Deuteronomy Chapter 24

“When a man hath taken a wife and married her, etc.] That is, when a man has made choice of a woman for his wife, and has obtained her consent, and the consent of her parents; and has not only betrothed her, but taken her home, and consummated the marriage: and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes; is not agreeable to him, he takes no delight in her person, nor pleasure in her company and conversation; but, on the contrary, his affections are alienated from her, and he cannot bear the sight of her; because he hath found some uncleanness in her; something that he disliked, and was disagreeable to…”

“OF DIVORCES. (Deu. 24:1-22) 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 (Mat 19:8). But it was accompanied under the law with two conditions, which were calculated greatly to prevent the evils incident to the permitted system; namely: (1) The act of divorcement was to be certified on a written…”

“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 divorcement and Deuteronomy 24:2 if she has departed out of his house and become another man’s wife; and Deuteronomy 24:3 if the latter husband hates her, then Deuteronomy 24:4…”

“Some uncleanness - Some hateful thing, some distemper of body or quality of mind not observed before marriage: or some light carriage, as this phrase commonly signifies, but not amounting to adultery. Let him write - This is not a command as some of the Jews understood it, nor an allowance and approbation, but merely a permission of that practice for prevention of greater mischiefs, and this only until the time of reformation, till the coming of the Messiah when things were to return to their first institution and purest condition. Deuteronomy 24:4”

“24:1 something wrong: This phrase indicates sexual impurity or some other impropriety. It does not pertain to adultery, which would have required the death penalty (22:22). • a document of divorce: This procedure was a concession; initiating a divorce in such cases was optional and not necessarily desirable (see Mal 2:16; Matt 5:31-32; Mark 10:2-12).”

“hath taken: Deu 21:15, Deu 22:13; Exo 21:10 uncleanness: Heb. matter of nakedness then let him: Deu 24:3; Jer 3:8; Mat 5:31, Mat 5:32, Mat 19:7-9; Mar 10:4-12 divorcement: Heb. cutting off, Isa 50:1 send her: Deu 22:19, Deu 22:29; Mal 2:16; Mat 1:19; Luk 16:18; Co1 7:11, Co1 7:12 Deuteronomy 24:2”

“Deu 24:1-5 contain two laws concerning the relation of a man to his wife. The first ( Deu 24:1-4) has reference to divorce. In these verses, however, divorce is not established as a right; all that is done is, that in case of a divorce a reunion with the divorced wife is forbidden, if in the meantime she had married another man, even though the second husband had also put her away, or had died. The four verses form a period, in which Deu 24:1-3 are the clauses of the protasis, which describe the matter treated about; and Deu 24:4 contains the apodosis, with the law concerning the point in question. If a man…”