often relate the Sotah to the devil, suggesting that he is our accuser and that he in turn will be punished for his accusations against us. That might be true, but in the context of Sotah the Bible is clear that only the Husband can bring forth His bride. So it is with Yeshua who stands with us in the Temple Courts in heaven.

He is the husband, we are the adulteress bride.

He presents us

He is the husband, we are the adulteress bride.

He presents us as Husband.

He brings the sacrifice.

We take the oath;

(The Scriptures)

9 That if you confess with your mouth the Master Yeshua and believe in your heart that Elohim has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

And we undergo the ordeal (baptism).

We emerge innocent and are rendered pure.

But we all know we’re guilty.

God doesn’t make iniquity go away, all things must be accounted for. So who takes the punishment?

Combining the imagery of the Sotah/baptism/trial by ordeal Yeshua answers the question.

(The Scriptures)

22 But Yeshua answering, said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and to be immersed with the immersion that I am immersed with?” ....

The answer is always Yeshua.

At every turn the Torah convicts us and yet at every turn our Messiah is there to offer himself.

JESUS

BAPTISM

Sotah legislation does not allow for random men to accuse her...

Witnesses needed.

PURIFIED.

When you clue into the imagery of the Sotah and the trial by ordeal as baptism you see it in Scripture more than you would realise.

Let’s end with this imagery employed in 2 Samuel and call it here;

(The Scriptures)

5 “For the waves of death surrounded me,

Floods of Beliya‘al made me afraid,

6 “The cords of the grave were all around me;

It is fulfilled in type here as the ordeal given to guarantee freedom for women....

The snares of death were before me.

7 “In my distress I called upon יהוה‎,

And to my Elohim I cried.

And from His Hěḵal He heard my voice,

And my cry was in His ears.

(The Scriptures)

16 “And the channels of the sea were seen,

The foundations of the world were uncovered

At the rebuke of יהוה‎,

At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17 “He sent from above, He took me,

He drew me out of many waters.

18 “He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those hating me,

For they were stronger than I.

19 “They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But יהוה was my support.

An Adulteress is ‘defiled...’

Yet Here She Was In The Tabernacle.

Impurity Cannot Stand In God’s Presence.

a

How’s It Going?

Parashat Naso

Hello Friends!

Sotah

The Ordeal

Adultery = Death

Ma’al

Na’af

Secret

Woman Caught In Adultery ()

The Legislation Guarantees That She Would Be Free

The Water Ordeal

Purity

The Accuser?

Imagery In Bible