Numbers 5:23

KJV1611 – Modern English

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

• 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.

• 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:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the priest{H3548} shall write{H3789} these curses{H423} in a book,{H5612} and he shall blot{H4229} them out into the water{H4325} of bitterness:{H4751}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the priest{H3548} shall write{H3789}{(H8804)} these curses{H423} in a book{H5612}, and he shall blot{H4229}{(H8804)} them out with the bitter{H4751} water{H4325}:

• 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 And the LORD said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
• Deut 31:19 : 19 Now therefore write this song for you, and teach it to the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
• 2 Chr 34:24 : 24 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants of it, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:
• Job 31:35 : 35 Oh that one would hear me! Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.
• Ps 51:1 : 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
• Ps 51:9 : 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
• Isa 43:25 : 25 I, even 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 blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, like a cloud, your sins: return to me; for I have redeemed you.
• Jer 51:60-64 : 60 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When you come to Babylon, and shall see, and shall read all these words, 62 Then you shall say, O LORD, you have spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate forever. 63 And it shall be, when you have finished reading this book, that you shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates; 64 And you shall say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her; and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
• Acts 3:19 : 19 Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
• 1 Cor 16:21-22 : 21 The greeting is in my own hand—Paul. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Maranatha.
• Rev 20:12 : 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.