Here is an interesting accusation regarding Numbers 5:11-31 that I have seen pop up on the internet several times. “The Bible prescribes abortion if the paternity of an unborn child is in doubt.” As you might guess, nothing could be further from the truth.
If a man suspects that his wife has been unfaithful and has a fit of jealousy, she is brought to a priest who loosens her hair, has her hold a grain offering, and makes her drink a glass of water which has some dust of the temple mixed in it. He warns the woman that if she is guilty, her uterus will drop and her womb will discharge.
1. This is a lie detector test, not a trial by ordeal.
2. Drinking dirty water does not cause an abortion or miscarriage.
3. The threatened consequences probably refer to a prolapsed uterus, not a miscarriage.
4.
The ritual actually protected women from unfounded accusations of infidelity. She knew that if she was innocent, nothing would happen when she drank the water. Only if she were guilty would she possibly break down and admit her sin rather than drink and risk losing her baby.
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