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Numbers Chapter
Five
Numbers 5
Chapter Contents
The unclean to be removed out of the camp, Restitution to
be made for trespasses. (1-10) The trial of jealousy. (11-31)
Commentary on Numbers 5:1-10
The camp was to be cleansed. The purity of the church
must be kept as carefully as the peace and order of it. Every polluted
Israelite must be separated. The wisdom from above is first pure, then
peaceable. The greater profession of religion any house or family makes, the
more they are obliged to put away iniquity far from them. If a man overreach or
defraud his brother in any matter, it is a trespass against the Lord, who strictly
charges and commands us to do justly. What is to be done when a man's awakened
conscience charges him with guilt of this kind, though done long ago? He must
confess his sin, confess it to God, confess it to his neighbour, and take shame
to himself; though it go against him to own himself in a lie, yet he must do
it. Satisfaction must be made for the offence done to God, as well as for the
loss sustained by the neighbour; restitution in that case is not enough without
faith and repentance. While that which is wrongly gotten is knowingly kept, the
guilt remains on the conscience, and is not done away by sacrifice or offering,
prayers or tears; for it is the same act of sin persisted in. This is the
doctrine of right reason, and of the word of God. It detects hypocrites, and
directs the tender conscience to proper conduct, which, springing from faith in
Christ, will make way for inward peace.
Commentary on Numbers 5:11-31
This law would make the women of Israel watch against
giving cause for suspicion. On the other hand, it would hinder the cruel
treatment such suspicions might occasion. It would also hinder the guilty from
escaping, and the innocent from coming under just suspicion. When no proof
could be brought, the wife was called on to make this solemn appeal to a
heart-searching God. No woman, if she were guilty, could say "Amen"
to the adjuration, and drink the water after it, unless she disbelieved the
truth of God, or defied his justice. The water is called the bitter water,
because it caused the curse. Thus sin is called an evil and a bitter thing. Let
all that meddle with forbidden pleasures, know that they will be bitterness in
the latter end. From the whole learn, 1. Secret sins are known to God, and
sometimes are strangely brought to light in this life; and that there is a day
coming when God will, by Christ, judge the secrets of men according to the
gospel, Romans 2:16. 2 In particular, Whoremongers and
adulterers God will surely judge. Though we have not now the waters of
jealousy, yet we have God's word, which ought to be as great a terror. Sensual
lusts will end in bitterness. 3. God will manifest the innocency of the
innocent. The same providence is for good to some, and for hurt to others. And
it will answer the purposes which God intends.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on
Numbers》
Numbers 5
Verse 3
[3] 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.
That they defile not the camp — By which God would intimate the danger of being made guilty by other
mens sins, and the duty of avoiding intimate converse with wicked men.
I dwell — By
my special and gracious presence.
Verse 6
[6] Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any
sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be
guilty;
Any sin that men commit — Heb. any sins of men, that is, sins against men, as deceits or wrongs,
whereby other men are injured, of which he manifestly speaks.
Against the Lord —
Which words may be added, to shew that such injuries done to men are also sins
against God, who hath commanded justice to men, as well as religion to himself.
Guilty —
That is, shall be sensible of his guilt, convicted in his conscience.
Verse 7
[7] 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 hath trespassed.
They shall confess their sin — They shall not continue in the denial of the fact, but give glory to
God, and take shame to themselves by acknowledging it.
The principal —
That is, the thing he took away, or what is equivalent to it.
And add —
Both as a compensation to the injured person for the want of his goods so long,
and as a penalty upon the injurious dealer, to discourage others from such
attempts.
Verse 8
[8] But
if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be
recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement,
whereby an atonement shall be made for him.
No kinsman —
This supposes the person injured to be dead or gone, into some unknown place,
and the person injured to be known to the injurer.
To the priest —
Whom God appointed as his deputy to receive his dues, and take them to his own
use, that so he might more chearfully and entirely devote himself to the
ministration of holy things. This is an additional explication to that law, Leviticus 6:2, and for the sake thereof it seems
here to be repeated.
Verse 9
[9] And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which
they bring unto the priest, shall be his.
Unto the priest — To
offer by his hands.
Verse 10
[10] And
every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest,
it shall be his.
Every man's hallowed things — Understand this not of the sacrifices, because these were not the
priest's peculiar, but part of them was offered to God, and the remainder was
eaten by the offerer as well as by the priest; but of such other things as were
devoted to God, and could not be offered in sacrifice; as suppose a man
consecrated an house to the Lord, this was to be the priest's.
Verse 12
[12]
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go
aside, and commit a trespass against him,
If a man's wife —
This law was given partly to deter wives from adulterous practices, and partly
to secure wives against the rage of their hard-hearted husbands, who otherwise
might upon mere suspicions destroy them, or at least put them away. There was
not like fear of inconveniences to the husband from the jealousy, of the wife,
who had not that authority and power, and opportunity for the putting away or
killing the husband, as the husband had over the wife.
Go aside —
From the way of religion and justice, and that either in truth, or in her
husband's opinion.
Verse 15
[15] 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.
The man shall bring her to the priest — Who first strove to persuade her to own the truth. If she did, she was
not put to death, (which must have been, if it had been proved against her) but
only was divorced and lost her dowry.
Her offering — By
way of solemn appeal to God, whom hereby she desired to judge between her and
her husband, and by way of atonement to appease God, who had for her sins
stirred up her husband against her.
He shall pour no oil — Both because it was a kind of sin-offering, from which these were
excluded, and because she came thither as a delinquent, or suspected of
delinquency, unpleasing both to God and men; as one that wanted that grace and
amiableness and joy which oil signified, and that acceptance with God which
frankincense denoted, Psalms 141:2.
Bringing iniquity to remembrance — Both to God before whom she appeared as a sinner, and to her own
conscience, if she was guilty; and, if she were not guilty of this, yet it
reminded her of her other sins, for which this might be a punishment.
Verse 16
[16] And
the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD:
Before the Lord —
That is, before the sanctuary where the ark was.
Verse 17
[17] And
the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is
in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the
water:
Holy water —
Water of purification appointed for such uses. This was used, that if she were
guilty, she might be afraid to add profaneness to her other crime.
An earthen vessel —
Because, after this use, it was to be broken in pieces, that the remembrance of
it might be blotted out as far as was possible.
Dust — An
emblem of vileness and misery.
From the floor of the tabernacle — Which made it holy dust, and struck the greater terror into the woman,
if she were guilty.
Verse 18
[18] And
the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head,
and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering:
and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
Before the Lord —
Before the tabernacle with her face towards the ark.
Uncover her head —
Partly that she might be made sensible how manifest she and all her ways were
to God; partly in token of her sorrow for her sin, or at least for any cause of
suspicion which she had given.
In her hands —
That she herself might offer it, and thereby call God to be witness of her
innocency.
Bitter — So
called either from the bitter taste which the dust gave it, or from the bitter
effects of it upon her, if she were guilty.
That causeth the curse — Not by any natural power, but by a supernatural efficacy.
Verse 19
[19] And
the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have
lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another
instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the
curse:
By an oath — To
answer truly to his question, or to declare whether she be guilty or no, and
after such oath shall say as follows.
Verse 21
[21] Then
the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall
say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people,
when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;
An oath —
That is, a form of cursing, that when they would curse a person, they may wish
that they may be as miserable as thou wast.
Thy thigh — A
modest expression, used both in scripture, as Genesis 46:26, Exodus 1:5, and other authors.
To rot —
Heb. to fall, that is, to die or waste away.
To swell —
Suddenly and violently till it burst, which the Jews note was frequent in this
case. And it was a clear evidence of the truth of their religion.
Verse 22
[22] And
this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly
to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
Amen, amen —
That is, so let it be if I be guilty. The word is doubled by her as an evidence
of her innocency, and ardent desire that God would deal with her according to
her desert.
Verse 23
[23] And
the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with
the bitter water:
In a book —
That is, in a scroll of parchment, which the Hebrews commonly call a book.
Blot them out — Or
scrape them out and cast them into the bitter water. Whereby it was signified,
that if she was innocent, the curses should be blotted out and come to nothing;
and, if she were guilty, she should find in her the effects of this water which
she drank, after the words of this curse had been scraped and put in.
Verse 24
[24] And
he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and
the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
To drink —
That is, after the jealousy-offering was offered.
Verse 28
[28] And
if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall
conceive seed.
Conceive seed —
That is, shall bring forth children, as the Jews say, in case of her innocency,
she infallibly did, yea though she was barren before.
Verse 31
[31] Then
shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her
iniquity.
Guiltless —
Which he should not have been, if he had either indulged her in so great a
wickedness, and not endeavoured to bring her to repentance or punishment, or
cherished suspicions in his breast, and thereupon proceeded to hate her or cast
her off. Whereas now, whatsoever the consequence is, the husband shall not be
censured for bringing such curses upon her, or for defaming her, if she appear to
be innocent.
Her iniquity —
That is, the punishment of her iniquity, whether she was false to her husband,
or by any light carriage gave him occasion to suspect her.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Numbers》
05 Chapter 5
Verse 2-3
Put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue,
and whosoever is defiled by the dead.
.
Where God dwells there must be purity:
I. God himself is
pure, and cannot associate with the impure. If discipline is lax, God departs.
It is not the large church, or the intelligent or the wealthy one, that
attracts Him, but the pure one. As the lightning passes by the polished marble
and the carved wood to touch the iron or steel, because there it finds
something akin to itself, so God passes by those to dwell with the pure,
because in them He finds a character akin to His own.
II. God will not,
because he cannot, do any good to the impure. Any one tolerating sin would not
appreciate the design of God and accept His blessing; and where He cannot
bless, He will not come to dwell. Let us then “put out of the camp every
leper,” everything that defileth; for the presence of God in our midst is of
the utmost importance to us as His Church and people. His presence is
essential.
1. To our comfort as Churches and Christians. What the shining sun is
in nature His presence is with us--our brightness, our joy, &c.
2. To our prosperity. God with His Church has been in all ages the
secret of its power and success. His presence is the life of the ministry and
of all Christian work (D. Lloyd.)
The exclusion of the unclean:
I. As a sanitary
measure.
1. The universal application of the rule.
2. The sacred reason by which it was enforced. Impurity separates
from God.
II. As a spiritual
parable.
1. Sin is a defiling thing.
2. Sin is a deadly thing.
3. Sin is a separating thing.
Where sin is cherished God will not dwell.
(a) Because of their corrupt influence (1 Corinthians 5:6-13).
(b) Because of the dishonour to God which their presence in the Church
involves.
Conclusion:
1. He who demands this purity has provided the means whereby we may
attain unto it. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
2. Let us diligently use the means which He has provided. “Wash you,
make you clean,” &c. (W. Jones.)
In the midst whereof I
dwell--
God ever present with His people
This teaches us that God is evermore present with His people. This
appeareth in the example of Joseph (Genesis 39:21; Genesis 39:23). I will propound a few
reasons.
1. He will save those that are His. His presence is not a vain
presence, neither is He an idle beholder of things that are done; but His
presence is to prosper and to save (Jeremiah 30:11). We must not therefore
dream of a presence that effecteth nothing, but rather willeth His people
oftentimes to stand still, while He worketh all in all.
2. They have good success in their lawful labours, so that He maketh
the works of their hands prosperous.
Uses:
1. For the increase of a sound faith in God. He leaveth them not to
themselves; He with-draweth not His strength from them; He delivereth them not
to the lust and pleasure of their enemies. This is it which He telleth Joshua
after the death of Moses (Judges 1:5).
2. This teacheth us this good duty, that we take heed we do not
defile ourselves with the pollutions of sin. For how shall we dare to commit
sin that is so highly displeasing in His sight, forasmuch as He is with us to
behold us and all our actions? (W. Attersoll.)
God dwelling with His people:
I. God is present
with his people.
1. Influentially (Psalms 139:1; Psalms 139:10).
2. Sympathetically (Genesis 28:16-17; John 14:16-26; 1 John 1:3).
II. God is present
in the midst of his people.
1. As to the centre of union.
2. As the source of blessing. Life, light, power, beauty, &c.
III. God’s presence
in the midst of his people should exert a great and blessed influence upon
them.
1. A restraint from sin.
2. An incentive to holiness.
3. An encouragement to duty.
4. An assurance of support in the toils and trials of life.
5. An assurance of victory in the conflicts of life.
6. An assurance of perfect salvation. (W. Jones.)
The presence of God among His people demands holiness on their
part
Redemption was the basis of God’s dwelling in the midst of His
people. But we must remember that discipline was essential to His continuance
amongst them. He could not dwell where evil was deliberately sanctioned. It
may, however, be said, in reply, “Does not God the Holy Ghost dwell in the
individual believer, and yet there is much evil in him?” True, the Holy Ghost
dwells in the believer, on the ground of accomplished redemption. He is there,
not as the sanction of what is of nature, but as the seal of what is of Christ;
and His presence and fellowship are enjoyed just in proportion as the evil in
us is habitually judged. So also in reference to the assembly. No doubt, there
is evil there--evil in each individual member, and therefore evil in the body
corporate. But it must be judged; and, if judged, it is not allowed to act, it
is rendered null. We are not to judge motives, but we are to judge ways. The
very moment a man enters the assembly, he takes his place in that sphere where
discipline is exercised upon ever, thing contrary to the holiness of the One
who dwells there. And let not the reader suppose, for a moment, that the unity
of the body is touched when the discipline of the house is maintained. We
frequently hear it said of those who rightly seek to maintain the discipline of
the house of God, that they are rending the body of Christ. There could hardly
be a greater mistake. The fact is, the former is our bounden duty; the latter,
an utter impossibility. The discipline of God’s house must be carried out; but
the unity of Christ’s body can never be dissolved. And why, we may ask, was
this separation demanded? Was it to uphold the reputation or respectability of
the people? Nothing of the sort. What then? “That they defile not their camps
in the midst whereof I dwell.” And so is it now. We do not judge and put away bad
doctrine, in order to maintain our orthodoxy; neither do we judge and put away
moral evil, in order to maintain our reputation and respectability. The only
ground of judgment and putting away is this, “Holiness becometh Thine house, O
Lord, forever.” God dwells in the midst of His people. (C. H. Mackintosh.)
No Church ought to tolerate open offenders:
No Church ought to tolerate any filthy livers, or unclean
persons, or notorious offenders among them (Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; Ephesians 5:3-5). This truth may be
further strengthened by many reasons.
1. For it is a comely thing for the saints of God to do so: that as
they differ from heathen men, so they may differ from heathen meetings. Moses
teacheth that they ought to put out evil from them, because they are an holy
people (Deuteronomy 23:14).
2. For the neglect of this duty, the wrath of God falleth upon the
sons of men. He is the God of order, and requireth that all things in the
Church be done in order. Hence it is that the apostle saith (Colossians 3:6). And we have sundry
examples of this in the people of Israel, who were diversely destroyed because
of their sins (1 Corinthians 10:5).
3. We showed before that they were as unclean beasts, and should not
be admitted to the fellowship of Christ’s sheep which are clean, lest they
defile them through their contagion, and tread down with their feet the residue
of their pastures. The apostle saith (1 Corinthians 5:6). Sin therefore
being infectious, the sinner is not to be tolerated in the assembly of the
righteous.
Uses:
1. It should minister great matter of much sorrow to every society of Christian
men and women, when any of the congregation grow to be thus profane and defiled
with the contagion of sin. Is it not a great grief to have any one member of
the body cut off? This the apostle teacheth (1 Corinthians 5:2.)
2. It is a cause of great mercy and of a wonderful blessing from God,
when such as transgress are resisted and punished. So long as sin is suffered,
God is offended, and His wrath is extended over those places and persons. He
hath a controversy against those that sin against Him.
3. Every congregation is bound to purge their own body from such
excrements and filthiness as annoy it. We must have herein true zeal and godly
courage in the cause of God and His truth. We must not stand in fear of the
faces of men, though they be never so great and mighty. The censures of the
Church must not be like the spider’s web, which catcheth flies and gnats,
whereas the bigger creatures break from it. This reproveth such as dare not
deal with great men, rich men, and mighty men: they are afraid to touch them
lest they purchase their displeasure.
4. Is no Church to tolerate any open offenders among them? Then they
must use the censure of excommunication as an ordinance of God, not an
invention of men; and not only know the nature and use of it, but practise it
to the glory of God, and to the good of others. This is it which our Saviour
Christ hath left and commanded to be executed among us (Matthew 18:17). (W. Attersoll.)
Verses 6-10
Recompense his trespass.
The law as to fraud
1. He must confess his sin, and crave pardon from the bottom of his
heart; he must submit himself unto God, knowing that he can by no means hide
his sin, nor by any colour keep it from the sight of God.
2. We must make satisfaction to Him whom we have wronged. It is not
enough to make open confession unto God, unless also we make actual restitution
unto men. This is done to discourage injurious persons. For if they should only
restore the principal, they know, if their offences were found out, they should
be no losers.
3. He must seek reconciliation and atonement with God, by offering up
of a ram in sacrifice, which figured out the suffering of Christ, and offering
up of Himself once upon the Cross, for the discharge of our sin, and appeasing
of the wrath of His Father. It shall profit us nothing to be at peace with men,
except we be at peace with our God. This the enacting of the Law: an exception
is annexed by way of prevention. For the offender that hath trespassed against
his neighbour might object and say, How can I restore that I have taken? It may
be the party is dead; it may be he hath neither son nor daughter nor kinsman:
may I not then lawfully conceal it, and justly retain it unto myself? I answer,
nay; the Lord answereth, Thou shalt by no means detain the goods that are not
thine own, if thou look for any good at My hand. If the owner be dead or
unknown, and he have none of his kindred and alliance living to be his heir, it
shall not be thine, it is the Lord’s, and He giveth it unto the priest for a
recompense of his labours in the tabernacle. God is the Lord of the soil; He
challengeth it at His own, and He disposeth it at His own pleasure. (W.
Attersoll.)
Fraud and forgiveness:
I. The sin of fraud.
1. As assuming many forms.
And in our own age fraud assumes many forms, and is widely
prevalent. The employer who does not pay just wages to those in his service is
guilty of it (Proverbs 22:16; Isaiah 3:14-15; Colossians 4:1; Isaiah 5:4). So also is the servant or
workman who squanders the time for which his employer pays him; in so doing he
defrauds his employer. The trader who takes an unfair advantage of his
customer, which he calls by some special name, e.g., “practice of the
trade,” &c.; the broker or speculator or manager who induces persons to
invest their money in unreliable enterprises; the person who contracts a debt
without the sincere intention and reasonable prospect of paying it--all these,
and others, are guilty of fraud.
2. As a wrong done to God.
II. The conditions
of its forgiveness.
1. Consciousness of guilt. “The expression, ‘that person be guilty,’
does not merely refer to his actual criminality; but to his consciousness of
guilt respecting it: for this case must be distinguished from that of a person
detected in dishonesty which he attempted to conceal.” Without the
consciousness of guilt the other conditions of forgiveness could not be truly
complied with.
2. Confession. “Then they shall confess their sin which they have
done.” This is an essential condition of forgiveness (Psalms 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9). In itself it relieves
the burdened soul, and leads to the joy and peace of forgiveness.
3. Restitution is essential to remission of sin; for where
restitution is not made it is evident that sincere repentance is absent (Ezekiel 18:7; Ezekiel 18:9; Ezekiel 18:12-13; Ezekiel 33:15).
4. Sacrifice. In addition to making restitution the offender was
commanded to offer “the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be
made for him.”
Conclusion:
1. Let those who have injured others make speedy and full confession
and restitution.
2. Let us all cultivate the most thorough integrity and uprightness
in our whole life and conduct. (W. Jones.)
Restitution:
When Mr. Moody was once speaking upon prayer, an incident occurred
illustrating his subject, which made a profound impression, and came home to
every one. He said true prayer consisted of ten elements--Adoration,
Confession, Restitution, Thanksgiving, Unity, or Brotherly Love, the Spirit of
Forgiveness, Faith, Ask (with a beggar’s importunity, a servant’s docility, and
a friend’s confidence), Perseverance, and last, Submission. When he came to the
third element, Restitution, a man rose in the audience and cried out: “Mr.
Moody, let me cut in here. I went to Texas five years ago, having cheated my
creditors of 15,000 dollars. My wife and I thought we were real smart. We
settled in one of the cities, bought a nice house and furnished it tip top;
grand piano, Brussels carpets, and my wife thought no end of the lace curtains.
But we had hardly got settled down when Mr. Moody came along, and, like others,
we followed the crowd of ‘professors’ and church members. He preached the same
sermon we have so far heard to-night. The Spirit of God convicted me and my
wife both of sin, on this head of Restitution, and we went home perfectly
miserable. I said, ‘Loo, what are we to do?’ ‘Do!’ says she; ‘you know what to
do without asking me; repay everybody to the last cent.’ No sooner said than
done; the house was sold and an auction called right away; and, oh, the joy
I had in handing up the silverware and the china. The piano and all went, but
my wife was so happy at parting with the lace curtains it was really curious.
Then we took two little rooms, a bedroom and a kitchen, and the only table we
had was the one we had used in the kitchen for chopping meat on; but the Lord
filled us with Himself, and we had peace and joy, because we had pardon and a clean
conscience. The dear Lord has blessed me far above my desert and beyond what
the devil led me to steal, and we have come to Northfield to praise the Lord,
and carry back with us to Texas a fresh baptism of the blessed power which set
us free five years ago.”
Verses 11-31
If any man’s wife go aside.
The trial of the suspected wife
I. Confidence in
conjugal relations is of great importance. “Suspicion,” says Bp. Babington, “is the
cut-throat and poison of all love and friendship.” And in proportion to the
intensity of the love will be the anguish of suspicion in respect to the object
of the love.
II. Adultery is a
sin of the greatest enormity. This dreadful ordeal, which was intended to
prevent it, shows how great was its heinousness in the Divine estimation. This
is expressed--
1. In the abasement of the suspected woman. The “barley meal,” of
which the offering was composed, the “earthern vessel” which contained the
water, and “the dust” that was put into the water, indicate a state of deep
humiliation and disgrace. The absence from the offering of oil, the symbol of
the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, and of frankincense, the symbol of
prayer, also proclaimed her questionable repute and the suspicion with which
she was regarded. In like manner the “uncovering of the woman’s head” was
indicative of the loss of woman’s best ornament, chastity and fidelity in the
marriage relation.
2. In the terrible punishment which came upon the guilty. This ordeal
was made so terrible that the dread of it might effectually prevent the wives
in Israel from the least violation of their fidelity to their husbands. It
remains as an impressive proclamation of the utter abhorrence with which God
regards the sin of adultery. It is a sin against God; it inflicts the most
intolerable injury upon the husband; it is an unmitigated blight upon the
family; and it is a wrong to society generally. The most terrible condemnations
are pronounced upon it in the Sacred Word (Leviticus 20:10; Malachi 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Hebrews 13:4).
III. The punishment
of sin is closely related to the sin itself. The punishment came in those
portions of her body which she had abused.
IV. God will bring
to light the secret sins of men. If the suspected woman were guilty, after this
ordeal her guilt would be made manifest. All sins are known unto Him.
V. God will
assuredly vindicate the innocent who have suffered from suspicion and slander.
In this case the vindication was most complete. “If the woman be not defiled,
but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.” “If not guilty
after such a trial,” says Adam Clarke, “she had great honour; and, according to the rabbins, became
strong, healthy, and fruitful; for if she was before barren, she now began to
bear children; if before she had only daughters, she now began to have sons; if
before she had hard travail, she now had easy; in a word, she was blessed in
her body, her soul, and her substance.” Thus to the innocent there was no
terror in this stern ordeal. It was rather a blessing to them, if by any means
they had come to be regarded with suspicion by their husbands; for by means of
it such suspicions would be removed, and their fidelity and honour vindicated
and exalted. And God will, sooner or later, splendidly vindicate all who suffer
from misrepresentation, slander, or false accusation. (W. Jones.)
Innocence mysteriously declared
Aunt C. Fox told us of an American friend who once felt a concern
to go somewhere, he knew not where. He ordered his gig, his servant asking
where he was to drive. “Up and down the road,” said his master. At last they
met a funeral. “Follow this funeral.” said the master. They followed in the
procession till they came to the churchyard. Whilst the service was being
performed the friend sat in his gig; at its conclusion he walked to the grave,
and said solemnly, “The person now buried is innocent of the crime laid to her
charge.” An elderly gentleman in deep mourning came up to him in great
agitation, and said, “Sir, what you have said has surprised me very much.” “I
can’t help it, I can’t help it,” replied the other; “I only said what I was
obliged to say.” “Well,” said the mourner, “the person just buried is my wife,
who for some years has lain under the suspicion of infidelity to me. No one
else knew of it, and on her death-bed she again protested her innocence, and
said that if I would not believe her then, a witness to it would be raised up
even at her grave-side.” (Caroline’s Fox’s Journal.)
Innocence strangely declared:
It is recorded in history that a beautiful maiden, named Blanche,
the serf of an ancient nobleman, was wooed by her master’s son. Not admiring
his character, she scorned his suit. Upon this, his course of love turned to
bitter hatred. Just then a precious string of pearls confided to the maiden’s
care was lost. Her pseudolover charged her with the theft, and, in accordance
with the customs of that rude age, she was doomed to die. On the day of the
execution, as the innocent girl knelt to offer her dying prayer, a flash of
lightning struck a statue of Justice, which adorned the market-place, to the
dust. From a scattered bird’s nest, built in a crevice of the image, dropped the
lost pearls--thus declaring her innocence. In a moment the exultant crowd
rushed to the scaffold, demanding her release. There she knelt beside the
block, pale and beautiful, and with a smile of peace upon her lips. They
spoke--she answered not. They touched her--she was dead! To preserve her
memory, they raised a statue there; and to this day, when men gaze upon her
image, they condemn her oppressor; they praise her for the purity of her
character; they recognise the justice of Him whose lightnings testified to her
innocence. (W. Smith.)
A fallacious test of innocence:
Man frequently satisfies himself that he has come to an accurate
conclusion merely because, on the application of what he considers an
infallible test, he discovers a particular anticipated result. Often enough the
test is utterly fallacious. Take an example. The tanghin, or tanguen, is the
only plant of its genus, and is confined to Madagascar. Its poisonous seed is
esteemed by the natives an infallible criterion of guilt or innocence. After
being pounded, a small piece is swallowed by the supposed criminal. If he be
cursed with a strong stomach, which retains the poison, he speedily dies, and
is held guilty; if his feeble digestion rejects it, he necessarily escapes, and
his innocence is considered proven. Now it is obvious to any educated mind that
innocence and guilt are in no way disclosed by this process. Yet inasmuch as it
has been accepted as a test, its results are unquestioned. And there are
numberless instances in which English society consents to be governed by the
results of tests, simply because those tests are generally accepted. Again and
again it becomes important to inquire whether, supposing your test does
disclose a given result, that test is really as infallible as you deem it to
be? Many will be found to be only “tanghin” tests, and as such utterly
fallacious. (Scientific Illustrations.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》