Law of Divorce

24 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens, if she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some (A)indecency in her, that (B)he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and [a]sends her away from his house, and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife, and the latter husband [b]turns against her, writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand, and [c]sends her away from his house, or if the latter husband who took her to be his wife dies, then her (C)former husband who [d]sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, after [e]she has been defiled; for that is 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.

(D)When a man takes a new wife, he is not to go out with the army, nor be assigned any duty; he shall be free at home for one year and shall (E)make his wife whom he has taken happy.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 24:1 Or dismisses her
  2. Deuteronomy 24:3 Lit hates her
  3. Deuteronomy 24:3 Or dismisses her
  4. Deuteronomy 24:4 Or dismissed her
  5. Deuteronomy 24:4 I.e., in relationship to him

24 When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife; her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before Jehovah: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

When a man taketh a new wife, he shall not go out in the host, neither shall he be charged with any business: he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he hath taken.

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