Deuteronomy

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34

Deuteronomy 24 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Deuteronomy 24 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

(24:1-4) "When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement ... 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 ... Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD."
If a man marries a woman and later finds "some uncleanness in her," he can divorce her and kick her out of his house. If another man marries her and then dies, the first husband cannot marry her again. "For that is an abomination before the Lord."
What the Bible says about marriage and divorce
Is divorce ever permissible?
Is it OK for a divorced woman to remarry?
The regulation Moses gives here serves two purposes:
  1. It protects the wife who was send away so she can prove she was not send away because of adultery.
  2. It closes the door forever for her husband to marry her again after she had been married to another husband.
What it does not do is give permission to divorce. It regulates it, but as Jesus said from the beginning it was not so.
A clear and concise overview of these things is written by Samuele Bacchiocchi in “Divorce and remarriage in the bible”.
It is ok for a divorced woman to remarry, except that she cannot marry her former husband if she has been married to another man, see verse 4.

2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.

3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;

4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

6 No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge.

7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

(24:7) "If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die."
Those who steal slaves and sell them must be executed.
Does God approve of slavery?

8 Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do.

9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.

(24:9) "Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam."
He struck her with leprosy for rightly accusing Moses of breaking God's laws regarding marriage (Numbers 12:10).

10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.

11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.

12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge:

13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God.

14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:

(24:14-15) "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy."
Do not oppress the poor, whether they be slaves, neighbors, or strangers. (Does this mean we can't own slaves?)
Does God approve of slavery?
An hired servant is not a slave in any meaning of that word.

15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.

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.

(24:16) "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."
Are we punished for the sins of others?
Of course this verse regulates civil laws first of all. But I grant it has more significance than that as it also reflects the heavenly laws. So we should only receive punishment for our owns sins by our government, and we will only receive punishment for our own sins by God. See verses where the author of the SAB reads something different such as Gen. 9:24 and Is. 14:21.

17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:

18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.


(24:17-21) "It shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow."
Be kind to widows, orphans, fatherless children and strangers. Share whatever you have with them.

22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.