Deuteronomy 24:1

_WHEN A MAN HATH TAKEN A WIFE, AND MARRIED HER, AND IT COME TO PASS THAT SHE FIND NO FAVOUR IN HIS EYES, BECAUSE HE HATH FOUND SOME UNCLEANNESS IN HER: THEN LET HIM WRITE HER A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT, AND GIVE IT IN HER HAND, AND SEND HER OUT OF HIS HOUSE._ It come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes. It appears that the practice of divorces was at this early period very prevalent among the Israelites, who had in all probability become familiar with it in Egypt (Lane), where too great facilities, and that on the most frivolous pretexts, have always existed to the dissolution of the nuptial tie. Parties agree to live together as man and wife for a stipulated period-for a month, for a year, or two years-and then separate in the most friendly manner. The usage being too deep-rooted to be soon or easily abolished, was tolerated by Moses. BECAUSE HE HATH FOUND SOME UNCLEANNESS IN HER, х...

Although what relates to divorce was granted in indulgence to the Jews, yet Christ pronounces that it was never in accordance with the Law, because it is directly repugnant to the first institution of God, from whence a perpetual and inviolable rule is to be sought. It is proverbially said that the laws of nature are indissoluble; and God has declared once for all, that the bond of union between husband and wife is closer than that of parent and child; wherefore, if a son cannot shake off the paternal yoke, no cause can permit the dissolution of the connection which a man has with his wife. Hence it appears how great was the perverseness of that nation, which could not be restrained from dissolving a most sacred and inviolable tie. Meanwhile the Jews improperly concluded from their impunity that that was lawful, which God did not punish because of the hardness of their hearts; whereas th...

1-4 Where the providence of God, or his own wrong choice in marriage, has allotted to a Christian a trial instead of a help meet; he will from his heart prefer bearing the cross, to such relief as tends to sin, confusion, and misery. Divine grace will sanctify this cross, support under it, and teach so to behave, as will gradually render it more tolerable....

CHAPTER XXIV _The case of a divorced wife_, 1-4. _No man shall be obliged to undertake any public service for the_ _first year of his marriage_, 5. _The mill-stones shall not be taken as a pledge_, 6. _The man-stealer shall be put to death_, 7. _Concerning cases of leprosy_, 8, 9. _Of receiving pledges, and returning those of the poor before_ _bed-time_, 10-13. _Of servants and their hire_, 14,15. _Parents and children shall not be put to death for each other_, 16....

In this and the next chapter certain particular rights and duties, domestic, social, and civil, are treated. The cases brought forward have often no definite connection, and seem selected in order to illustrate the application of the great principles of the Law in certain important events and circumstances. These four verses contain only one sentence, and should be rendered thus: If a man hath taken a wife, etc., and given her a bill of divorcement and Deuteronomy 24:2 if she has departed out of his house and become another man’s wife; and Deuteronomy 24:3 if the latter husband hates her, then Deuteronomy 24:4 her former husband, etc....

EXPOSITION LAWS RESPECTING DIVORCE, AGAINST MAN-STEALING AND INJUSTICE. DEUTERONOMY 24:1 _Of divorce_._ _If a man put away his wife because she did not any longer please him, and she became the wife of another man, by whom also she was put away, or from whom she was severed by his death, the first husband might not remarry her, for that would be an abomination in the eyes of the Lord, and would bring sin on the land. This is not a law sanctioning or regulating divorce; that is simply assumed as what might occur, and what is here regulated is the treatment by the first husband of a woman who has been divorced a second time....

WHEN A MAN HATH TAKEN A WIFE AND MARRIED HER,.... That is, when a man has made choice of a woman for his wife, and has obtained her consent, and the consent of her parents; and has not only betrothed her, but taken her home, and consummated the marriage: AND IT COME TO PASS THAT SHE FIND NO FAVOUR IN HIS EYES; is not agreeable to him, he takes no delight in her person, nor pleasure in her company and conversation; but, on the contrary, his affections are alienated from her, and he cannot bear the sight of her; BECAUSE HE HATH FOUND SOME UNCLEANNESS IN HER; something that he disliked, and was disagreeable to him, and which made their continuance together in the marriage state very uncomfortable; which led him on to be very ill-natured, severe, and cruel to her; so that her life was exposed to danger, or at least become very uneasy; in which case a divorce was permitted, both for the bad...

20. CONCERNING DIVORCE AND LAWS OF MERCY CHAPTER 24 _ 1. Concerning divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1)_ 2. Concerning pledge and slavery (Deuteronomy 24:6) 3. Concerning leprosy (Deuteronomy 24:8) 4. Concerning the oppression of the poor (Deuteronomy 24:10) 5. Concerning injustice (Deuteronomy 24:16) 6. The stranger, the fatherless and the widow remembered (Deuteronomy 24

The right of divorce on man's part (not woman's) is taken for granted here and elsewhere in the OT (see Deuteronomy 22:19; Deuteronomy 22:29; Leviticus 21:7; Leviticus 21:14; Leviticus 22:13 f., Numbers 30:9; _cf._ Matthew 19:9). Later Judaism (_Kethuboth_, vii. 10) extended to woman the right of divorce under certain specified conditions....

MAN. Hebrew. _ish_. App-14. Compare Matthew 5:31; Matthew 19:7; Matthew 19:8. WRITE. See note on Exodus 17:14 and App-47. Compare Matthew 5:31....