Changes

Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a [[Text:EBD:Man (EBD)|man]] who had illicit intercourse with a [[Text:EBD:Marriage (EBD)|married]] or a [[Text:EBD:Betroth (EBD)|betrothed]] [[Text:EBD:Woman (EBD)|woman]], and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was [[Text:EBD:Fornication (EBD)|fornication]]. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great [[Text:EBD:Sin (EBD)|sin]].

The [[Text:EBD:Moses (EBD)|Mosaic]] [[Text:EBD:Law (EBD)|law]] (Num. 5:11-31) prescribed that the suspected [[Text:EBD:Wife (EBD)|wife]] should be tried by the ordeal of the "[[Text:EBD:Water of jealousy (EBD)|water of jealousy]]." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law. In subsequent times the [[Text:EBD:Rabbi (EBD)|Rabbis]] made various regulations with the view of discovering the guilty party, and of bringing about a [[Text:EBD:Divorce (EBD)|divorce]]. It has been inferred from John 8:1-11 that this sin became very common during the age preceding the destruction of [[Text:EBD:Jerusalem (EBD)|Jerusalem]].

[[Text:EBD:Idolatry (EBD)|Idolatry]], [[Text:EBD:Covetousness (EBD)|covetousness]], and apostasy are spoken of as adultery spiritually (Jer. 3:6, 8, 9; Ezek. 16:32; Hos. 1:2:3; Rev. 2:22). An apostate [[Text:EBD:Church (EBD)|church]] is an adulteress (Isa. 1:21; Ezek. 23:4, 7, 37), and the [[Text:EBD:Jew (EBD)|Jews]] are styled "an adulterous [[Text:EBD:Generation (EBD)|generation]]" (Matt. 12:39). (Comp. Rev. 12.)