laws of Hamurabi.
The mere threat of the river ordeal was often enough to reveal the truth. an innocent person would have agreed to it readily – knowing that she will survive. a guilty person would rather confess than drown in the river – the penalty that the gods will undoubtedly impose. so the person’s reaction to being sent to the river, was often enough to prove guilt or innocence. they didn’t necessarily had to be subjected to the ordeal.