24:1-4Some think this passage supports divorce, but that is not the case. It simply recognizes a practice that already existed in Israel. All four verses must be read to understand the point of the passage: it certainly is not suggesting that a man divorce his wife on a whim. Divorce was a permanent and final act for the couple. Once divorced and remarried to others, they could never be remarried to each other (24:4). This restriction was to prevent casual remarriage after a frivolous separation. The intention was to make people think twice before divorcing.
Life Application Study BibleDeuteronomyChapter 24
Deuteronomy 24
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original page: 294
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
24Deuteronomy 24
124 “Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes her a letter of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house. 2When she leaves his house, she is free to marry another man. 3But if the second husband also turns against her and divorces her, or if he dies, +the first husband may not marry her again, for she has been defiled. That would be detestable to the LORD. You must not bring guilt upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession. 5“A newly married man must not be drafted into the army or be given any other official responsibilities. He must be free to spend one year at home, bringing happiness to the wife he has married. 6"It is wrong to take a set of millstones, or even just the upper millstone, as security for a loan, for the owner uses it to make a living. 7“[f anyone kidnaps a fellow Israelite and treats him asa slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you. 8"Inall cases involving serious skin diseases,* be careful to follow the instructions of the Levitical priests; obey all the commands I have given them. Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam as you were coming from Egypt. 10“If you lend anything to your neighbor, do not enter his house to pick up the item he is giving as security. 11You must wait outside while he goes in and brings it out toyou. 12If your neighbor is poor and gives you his cloak as security for a loan, do not keep the cloak overnight. 13Return the cloak to its owner by sunset so he can stay warm through the night and bless you, and the LORD your God will count you as righteous. 14Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites ot foreigners living in your towns. 15You must pay them their wages each day before sunset because they are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t, they might cry out to the LORD against you, and it would be counted against you as sin. 16"Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents. Those deserving to die must be put to death for their own crimes. 17“True justice must be given to foreigners living among you and to orphans, and you must never accept a widow’s garment as security for her debt. 18Always remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God redeemed you from your slavery. That is why I have given you this command. 19When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring ina bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the LORD your God will bless you in all you do. 20When you beat the olives from your olive trees, don't go over the boughs twice. Leave the remaining olives for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 21When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, don’t glean the vines after they are picked. Leave the remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and widows.?2Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I am giving you this command.
Textual footnotes
- 24:8 Traditionally rendered /eprosy. The Hebrew word used here can describe various skin diseases.
Life Application Notes 4 notes
24:5Newly married couples were to remain together their first year. This was to avoid placing an excessive burden upon a new. unproven relationship and to give it a chance to mature and strengthen before confronting it with numerous responsibilities. A gardener starts a tiny seedling in a small pot and allows it to take root before planting it in the field, Let your marriage grow Strong by protecting your relationship from too many outside Bressures and distractions—especially in the beginning. And don't expect or demand so much from newlyweds that they have inadequate time or energy to establish their marriage.
24:10-22Throughout the Old Testament God told his people to treat the poor with justice. The powerless and poverty-stricken are often looked upon by some people as incompetent or lazy when, in fact, those facing that situation may be victims of oppression and circumstance. God says we must do all we can to heip those who are needy. His justice did not permit the Israelites to insist on profits or quick payment from thase who were less fortunate. Instead, his laws gave the poor every opportunity to better their situation, while providing humane options for those who couldn't. None of us is completely isolated from the poor; many of us face needs at one time or another. God wants us to treat each other fairly and do our part to help meet one another's needs.
24:19-21God's people were instructed to leave some of their harvest in the fields so travelers and the poor could gather it. This second gathering, called gleaning, was a way for them to provide food for themselves. Years later, Ruth obtained food for herself and Naomi by gleaning behind the reapers in Boaz’s field, picking up the leftovers (Ruth 2:2). Because this law was being obeyed years after it was written, Ruth, a woman in Christ's lineage, was able to find food