4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the Lord spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.

The Law of Recompense

5 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty;

Other Translations of Numbers 5:4-6

New International Version

4 The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

The Law of Recompense

5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 "Say to the Israelites: 'Any man or woman who wrongs another in any wayOr "woman who commits any wrong common to mankind" and so is unfaithful to the Lord is guilty

English Standard Version

4 And the people of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord said to Moses, so the people of Israel did.

The Law of Recompense

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 "Speak to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt,

The Message

4 The People of Israel did this, banning them from the camp. They did exactly what God had commanded through Moses.

The Law of Recompense

5 God spoke to Moses: 6 "Tell the People of Israel, When a man or woman commits any sin, the person has broken trust with God, is guilty,

New King James Version

4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord spoke to Moses, so the children of Israel did.

The Law of Recompense

5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 "Speak to the children of Israel: 'When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit in unfaithfulness against the Lord, and that person is guilty,

New Living Translation

4 So the Israelites did as the Lord had commanded Moses and removed such people from the camp.

The Law of Recompense

5 Then the Lord said to Moses, 6 "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people-men or women-betray the Lord by doing wrong to another person, they are guilty.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 5:4-6

Commentary on Numbers 5:1-10

(Read Numbers 5:1-10)

The camp was to be cleansed. The purity of the church must be kept as carefully as the peace and order of it. Every polluted Israelite must be separated. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable. The greater profession of religion any house or family makes, the more they are obliged to put away iniquity far from them. If a man overreach or defraud his brother in any matter, it is a trespass against the Lord, who strictly charges and commands us to do justly. What is to be done when a man's awakened conscience charges him with guilt of this kind, though done long ago? He must confess his sin, confess it to God, confess it to his neighbour, and take shame to himself; though it go against him to own himself in a lie, yet he must do it. Satisfaction must be made for the offence done to God, as well as for the loss sustained by the neighbour; restitution in that case is not enough without faith and repentance. While that which is wrongly gotten is knowingly kept, the guilt remains on the conscience, and is not done away by sacrifice or offering, prayers or tears; for it is the same act of sin persisted in. This is the doctrine of right reason, and of the word of God. It detects hypocrites, and directs the tender conscience to proper conduct, which, springing from faith in Christ, will make way for inward peace.