The passage you might be referring to is found in Numbers 5:11-31, which describes a ritual for a wife suspected of adultery, known as the Sotah ritual. This text does not explicitly mention an “abortion potion” but rather a process involving a woman who is brought before the priest under suspicion of adultery, which includes drinking a mixture of holy water and dust from the tabernacle floor, along with a written curse that is washed into the water.

The relevant verses, particularly Numbers 5:27-28, state: “When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings a curse will enter her, become bitter, and cause her womb to miscarry, so that her abdomen will swell. If, however, the woman has not defiled herself and is free from impurity, she will be unaffected and able to conceive children.”

The passage is complex and has been the subject of various interpretations over time. It’s crucial to understand that this ritual was part of the law given to the Israelites in a specific historical and cultural context, serving as a judicial procedure in a society without modern means of determining infidelity. The ritual underscores the seriousness with which marital fidelity was regarded in ancient Israelite society, reflecting the broader biblical themes of faithfulness, purity, and the consequences of sin.

The text does not explicitly describe the outcome as an induced abortion in the modern sense of intentionally terminating a pregnancy. The focus is more on the supernatural judgment of God in the context of an accusation of infidelity, where no human witnesses are available to confirm the act. The passage reflects the belief in God’s direct involvement in revealing truth and administering justice.

It is important when interpreting passages like this to consider the broader theological themes of the Bible, including God’s sovereignty, justice, and mercy, and to seek to understand them within their historical, cultural, and literary contexts. The Bible’s primary message centers on the relationship between God and humanity, the problem of sin, and the promise of redemption through Jesus Christ.