Deuteronomy 24:1

Deuteronomy 24:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house,
• English Standard Version (ESV)"When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house,

Context of Deuteronomy 24:1

This is what you must do if a husband writes out a certificate of divorce, gives it to his wife, and makes her leave his house. (He divorced her because he found out something indecent about her and she no longer pleased him.) 2She might marry another man after she leaves his house. 3If her second husband doesn’t love her and divorces her, or if he dies,

Deuteronomy 24:1 word by word

כִּֽי־יִקַּ֥ח אִ֛ישׁ אִשָּׁ֖ה וּבְעָלָ֑הּ וְהָיָ֞ה אִם־לֹ֧א תִמְצָא־חֵ֣ן בְּעֵינָ֗יו כִּי־מָ֤צָא בָהּ֙ עֶרְוַ֣ת דָּבָ֔ר וְכָ֨תַב לָ֜הּ סֵ֤פֶר כְּרִיתֻת֙ וְנָתַ֣ן בְּיָדָ֔הּ וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• hath takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• a wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• and marriedבָּעַלbâ‛al · rule: to marryH1166
• her, and it come to pass that she findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• no favourחֵןchên · favorH2580
• in his eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• someדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• uncleannessעֶרְוָה‛ervâh · nakednessH6172
• in her: then let him writeכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• her a billסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
• of divorcementכְּרִיתוּתkerîythûth · divorceH3748
• and giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• in her handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: divorceH7971
• her out of his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 24:1

• Deuteronomy 21:15A man might have two wives and love one but not the other. Both wives might have children, and the firstborn son might belong to the wife that the man doesn’t love.
• Deuteronomy 22:13A man might marry a woman, sleep with her, and decide he doesn’t like her.
• Exodus 21:10If that son marries another woman, he must not deprive the first wife of food, clothes, or sex.
• Deuteronomy 24:3If her second husband doesn’t love her and divorces her, or if he dies,
• Jeremiah 3:8Judah saw that I sent unfaithful Israel away because of her adultery and that I gave Israel her divorce papers. But treacherous Judah, her sister, wasn’t afraid. She also acted like a prostitute.
• Matthew 5:31“It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice.’
• Matthew 19:7The Pharisees asked him, “Why, then, did Moses order a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her?”
• Mark 10:4They said, “Moses allowed a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her.”
• Isaiah 50:1This is what the Lord says: Where are your mother’s divorce papers? Did I give her any to get rid of her? To which of my creditors did I sell you? You were sold because of your sins. I got rid of your mother because of your rebellion.
• Deuteronomy 22:19They will fine him 2¼ pounds of silver and give it to the girl’s father. The husband ruined the reputation of an Israelite virgin. She will continue to be his wife, and he can never divorce her as long as he lives.
• Malachi 2:16“I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel. “I hate the person who covers himself with violence,” says the Lord of Armies. “Be careful not to be unfaithful.”
• Matthew 1:19Her husband Joseph was an honorable man and did not want to disgrace her publicly. So he decided to break the marriage agreement with her secretly.
• Luke 1:18Zechariah said to the angel, “What proof is there for this? I’m an old man, and my wife is beyond her childbearing years.”
• 1 Corinthians 7:11If she does, she should stay single or make up with her husband. Likewise, a husband should not divorce his wife.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 24:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Some uncleanness - Any cause of dislike, for this great latitude of meaning the fact itself authorizes us to adopt, for it is certain that a Jew might put away his wife for any cause that seemed good to himself; and so hard were their hearts, that Moses suffered this; and we find they continued this practice even to the time of our Lord, who strongly reprehended them on the account, and showed that such license was wholly inconsistent with the original…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-4Verses 1-4 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Of divorce. (1-4) Of new-married persons, Of man-stealers, Of pledges. (5-13) Of justice and generosity. (14-22) Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1some indecency: This phrase refers to sexual impurity or another wrongdoing. It does not relate to adultery, which would have required the death penalty (22:22). a certificate of divorce: This was a concession. Starting a divorce in such cases was optional and not always preferable (see Malachi 2:16; Matthew 5:31–32; Mark 10:2–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-221-4. When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and 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 amongst the Israelites, who had in all probability become familiar with it in Egypt [Lane]. The usage, being too deep-rooted to be soon or easily abolished, was tolerated by Moses (Mt 19:8). But it was accompanied under the law with two conditions, which were…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 24:1

• Divorce
• Marriage
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Bill of Divorcement
• Divorce
• Divorcement
• Former
• Adultery
• Atonement, Day of
• Book
• Criticism
• Divorce in the New Testament
• Divorce in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings