The Meaning of Numbers 5:23 Explained

Numbers 5:23

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

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

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Numbers 5:23 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 5

1  The unclean are removed out of camp
5  Restitution is to be made in trespass
11  The trial of jealously

What do the individual words in Numbers 5:23 mean?

And shall write - oaths these the priest in a book and he shall scrape [them] off into water the bitter
וְ֠כָתַב אֶת־ הָאָלֹ֥ת הָאֵ֛לֶּה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּסֵּ֑פֶר וּמָחָ֖ה אֶל־ מֵ֥י הַמָּרִֽים

וְ֠כָתַב  And  shall  write 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָלֹ֥ת  oaths 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אָלָה  
Sense: oath.
הָאֵ֛לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
הַכֹּהֵ֖ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
בַּסֵּ֑פֶר  in  a  book 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
וּמָחָ֖ה  and  he  shall  scrape  [them]  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָחָא 
Sense: to wipe, wipe out.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מֵ֥י  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הַמָּרִֽים  the  bitter 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: מַר 
Sense: bitter, bitterness.