Deuteronomy Chapter 24
1 When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be, if she finds no favour in his eyes because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a certificate of divorce, put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
2 When she has departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.
3 If the latter husband hates her, and write 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 to be his wife;
4 her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she is defiled; for that would be an abomination to the LORD. You shall not cause the land to sin, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance.
5 When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out in the army, neither shall he be assigned any business. He shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken.
6 No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes a life in pledge.
7 If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from amongst you.
8 Be careful in the plague of leprosy, that you observe diligently and do according to all that the Levitical priests teach you. As I commanded them, so you shall observe to do.
9 Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam, by the way as you came out of Egypt.
10 When you lend your neighbour any kind of loan, 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 outside to you.
12 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge.
13 You shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment and bless you. It shall be righteousness to you before the LORD your God.
14 You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the foreigners who are in your land within your gates.
15 In his day you shall give him his wages, neither shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor and sets his heart on it; lest he cry against you to the LORD, and it be sin to you.
16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
17 You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow's clothing in pledge;
18 but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you there. Therefore I command you to do this thing.
19 When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
20 When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
21 When you harvest your vineyard, you shall not glean it after yourselves. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. Therefore I command you to do this thing.
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Deuteronomy Chapter 24 Guide
Continuing, we have varied subjects dealt with, revealing the Divine thought for the people in many ways. Divorce was recognized and restrained. The sacredness of the marriage relation was recognized by the tender provision that no man must be called to leave his wife for war or business during the first year. In the matter of creditors and their pledges, nothing must be taken with which a manearned his living. Man-stealing was to be summarily punished with death. A new warning was uttered against leprosy, coupled with the illustration of Miriam, which reminded them that leprosy might be caused any time by disobedience and unholy ambition.
Instructions were given concerning loans and pledges which were full of mercy to the poor, and provided that nothing really necessary for the well-being of anyone should be withheld from him after sundown. Those who were in need were not to be oppressed.
Finally, in all business enterprise the poor were to be had in memory, and reapers and gatherers were to act, not merely for their own profit, but also for the necessities of the poor.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Deuteronomy Chapter 24 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Of divorce -- (1-4)
- Of new-married persons, Of man-stealers, Of pledges -- (5-13)
- Of justice and generosity -- (14-22)
Verses 1-4
Where the providence of God, or his own wrong choice in marriage, has allotted to a Christian a trial instead of a help meet; he will from his heart prefer bearing the cross, to such relief as tends to sin, confusion, and misery. Divine grace will sanctify this cross, support under it, and teach so to behave, as will gradually render it more tolerable.
Verses 5-13
It is of great consequence that love be kept up between husband and wife; that they carefully avoid every thing which might make them strange one to another. Man-stealing was a capital crime, which could not be settled, as other thefts, by restitution. The laws concerning leprosy must be carefully observed. Thus all who feel their consciences under guilt and wrath, must not cover it, or endeavour to shake off their convictions; but by repentance, and prayer, and humble confession, take the way to peace and pardon. Some orders are given about pledges for money lent. This teaches us to consult the comfort and subsistence of others, as much as our own advantage. Let the poor debtor sleep in his own raiment, and praise God for thy kindness to him. Poor debtors ought to feel more than commonly they do, the goodness of creditors who do not take all the advantage of the law against them, nor should this ever be looked upon as weakness.
Verses 14-22
It is not hard to prove that purity, piety, justice, mercy, fair conduct, kindness to the poor and destitute, consideration for them, and generosity of spirit, are pleasing to God, and becoming in his redeemed people. The difficulty is to attend to them in our daily walk and conversation.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.