Matthew 19:7

Matthew 19:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
• English Standard Version (ESV)They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.

Context of Matthew 19:7

5and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:7 word by word

Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· τί οὖν Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο δοῦναι βιβλίον ἀποστασίου καὶ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• didἐντέλλωentellomai · to orderG1781
• MosesΜωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• to giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• a writingβιβλίονbiblion · scrollG975
• of divorcementἀποστάσιονapostasion · divorceG647
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to putἀπολύωapoluō · to release: divorceG630
• awayἀπολύωapoluō · to release: divorceG630

Cross-references for Matthew 19:7

• Matthew 5:31“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
• Deuteronomy 24:1If 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,
• Isaiah 50:1This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
• Jeremiah 3:8I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.
• Mark 10:4They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
• Matthew 1:19Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
• Malachi 2:16“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.

Commentaries on Matthew 19:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement? - It is not an unusual case for the impure and unholy to seek for a justification of their conduct from the law of God itself, and to wrest Scripture to their own destruction. I knew a gentleman, so called, who professed deep reverence for the sacred writings, and, strange as it may appear, was outwardly irreproachable in every respect but one; that was, he kept more women than his wife. This…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Why did Moses … - To this they objected that Moses had allowed such divorces Deuteronomy 24:1; and if he had allowed them, they inferred that they could not be unlawful. See the notes at Matthew 5:31.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-12Verses 3-12 The Pharisees were desirous of drawing something from Jesus which they might represent as contrary to the law of Moses. Cases about marriage have been numerous, and sometimes perplexed; made so, not by the law of God, but by the lusts and follies of men; and often people fix what they will do, before they ask for advice. Jesus replied by asking whether they had not read the account of the creation, and the first example of marriage; thus…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8Why … did Moses order: The Pharisees believed Jesus contradicted a command in the law (see Deuteronomy 24:1–4). But Moses allowed divorce only because of people's stubbornness. Jesus introduced the radical idea that what God permits is not always what he desires (see 1 Corinthians 6:12). Divorce is never what God desires (Malachi 2:14–16). It shows the brokenness of human sin.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 19:7

• Divorce
• Jesus, the Christ
• Marriage

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Concubine
• Deuteronomy
• Divorce
• Eternal
• Impossible
• Join
• Marry
• Possession
• Rich

Commentaries on Matthew 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings