Numbers 5 in the early church

19 passages quote, allude to, or echo Numbers 5, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 2 · 6 · 7 · 12 · 15 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 27 · 28

Numbers 5:1

Then the LORD said to Moses,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:1–15	Numbers, lines 25–50 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Numbers 5:2

“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:2–3	Against Novatian 2 · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	after 251 (disputed)
Num 5:2–3	On Not Sparing Those Who Sin against God 6 · Lucifer of Cagliari	allusion, low confidence	ca. 356–361

Numbers 5:6

“Tell the Israelites that when a man or woman acts unfaithfully against the LORD by committing any sin against another, that person is guilty
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:6	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:7

and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution, add a fifth to its value, and give all this to the one he has wronged.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:7	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:12

“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that if any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:12	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:15

then he is to bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring for her an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He is not to pour oil over it or put frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, an offering of memorial as a reminder of iniquity.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:15	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 5:15–28	Numbers, lines 51–75 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Numbers 5:17

Then he is to take some holy water in a clay jar and put some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:17	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:18

After the priest has the woman stand before the LORD, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:18	Protevangelium of James 13 · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 150–200
Num 5:18	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:19

And he is to put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:19	Commentary on Matthew, Latin Series 110 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 244–249 (Latin translation, 4th–5th century)
Num 5:19	Against Lying 41 · Augustine of Hippo	echo, low confidence	ca. 420

Numbers 5:21

and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse—‘then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:21	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 5:21	Commentary on Matthew, Latin Series 110 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 244–249 (Latin translation, 4th–5th century)

Numbers 5:22

May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’ Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:22	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:23

And the priest shall write these curses on a scroll and wash them off into the bitter water.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:23	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:27

When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, her thigh will shrivel, and she will become accursed among her people.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:27	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 5:28

But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will be unaffected and able to conceive children.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 5:28	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XVI (on Num 5:5–7; 11–28. 6) · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)