Statutes About Divorce

1“If a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens [†]that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, 2and she goes out of his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3and if the latter husband [†]turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and 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, 4then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before Yahweh, and you shall not bring sin on the land which Yahweh your God gives you as an inheritance.

5“When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give gladness to his wife whom he has taken.

Remember You Were Slaves in Egypt

6“No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge.

7“If a man is [†]caught kidnapping any of his brothers of the sons of Israel, and he mistreats him or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you.

8“Take care against [†]an infection of leprosy, to be very careful and to do according to all that the Levitical priests instruct you; as I have commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. 9Remember what Yahweh your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt.

10“When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his deposit. 11You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the deposit out to you. 12Now if he is an afflicted man, you shall not sleep with his deposit. 13When the sun goes down you shall surely return the deposit to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before Yahweh your God.

14“You shall not oppress a hired person who is afflicted and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of your sojourners who is in your land within your gates. 15You shall give him his wages on his day [†]before the sun goes down, for he is afflicted and sets his soul on it, so that he will not cry against you to Yahweh and it become sin in you.

16“Fathers shall not be put to death [†]for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death [†]for their fathers; each shall be put to death for his own sin.

17“You shall not pervert the justice [†]due a sojourner or [†]an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. 18But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and that Yahweh your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding 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 back to get it; it shall be for the sojourner, for the [†]orphan, and for the widow, in order that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs after you finish; it shall be for the sojourner, for the [†]orphan, and for the widow.

21“When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it after you finish; it shall be for the sojourner, for the [†]orphan, and for the widow. 22And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing.