Numbers 5:11-22: a reflection

11The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, 13and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and this is kept concealed, and she is defiled, there is no witness against her, and she isn’t taken in the act; 14and the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife and she is defiled; or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife and she isn’t defiled; 15then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her: one tenth of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory. 16The priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD. 17The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and the priest shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 18The priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and let the hair of the woman’s head go loose, and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal offering of jealousy. The priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that brings a curse. 19The priest shall cause her to take an oath and shall tell the woman, “If no man has lain with you, and if you haven’t gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband’s authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse. 20But if you have gone astray, being under your husband’s authority, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband—” 21then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, “May the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the LORD allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell; 22and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.” The woman shall say, “Amen, Amen.”

Among the laws given to Israel is one dealing with a painful and hidden matter: a husband's suspicion of his wife's unfaithfulness, where there is no witness and nothing can be proven. However strange the ritual it prescribes, its underlying principle is to take a hidden matter, one that no human eye can settle, and place it in the hands of God, who alone sees what is concealed. Where human suspicion could not know the truth, and human judgment could not settle it, the matter was brought before the LORD, entrusted to the God who sees what is hidden. The hidden thing, which no one could prove or disprove, was left to God, who alone knows the secret truth. This points to a deep reality: God sees what is hidden from us, knows the truth we cannot know, and hidden matters can be entrusted to him who alone judges rightly what is concealed. What we cannot see or settle, God sees and settles; hidden things belong to his knowledge.

Notice what this law does with a hidden matter: it entrusts it to God, who alone sees what is concealed. The situation was one no human could resolve, a hidden sin or a groundless suspicion, with no witness, no proof. Rather than leaving it to human suspicion, vigilante action, or endless uncertainty, the matter was brought before God, placed in his hands, entrusted to the one who sees what is hidden. This rests on the truth that God knows what we cannot know; the secret things are open to him. What is hidden from every human eye is not hidden from God; the truth we cannot reach, he knows. This is both sobering and comforting: sobering, because our hidden things are known to God; comforting, because hidden wrongs and hidden truths are not lost or beyond justice, but known to the God who sees and judges rightly. We can entrust to God the hidden matters we cannot resolve ourselves, trusting that he sees and knows. What is concealed from us is open to God, who judges rightly what we cannot even see.

That is worth taking to heart, for God sees what is hidden, and we can entrust to him the concealed matters we cannot resolve. We can be tormented by hidden matters we cannot settle, hidden wrongs, hidden truths, things no human eye can prove or resolve; but God sees what is hidden from us, knows the truth we cannot know, and judges rightly what is concealed. We can entrust such hidden matters to him rather than being consumed by them, trusting that he sees and will judge rightly. Do not be consumed by hidden matters you cannot resolve; entrust them to God, who alone sees and judges rightly what is concealed. Entrust the hidden matters you cannot resolve to God, who alone sees what is concealed and judges rightly, as the law placed a hidden matter that no human eye could settle into the hands of God; for what is hidden from every human eye is not hidden from God, and the truth we cannot reach he knows, so that hidden wrongs and hidden truths are not lost or beyond justice but known to the God who sees and judges rightly what we cannot even see, and we can entrust the concealed things to him rather than being consumed by them.

Lord, among the laws given to Israel is one dealing with a painful and hidden matter: a husband's suspicion of his wife's unfaithfulness, where there is no witness and nothing can be proven. However strange the ritual it prescribes, its underlying principle is to take a hidden matter, one that no human eye can settle, and place it in your hands, for you alone see what is concealed. Where human suspicion could not know the truth, and human judgment could not settle it, the matter was brought before you, entrusted to the God who sees what is hidden. This points to a deep reality: you see what is hidden from us, know the truth we cannot know. Show me what this law does with a hidden matter: it entrusts it to you, who alone see what is concealed. The situation was one no human could resolve, with no witness, no proof. Rather than leaving it to human suspicion or endless uncertainty, the matter was brought before you, placed in your hands. This rests on the truth that you know what we cannot know; the secret things are open to you. What is hidden from every human eye is not hidden from you. This is both sobering and comforting: sobering, because my hidden things are known to you; comforting, because hidden wrongs and truths are not lost or beyond justice, but known to you who see and judge rightly. Take that to my heart, for you see what is hidden, and I can entrust to you the concealed matters I cannot resolve. I can be tormented by hidden matters I cannot settle, things no human eye can prove or resolve; but you see what is hidden from me, know the truth I cannot know. Keep me from being consumed by hidden matters I cannot resolve; help me entrust them to you, Lord, who alone see and judge rightly what is concealed, trusting that you see and will judge rightly.