It ain't an ordeal, it's a curse ritual

Num 5:11–31, the incident of the jealous husband, provides the clearest evidence that Yahweh’s priests administered curses. Although much has been written on this pericope, few have recognized that there is but one procedure recorded here: the issuance of a conditional self curse, an oath. The accompanying ritual is directly related to the oath, which involves nothing other than a liquefaction of the oath’s curses for human consumption. Contrary to popular opinion, it does not describe an ordeal.— Cursed Are You!, pages 395–96