The Bitter Effect of the Water in the Law of Jealousy (Num 5:11–31)

Abstract How do we understand the ingredients of water, dust, and a written curse used to make the “water of bitterness” in Num 5:11–31? Often the bitter potion is seen as part of a magic ordeal which causes a spontaneous abortion if a woman has been unfaithful. However, it has also been contended that the purity thinking in the Pentateuch, rather than magic, explains the potion and its effects. While rejecting a dichotomy between magic and purity, this article argues that it is possible to understand the potion against the background of purity. Purity is here understood within the framework of emotions, in which the (potential) unfaithfulness of the woman is interpreted as impure and disgusting, while the potion is understood as holy and awe-inspiring. Two rituals from Zoroastrianism are discussed to support such an interpretation of the potion and especially the use of dust.