complete verse (Numbers 5:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “But if she is innocent and righteous that oath shall not take hold of (her) and she shall get children.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But if that woman had not become unclean, and if [she] is clean, she will be cleared of guilt, and She will be able to give birth to children.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But if she did- not -make- herself -dirty, she will- not -be-harmed/affected, and she can-give-birth.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But if she is innocent/has not committed adultery, her body will not be harmed, and she will still be able to give birth to children.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 5:28

But …: This verse contrasts with the previous one, explaining what will happen to an innocent woman who drinks the bitter water.

If the woman has not defiled herself and is clean: For has not defiled herself, see verse 13. The Hebrew word for clean does not just mean “innocent” (Good News Translation) but ritually clean, that is, “pure” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) as opposed to being polluted or defiled. Good News Translation again leaves out the notion of personal defilement, which if true could have brought pollution upon the whole community of Israel. A person’s individual sins in the camp where the LORD resided could, if not dealt with, bring corporate punishment upon the people. This important principle is reiterated again and again in the judicial texts of the Pentateuch.

Then she shall be free: The Hebrew expression here means the woman will be without guilt and remain unpunished. Good News Translation says “she will not be harmed,” which somewhat misses the point that a judicial case before the LORD is involved here, one that has potentially serious communal implications. New International Version provides a good model here, saying “she will be cleared of guilt.”

And shall conceive children is literally “and she will be seeded with seed,” which is a figurative expression for bearing children. Some receptor languages may prefer a rather literal rendering here, such as “and able to retain seed” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “and able to receive seed,” or even “and able to produce seed.”

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 .