New King James Version
Deuteronomy 24:1
1“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,
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 Living Translation (NLT)“Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes a document of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house.
Context of Deuteronomy 24:1
“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, 2when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife,
Read all of Deuteronomy 24Deuteronomy 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 21:15“If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved,
- Deuteronomy 22:13“If any man takes a wife, and goes in to her, and detests her,
- Exodus 21:10If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights.
- Deuteronomy 24:3if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife,
- Jeremiah 3:8Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.
- Matthew 5:31“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’
- Matthew 19:7They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
- Mark 10:4They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”
- Isaiah 50:1Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.
- Deuteronomy 22:19and they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name on a virgin of Israel. And she shall be his wife; he cannot divorce her all his days.
- Malachi 2:16“For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.”
- Matthew 1:19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
- Luke 1:18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
- 1 Corinthians 7:11But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries