What Does Numbers 5:17 Mean in the King James?

And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

Numbers 5:17 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The accusation becomes material: set-apart water receives dust from the tabernacle floor.

THE MEANING

Set-apart water is carried in an earthen vessel, then mixed with dust from the tabernacle floor. The mixture prepares a test in which the accusation is carried into a woman’s body, with a possible bodily consequence.

THE ROOT

קְדֹשִׁים

qedoshim

GROWS FROM

קדש

q-d-sh

To be set apart or consecrated for sacred use.

The root of “holy” also forms words for holiness and sanctuary, making set-apartness concrete here. The water is designated for sacred use, held in earthenware, and receives dust from the tabernacle itself.

ALSO GROWS

qodesh: Holiness; something set apart as sacred.

קֹדֶשׁ

This noun shares the root in “holy,” linking the water’s designation to the quality of being set apart.

miqdash: Sanctuary; a set-apart place.

מִקְדָּשׁ

The sanctuary is formed from the same root, so the dust added to the water comes from a place whose name carries that same set-apartness.

THE PATTERN

Scripture gives sacred action a material form, carried through water, earth, and vessels into bodily life.

And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

Leviticus 14:5 · KJVWater and an earthen vessel carry a priestly rite through tangible materials.

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

John 9:6 · KJVGround and moisture become clay that touches the body directly.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

2 Corinthians 4:7 · KJVThe image places what is precious inside a fragile, earth-made vessel.

THE THREAD

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis 3:19 · KJV

The Hebrew word ⁨עָפָר⁩ (ʿāfār, dust or soil) names the human’s ground substance here and in Genesis. In Numbers, that same dust is taken from the sanctuary floor and placed in water for an ordeal directed at a woman’s body.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us