Deuteronomy 24

Law of Divorce

1“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens 1that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some 2indecency in her, and 3he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, 2and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3and if the latter husband 4turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, 4then her 5former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.

5“6When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall 7give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.

Sundry Laws

6“No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge.

7“8If a man is 9caught kidnapping any of his 10countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you.

8“11Be careful against 12an infection of leprosy, that you diligently observe and do according to all that the Levitical priests teach you; as I have commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. 9Remember what the Lord your God did 13to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt.

10“14When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. 11You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. 12If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. 1315When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and 16it will be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.

14“17You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your 18countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your 19towns. 1520You shall give him his wages on his day 21before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his 22heart on it; so that 23he will not cry against you to the Lord and it become sin in you.

16“24Fathers shall not be put to death 25for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death 26for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.

17“27You shall not pervert the justice 28due an alien or 29an orphan, nor 30take a widow’s garment in pledge. 18But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing.

19“31When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be 32for the alien, for the 33orphan, and for the widow, in order that the Lord your God 34may bless you in all the work of your hands. 2035When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs 36again; it shall be 37for the alien, for the 38orphan, and for the widow.

21“When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not 39go over it again; it shall be for the alien, for the 40orphan, and for the widow. 22You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing.