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Water of Jealousy
(The). If a woman was known to commit
adultery she was to be stoned to death, according to the Mosaic law.
(Deut. xxii. 22.) If, however, the husband had no proof, but only
suspected his wife of infidelity, he might take her before the
Sanhedrim to be examined, and if she denied it, she was given the
“water of jealousy” to drink (Numb. v. 11-29). In this
water some of the dust of the sanctuary was mixed, and the priest said
to the woman, “If thou hast gone aside may Jehovah make this
water bitter to thee, and bring on thee all the curses written in this
law.” The priest then wrote on a roll the curses, blotted the
writing with the water, gave it to the woman, and then handed to her
the “water of jealousy” to drink.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Water of Jealousy from Infoplease:
- Water of Jealousy - Water of Jealousy (The). If a woman was known to commit adultery she was to be stoned to death, ...
- Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: W - Definitions, origins, and illustrative excerpts for words, phases, and literary allusions starting with "W"
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