Misapplied Scriptures, Numbers 5:11ff: Abortion?

Introduction: By now we’ve seen a few examples where selected (!) Scriptures are taken out of context and used in ways the writers never intended. There are some people who flat-out either twist or attempt to misapply the Scriptures in a much more devious way. They’ll take or quote a passage that, on the surface, has nothing whatever to do with the narrative being presented, and say something like, “There! See! The Bible proves it!”

Such an outrageous use (misuse, actually) of Scripture, in my opinion, took place a few years ago close to where I live. I’ll try to explain this.

1 The passage used for the argument

This misuse of Scripture took place in a letter to the editor of a certain newspaper, and was published in a Sunday edition letter to the editor column. The author of that letter, of whom I know nothing, made several claims to “prove” the Bible supports abortion.

I don’t remember much of anything else from that letter but I’ve never forgotten how the writer appealed to the last part of Numbers 5 as “proof” that abortion should be legal. Now, I didn’t read much further, as Numbers 5 has nothing whatsoever to do with abortion. I do remember shaking my head at how people will use just about any Scripture to “prove” their point/s. That’s the passage used, or misused, for the argument. Let’s see what the Scriptures really say.

2 The passage and what it was meant to teach

Numbers 5:11-31 is a long passage, omitted here to save space but anyone with Internet access can read it at https://biblehub.com/kjv/numbers/5.htm or any other online Bible website. In the context, the LORD is speaking to Moses about what happens when a wife commits adultery (the act of marriage with anyone besides one's own spouse). Here, she may have thought, “Nobody saw us so it’s all good” or words to that effect, but the LORD saw and sees everything.

But what the wife may not have realized or may have ignored is that her husband may have suspicions about her. The LORD told Moses that a “spirit of jealousy” could come upon the husband. When that happened, he and she, husband and wife, were to go the priest.

The rest of the passage deals with the offerings to be presented and the test to see if the wife was guilty or innocent. The proof would be seen, rather quickly, it seems, and there would be no doubt if she was guilty of adultery or not.

None of this has anything to do with abortion in any way. This was between a man and his wife when he thought she was committing adultery against him. There is no record of this test ever being used—but as the Old Testament shows, there were plenty of chances where it could be used. For one, Hosea’s wife Gomer would have been a “goner” had Hosea done this!

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)