By Dee Gibney, Hamilton
In quoting Numbers 5: 11-31, it is clear that Mr. Essen does not understand the passage because he misquotes it and slants it the way he wants others to understand it and not what the passage is actually saying. He wants others to believe it is about abortion when in fact it deals with the Spirit of Jealousy in marriage and confronting the sin of adultery. It focuses on what should be legally done in a situation where a husband suspects his wife of sexual infidelity and has no witness to prove it. If she is guilty the curse comes upon her; if innocent she will be free to conceive children. The curse has an impact on the women’s innards but without reference to miscarriage. Interpretations make no mention of a child or miscarriage and lends itself to the understanding of barrenness or infertility. The purpose of the ceremony presented in the passage is to reveal whether or not adultery has occurred. The two aspects of the curse literally translate that her innards will swell and that her thigh will fall, which has nothing to do with a miscarriage. In fact, according to Jewish tradition recorded in the Mishnah, a woman who was pregnant or nursing a child was not to undergo the ordeal at all.
So for all those who still believe abortion is ok, the Bible still stands: abortion is still MURDER. Murder is described as premeditation! If you have decided to have an abortion that is MURDER.