Deuteronomy 24

King James Version

Full text for Deuteronomy Chapter 24

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.

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

3And [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;

4Her 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.

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

7If 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.

8Take 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.

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

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

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

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

13In 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:

15At 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.

16The 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.

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

18But 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.

19When 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.

20When 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.

21When 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.

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Deuteronomy 24 presents various social and ethical laws for Israel, beginning with regulations for divorce and remarriage, specifically prohibiting a man from remarrying his former wife if she has been married to another. The chapter also includes statutes on military exemptions, fair lending practices, and the protection of vulnerable groups such as the poor, strangers, fatherless, and widows. A key principle of individual accountability for sin is established, emphasizing justice and compassion rooted in Israel's own history of redemption from Egypt.

Medium Summary

Deuteronomy 24 outlines a collection of diverse statutes governing Israelite society, commencing with detailed rules for divorce and remarriage, which forbid a man from taking back his former wife if she has subsequently married another. The text then addresses civil matters, granting a newly married man a year's exemption from military service and other business. It prohibits taking essential items like millstones as pledges and prescribes the death penalty for kidnapping a fellow Israelite. Further instructions detail ethical lending practices, requiring respect for privacy and the return of pledges to the poor by sundown. The chapter also mandates fair treatment and prompt payment for hired servants, and firmly establishes the principle that individuals are accountable only for their own sins. Finally, it reiterates the importance of caring for the stranger, fatherless, and widow through gleaning laws, drawing upon Israel's past as bondmen in Egypt as a basis for compassion.

Long Summary

Deuteronomy 24 sets forth a series of distinct legal and ethical directives for the Israelites, commencing with the complex issue of divorce. It permits a man to divorce his wife if he finds "uncleanness" in her, but strictly forbids him from remarrying her if she subsequently marries another man and is later divorced or widowed, declaring such an act an abomination. The chapter then transitions to other societal rules, granting a man who has taken a new wife a full year of exemption from military service and other business obligations, allowing him to cheer his wife at home. Practical laws follow, such as the prohibition against taking either the upper or nether millstone as a pledge, as this would deprive a person of their livelihood. The severe penalty of death is prescribed for anyone found kidnapping and selling a fellow Israelite. Instructions regarding leprosy emphasize diligent observance of priestly commands, recalling Miriam's affliction as a warning. Regulations for lending are detailed, requiring the lender to remain outside the borrower's house when taking a pledge and mandating the return of a poor man's garment by sundown so he may sleep in it. The chapter strictly forbids the oppression of poor and needy hired servants, demanding their wages be paid by day's end. A fundamental principle of justice is established, stating that fathers shall not be put to death for children, nor children for fathers, but each person for their own sin. Furthermore, the text commands righteous judgment for the stranger and fatherless, and prohibits taking a widow's raiment as a pledge, reminding Israel of their past bondage in Egypt as a motivation for compassion. This theme is reinforced in the gleaning laws, which instruct that forgotten sheaves, ungleaned olive trees, and ungathered grapes are to be left for the stranger, fatherless, and widow, ensuring provision for the vulnerable and invoking divine blessing.

Core Concepts

  • Divorce and RemarriageThe chapter outlines the conditions for divorce and strictly prohibits a man from remarrying his former wife if she has married another man in the interim, deeming such an act an abomination before the LORD.
  • Protection of the VulnerableThe text repeatedly emphasizes care for the poor, stranger, fatherless, and widow through regulations concerning pledges, payment of hired servants, and gleaning laws, ensuring their basic needs are met.
  • Individual AccountabilityA key legal principle is established, stating that each person shall be put to death for their own sin, not for the sins of their parents or children, upholding personal responsibility.
  • Fair Lending PracticesLaws are given to ensure humane lending, prohibiting the taking of essential items like millstones as pledges and requiring the return of a poor man's garment by sundown to prevent hardship.
  • Compassion Rooted in HistoryIsrael is repeatedly reminded of their past as bondmen in Egypt as a foundational reason to show justice and compassion to others, particularly the marginalized in their society.
  • Sanctity of Life and LibertyThe death penalty is prescribed for kidnapping and selling a fellow Israelite, underscoring the high value placed on human freedom and dignity within the community.