Deuteronomy 24
Modern English Version
Laws About Marriage and Divorce
24 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 indecency in her, then let him write her a bill of divorce and put it in her hand and send her out of his house. 2 When she departs out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 3 If the second husband rejects her and writes her a bill of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the second husband who took her to be his wife dies, 4 her first husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, since she is defiled, for that is abomination before the Lord, and you must not bring sin on the land, which the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
5 When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he is to be free at home one year, and must bring joy to his wife which he has taken.
Various Laws
6 No man shall take a lower or upper millstone as a pledge, for he would be taking a man’s life as a pledge.
7 If a man is found kidnapping any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and makes property of him or sells him, then that kidnapper must die, and you must remove the evil from among you.
8 Be careful with an outbreak of leprosy, that you diligently observe and do according to all that the Levitical priests instruct you. As I have commanded them, so you must carefully do. 9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way, after you came out of Egypt.
10 When you do lend your brother anything, you may not go into his house to take his pledge. 11 You must stand outside, and the man to whom you lend must bring the pledge outside to you. 12 If the man is poor, you may not sleep with his pledge. 13 In any case, you must return the pledge to him when the sun goes down, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and it will be righteousness to you before the Lord your God.
14 You may not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of your foreigners who are in your land within your towns. 15 You must give him his wages on that very day before the sun sets, for he is poor, and sets his heart on it, lest he cry against you to the Lord, and it be a sin to you.
16 Fathers may not be put to death for the sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
17 You must not pervert the justice of the foreigner or of the fatherless, nor take a widow’s cloak as a pledge. 18 On the contrary, you must remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you there. Therefore, I command you to do this.
19 Whenever you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you may not go back to get it. It will be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive tree, you may not go over the boughs again. It will be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it again. It will be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22 You must remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. Therefore I command you to do this thing.
Deuteronomy 24
New King James Version
Law Concerning Divorce
24 “When a (A)man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some [a]uncleanness in her, and he writes her a (B)certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, 2 when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 if 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, 4 (C)then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is [b]an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Miscellaneous Laws
5 (D)“When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and (E)bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.
6 “No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone in pledge, for he takes [c]one’s living in pledge.
7 “If a man is (F)found [d]kidnapping any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and mistreats him or sells him, then that kidnapper shall die; (G)and you shall put away the evil from among you.
8 “Take heed in (H)an outbreak of leprosy, that you carefully observe and do according to all that the priests, the Levites, shall teach you; just as I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. 9 (I)Remember what the Lord your God did (J)to Miriam on the way when you came out of Egypt!
10 “When you (K)lend your brother anything, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. 11 You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge out to you. 12 And if the man is poor, you shall not [e]keep his pledge overnight. 13 (L)You shall in any case return the pledge to him again when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his own garment and (M)bless you; and (N)it shall be righteousness to you before the Lord your God.
14 “You shall not (O)oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates. 15 Each day (P)you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; (Q)lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you.
16 (R)“Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin.
17 (S)“You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, (T)nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge. 18 But (U)you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.
19 (V)“When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may (W)bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 24:1 indecency, lit. nakedness of a thing
- Deuteronomy 24:4 a detestable thing
- Deuteronomy 24:6 life
- Deuteronomy 24:7 Lit. stealing
- Deuteronomy 24:12 Lit. sleep with his pledge
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
