Deuteronomy 24:1

“When a man takes a woman and becomes her husband, and it happens, if she does not find favor in his eyes because he has found in her a nakedness of something, and he writes for her a document of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her away from his house,”
Deuteronomy 24:1 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

Whenכִּיa manאִישׁtakesיִקַּחa womanאִשָּׁהand becomes her husband,וּבְעָלָהּand it happens,וְהָיָהifאִםshe does notלֹאfindתִמְצָאfavorחֵןin his eyesבְּעֵינָיוbecauseכִּיhe has foundמָצָאin herבָהּa nakednessעֶרְוַתof something,דָּבָרand he writesוְכָתַבfor herלָהּa documentסֵפֶרof divorceכְּרִיתֻתand puts itוְנָתַןin her handבְּיָדָהּand sends her awayוְשִׁלְּחָהּfrom his house,מִבֵּיתוֹ

Allusion · Matthew 19:7

Go to Matthew 19:7

Both texts speak of the “certificate of divorce” (literally “document of separation”) that the husband gives the wife when he sends her away.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

סֵפֶרseferH5612βιβλίονbiblionG975“book, document”
כְּרִיתֻתkeritutH3748ἀποστασίουapostasiouG647“divorce”

Allusion · Mark 10:4

Go to Mark 10:4

Both texts speak of the “certificate of divorce” (literally “document of separation”) that the husband gives the wife when he sends her away.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

סֵפֶרseferH5612βιβλίονbiblionG975“book, document”
כְּרִיתֻתkeritutH3748ἀποστασίουapostasiouG647“divorce”

Theme · Matthew 5:31

Go to Matthew 5:31

Jesus recalls the rule of giving a certificate of divorce to the wife who is sent away; Deuteronomy 24:1 establishes it.

The same term appears in both passages.

כְּרִיתֻתkeritutH3748ἀποστάσιονapostasionG647“divorce”

Deuteronomy 24:1, word by word

a manאִישׁish

man

An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.

Where else “ish” appears

takesיִקַּחyikach

take a wife

"Take a wife": to marry.

Where else “yikach” appears

a womanאִשָּׁהisha

wife

Literally "his woman": the one married to him.

Where else “isha” appears

and becomes her husbandבְעָלָveala

marry

To take a wife, be her spouse.

Where else “veala” appears

and it happensהָיָהhaya

happen

For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.

Where else “haya” appears

findתִמְצָאtimtsa

find favor

To find favor: to be well regarded by someone with power to give.

Where else “timtsa” appears

favorחֵןchen

favor

Someone's goodwill toward another: looking on them kindly.

Where else “chen” appears

in his eyesעֵינָיenay

sight

"In the eyes of" someone: in their view.

Where else “enay” appears

a nakednessעֶרְוַתervat

nakedness

Nakedness; the private parts of the body; figuratively, shame. Seeing another's nakedness was a grave lack of respect.

Where else “ervat” appears

of somethingדָּבָרdavar

thing

A matter, a thing; with "not", nothing.

Where else “davar” appears

and he writesכָתַבchatav

write

To put words in writing, in a book or tablet, so that they last.

Where else “chatav” appears

a documentסֵפֶרsefer

deed

An official paper, like one granting divorce.

Where else “sefer” appears

of divorceכְּרִיתֻתkeritut

divorce

Divorce: the "cutting" of the marriage bond.

Where else “keritut” appears

and puts itנָתַןnatan

hand over

To hand someone over to another's power, giving that one victory.

Where else “natan” appears

in her handיָדָyada

power

Literally "the hand": the strength and control someone has.

Where else “yada” appears

and sends her awayשִׁלְּחָshilach

send away

To send away, or divorce one's wife.

Where else “shilach” appears

from his houseבֵּיתbet

house

A building to live in, or an enclosed place to keep something or someone.

Where else “bet” appears

Translation note

Jesus comments on this passage in Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:3-9. “A nakedness of something” is something shameful; the text does not say what.

The context

1 · This verse (above)

2and she goes out from his house and goes and becomes another man’s,

Read all of Deuteronomy 24

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