Numbers 5:23

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְ֠כָתַב אֶת־הָאָלֹ֥ת הָאֵ֛לֶּה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּסֵּ֑פֶר וּמָחָ֖ה אֶל־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִֽים׃

Transliteration

And wəḵātaḇ ʾet-the-ʾālōt these the-kōhēn in-the-sēper and māḥāh into-mê the-mārîm

Grammar Details

• *wəḵātaḇ*: Qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular with waw conjunctive - and he shall write
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *ʾālōt*: feminine plural with definite article - the curses
• *kōhēn*: masculine singular with definite article - the priest
• *sēper*: masculine singular with definite article - the book/scroll
• *māḥāh*: Qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular with waw conjunctive - and he shall wipe/blot out
• *mê*: masculine plural construct - waters of
• *mārîm*: masculine plural with definite article - the bitter

Word Meanings

• *wəḵātaḇ*: write/record/inscribe
• *ʾālōt*: curses/imprecations
• *kōhēn*: priest/officiant
• *sēper*: book/scroll/document
• *māḥāh*: wipe/blot out/dissolve
• *mê* *mārîm*: bitter water/water of bitterness

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness:

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And the preast shall wrytte this curse in a byll and wasshe it out in the bytter water.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  So the prest shall wryte this curse in a byll, and wash it out with the water,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  After, the Priest shal write these curses in a booke, and shall blot them out with the bitter water,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And let the priest write these curses in a booke, and shall blot them out with the bitter waters:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot [them] out with the bitter water:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  "The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `And the priest hath written these execrations in a book, and hath blotted `them' out with the bitter waters,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness:

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And the priest will put these curses in a book, washing out the writing with the bitter water;

• World English Bible (2000)

  "'The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  “‘Then the priest will write these curses on a scroll and then scrape them off into the bitter water.

Referenced Verses

• Exod 17:14 : 14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it to Joshua: 'I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.'"
• Deut 31:19 : 19 'Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites. Have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against the Israelites.'
• 2 Chr 34:24 : 24 'This is what the LORD says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and its inhabitants, all the curses written in the book that was read in the presence of the king of Judah.
• Job 31:35 : 35 Oh, that someone would hear me! I sign now my defense; let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write out his charges in a book.
• Ps 51:1 : 1 For the choir director: A psalm of David.
• Ps 51:9 : 9 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
• Isa 43:25 : 25 I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
• Isa 44:22 : 22 I have wiped away your transgressions like a thick cloud and your sins like a mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
• Jer 51:60-64 : 60 Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the disaster that would come upon Babylon—all these words that are written against Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, 'When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud.' 62 Then say, 'O Lord, You have said concerning this place that You will cut it off, so that no one will dwell in it—neither man nor beast—but it will lie desolate forever.' 63 When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. 64 Then you shall say, 'This is how Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the disaster I will bring upon her. Her people will grow weary.' This is the end of Jeremiah's words.
• Acts 3:19 : 19 Repent, therefore, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away.
• 1 Cor 16:21-22 : 21 This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let them be accursed. Our Lord, come!
• Rev 20:12 : 12 And I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.