² “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord^(A) by deceiving a neighbor^(B) about something entrusted to them or left in their care^(C) or about something stolen, or if they cheat^(D) their neighbor,

²⁷ If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse.^(A)

¹⁶ “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice^(A) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,^(B) so that a plague^(C) struck the Lord’s people.

⁵¹ This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh^(A) in the Desert of Zin^(B) and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.^(C)

¹⁶ “The whole assembly of the Lord says: ‘How could you break faith^(A) with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the Lord and build yourselves an altar in rebellion^(B) against him now?

² They have taken some of their daughters^(A) as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled^(B) the holy race^(C) with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”^(D)

³ When I heard this, I tore^(E) my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.^{(F) 4} Then everyone who trembled^(G) at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled^(H) until the evening sacrifice.