were pure
of it also, and thence made the laws which concerned others that had the
distemper. He did this for the honor of God. But as to these matters,
let every one consider them after what manner he pleases.

5. As to the women, when they have born a child, Moses forbade them to
come into the temple, or touch the sacrifices, before forty days were
over, supposing it to be a boy; but if she hath born a girl, the law is
that she cannot be admitted before twice that number of days be over.
And when after the before-mentioned time appointed for them, they
perform their sacrifices, the priests distribute them before God.

6. But if any one suspect that his wife has been guilty of adultery, he
was to bring a tenth deal of barley flour; they then cast one handful to
God and gave the rest of it to the priests for food. One of the priests
set the woman at the gates that are turned towards the temple, and took
the veil from her head, and wrote the name of God on parchment, and
enjoined her to swear that she had not at all injured her husband; and
to wish that, if she had violated her chastity, her right thigh might
be put out of joint; that her belly might swell; and that she might die
thus: but that if her husband, by the violence of his affection, and
of the jealousy which arose from it, had been rashly moved to this
suspicion, that she might bear a male child in the tenth month. Now
when these oaths were over, the priest wiped the name of God out of the
parchment, and wrung the water into a vial. He also took some dust out
of the temple, if any happened to be there, and put a little of it into
the vial, and gave it her to drink; whereupon the woman, if she were
unjustly accused, conceived with child, and brought it to perfection in
her womb: but if she had broken her faith of wedlock to her husband,
and had sworn falsely before God, she died in a reproachful manner; her
thigh fell off from her, and her belly swelled with a dropsy. And these
are the ceremonies about sacrifices, and about the purifications thereto
belonging, which Moses provided for his countrymen. He also prescribed
the following laws to them:--

CHAPTER 12. Several Laws.

1. As for adultery, Moses forbade it entirely, as esteeming it a happy
thing that men should be wise in the affairs of wedlock; and that it was
profitable both to cities and families that children should be known to
be genuine. He also abhorred men's lying with their mothers, a