Verses 18b-22a give the content of an oath from the priest to which the woman must agree. If she has not committed adultery, she will not be cursed and harmed severely. However, if she has done so, the curse will happen. These verses are a third-level quotation. Some languages may prefer indirect discourse here for naturalness.

The priest shall make her take an oath, saying: This rendering suggests that the woman herself will speak the words of the oath and recite some kind of self-curse. However, the Hebrew is literally “And the priest shall make her take an oath, and he shall say to the woman.” So the actual words that follow are spoken by the priest to her. Good News Translation says “Then the priest shall make the woman agree to this oath spoken by the priest.” However, that the woman actually agrees to the oath is not based on the Hebrew at this point. A better model here is “Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her” (New International Version; similarly New Living Translation, NET Bible, Revised English Bible). In some languages, like those of the Bantu family, a causative form of the first verb can be used here by saying “Then he shall cause her to take an oath and say to her.”

If no man has lain with you refers to not having sex with another man. Some sort of euphemism or less direct manner of expression will be needed in most languages in order not to give offence or cause shame when this passage is read publicly. The Hebrew is not as explicit here as in verse 13, where Revised Standard Version has “if a man lies with her carnally” (see the comments there).

And if you have not turned aside to uncleanness: For the Hebrew verb rendered turned aside, see verse 12. The Hebrew noun for uncleanness comes from the same root as the verb rendered “has defiled herself” in verses 13-14 (see the comments there), referring to ceremonial impurity. Good News Translation leaves this important notion implied, but it should be kept explicit.

While you were under your husband’s authority is literally “under your husband,” which means while you were legally married to your husband. Good News Translation omits this phrase since it sounds redundant in English. However, it lays some emphasis on the words of the oath, so it is better to retain this reference to marriage.

Be free from this water of bitterness that brings the curse means the woman will not be harmed by the curse that the bitter water can cause. For this water that brings the curse, see verse 18.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .