Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryDeuteronomy 24

Deuteronomy 24:1: The Law Concerning Divorce This passage gives rules about divorce in Israel. Jesus explained that Moses allowed divorce only because people’s hearts were hard and stubborn (Matthew 19:7 ). God did not command divorce, but he gave laws to control it and protect people, especially women. The law set limits and tried to stop people from divorcing for small or selfish reasons.v. 1: A man could not divorce his wife for just any reason. He had to find “some uncleanness” in her. This meant something serious, but not adultery, because adultery was punished by death. It could mean a bad attitude, shameful behavior, or something that made her disagreeable. The divorce had to be in writing, not just spoken quickly, so it would not be done in anger or by mistake (Matthew 19:3 ).

v. 2: After the divorce, the woman was allowed to marry another man. The divorce ended the first marriage completely, so she was free, as if her first husband had died .

v. 3-4: If her second husband died or divorced her, she could not return to her first husband. This rule helped stop people from treating marriage lightly or trading spouses back and forth. It also warned husbands to think carefully before divorcing their wives, because once they were gone and remarried, they could not return. God wanted people to be content and careful about marriage. This law also shows how much greater God’s mercy is, because he is willing to take back his people even after they have left him (Jeremiah 3:1 ).

Deuteronomy 24:5: The Law of Divorce This passage includes several laws to protect people and encourage kindness, fairness, and love in Israelite society. These rules helped new marriages grow stronger, protected people from injustice, and taught everyone to treat others with respect and care.v. 5: When a man married, he was not required to go to war or be away on public business for the first year. Instead, he stayed home to bring happiness to his wife. This helped couples build a strong, loving relationship from the start, making divorce less likely. God wanted husbands and wives to support and encourage each other.

v. 6: People were not allowed to take a millstone, which was used to grind grain for bread, as a loan guarantee. Taking something so important would hurt a family’s ability to live. God’s law teaches us to think about the needs of others and not just our own profit (Exodus 22:26-27 ).

v. 7: Kidnapping was a serious crime. If someone stole another person and made them a slave or sold them, the kidnapper had to be put to death. This showed that every person’s freedom was valuable to God, and stealing someone’s liberty was as bad as taking their life (Matthew 12:12; 1 Samuel 26:19 ).

v. 8-9: The people were reminded to follow the laws about leprosy carefully (Leviticus 13:14 ). If someone had leprosy, they had to show themselves to the priest and obey his instructions, like Miriam had to do when she was punished for her sin. Even leaders and important people were not above God’s law. Everyone had to humble themselves and follow God’s rules to be made clean again.

v. 10-11: When lending money, a lender could not go into the borrower’s house to take what he wanted for security. Instead, the borrower brought out the pledge himself. This protected the borrower’s dignity and privacy.

v. 12-13: If a poor person gave his cloak as a pledge, the lender had to return it by sunset so the borrower would have something to sleep in. God wanted his people to be merciful and not take away the basic things that others needed to live. If the lender acted kindly, God would see it as righteousness and reward it.

Deuteronomy 24:14: Justice and Generosity This passage gives instructions for justice and kindness in society. God wanted the Israelites to treat workers, the poor, and even strangers with fairness and compassion. The laws also guide judges to be just and the rich to be generous to those in need.v. 14-15: Masters were told not to oppress poor workers, whether they were Israelites or foreigners. They must pay wages on time, especially to those who depend on daily pay for their family’s needs. If a poor person is not paid, he will be sad and may cry out to God. God hears these cries, and it will be counted as sin against the employer (Job 31:13; Matthew 20:8 ; Job 7:2; James 5:4 ).

v. 16: Each person is responsible for their own actions. Parents are not to be punished for the sins of their children, and children are not to be punished for their parents’ sins. Only the guilty person should be punished (2 Kings 14:6; 2 Samuel 21:9,14 ).

v. 17: Judges must not take advantage of strangers, orphans, or widows. They should not force them to give up even their clothing as a pledge. Instead, judges should protect the weak and make sure their rights are respected.

v. 18: God reminds the Israelites that they were once slaves in Egypt. Because God freed them, they should remember to treat others with kindness and not oppress them.

v. 19-22: When harvesting crops, Israelites were to leave any forgotten sheaves, olives, or grapes in the field for the poor, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. This law encouraged generosity and trust in God’s provision. By leaving some behind, the rich showed kindness and made sure everyone had enough, just as Boaz did for Ruth (Deuteronomy 24:19-22 ).