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What the Bible Says About Infidelity

Overview

The Bible addresses infidelity across 97 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Isaiah, Psalms and Numbers. Closely related themes include Presumption, Blasphemy, Murmuring and Scoffing. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Hezekiah, Moses, Joshua and Caleb.

Key Bible verses about infidelity

Old Testament

Numbers

Numbers 14:27

How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

Numbers 14:28

Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

Numbers 14:29

Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

Numbers 14:30

Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. sware: Heb. lifted up my hand

Numbers 14:31

But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

Numbers 14:32

But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

Numbers 14:33

And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. wander: or, feed

Numbers 14:34

After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. breach: or, altering of my purpose

Numbers 15:30

But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. presumptuously: Heb. with an high hand

Numbers 15:31

Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 32:15

Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?

2 Chronicles 32:16

And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 32:17

He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

2 Chronicles 32:18

Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.

2 Chronicles 32:19

And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.

Job

Job 15:25

For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

Job 15:26

He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

Job 21:14

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

Job 21:15

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

Job 22:13

And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? How: or, What

Job 22:14

Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

Job 34:17

Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? govern: Heb. bind?

Job 34:18

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

Job 34:19

How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

Psalms

Psalms 12:3

The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: proud: Heb. great

Psalms 12:4

Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? are: Heb. are with us

Psalms 78:19

Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? furnish: Heb. order

Psalms 78:20

Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

Psalms 78:21

Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

Psalms 78:22

Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

Psalms 94:7

Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

Psalms 94:8

Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

Psalms 94:9

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

Psalms 106:24

Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: the pleasant: Heb. a land of desire

Psalms 106:25

But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

Psalms 107:11

Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

Psalms 107:12

Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

Isaiah

Isaiah 5:18

Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

Isaiah 5:19

That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

Isaiah 5:24

Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. fire: Heb. tongue of fire

Isaiah 5:25

Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. torn: or, as dung

Isaiah 28:9

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. doctrine: Heb. the hearing?

Isaiah 28:10

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: must be: or, hath been

Isaiah 28:14

Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 28:15

Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

Isaiah 28:17

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

Isaiah 28:18

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. trodden: Heb. a treading down to it

Isaiah 28:19

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. to: or, when he shall make you to understand doctrine

Isaiah 28:20

For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

Isaiah 28:21

For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

Isaiah 28:22

Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

Isaiah 29:15

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

Isaiah 29:16

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

Isaiah 45:9

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Isaiah 45:10

Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

Isaiah 47:10

For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. perverted: or, caused thee to turn away

Isaiah 47:11

Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. from: Heb. the morning thereof put: Heb. expiate

Isaiah 57:4

Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

Isaiah 57:5

Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? with: or, among the oaks

Isaiah 57:6

Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

Isaiah 57:7

Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

Isaiah 57:8

Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it. made: or, hewed it for thyself larger than theirs where: or, thou providedst room

Isaiah 57:9

And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. thou: or, thou respectedst

Isaiah 57:10

Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. life: or, living

Isaiah 57:11

And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

New Testament

Matthew

Matthew 25:24

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

Matthew 25:25

And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

Matthew 25:26

His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Matthew 25:27

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

Matthew 27:39

And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

Matthew 27:40

And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Matthew 27:41

Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

Matthew 27:42

He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Matthew 27:43

He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said I am the Son of God.

Matthew 27:44

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

People in the Bible and infidelity

Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.

In the Bible dictionary

Studying infidelity for yourself

  • Begin with Exodus 14:11, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how Isaiah, Psalms and Numbers each treat the theme.
  • Consider the lives of Hezekiah, Moses and Joshua and how their stories intersect with it.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Presumption, Blasphemy, Murmuring and Scoffing.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about infidelity?

The Bible addresses infidelity across 97 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Isaiah, Psalms and Numbers. Closely related themes include Presumption, Blasphemy, Murmuring and Scoffing. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Hezekiah, Moses, Joshua and Caleb.

How many Bible verses are about infidelity?

The Bible references infidelity in 97 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention infidelity?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Exodus 14:11: “And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?”

Which people in the Bible are associated with infidelity?

Hezekiah, Moses, Joshua, Caleb and Isaac.

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