Deuteronomy 24

1 If a man [husband, male partner] marries [takes as wife, forms a covenant with] a woman [wife, female partner], but she becomes displeasing [finds no favor, unloved] to him because he finds some [uncleanness, unseemly thing, shameful matter] indecency [nakedness, something improper] in her, he may write [record, inscribe] her a certificate [bill, document] of divorce [separation, divorce papers], hand [give, place] it to her, and send [dismiss, release] her away from his house [home, family]. word study 2 If, after leaving [departing, going out] his house [dwelling place, family home], she goes [walks, travels] and becomes [is, comes to be] another [different, next] man’s [male person, individual] wife [spouse, partner], word study 3 and the second man [latter husband, the last one to take her] hates [feels intense dislike or hostility towards] her, writes [records, inscribes] her a certificate of divorce [bill of divorcement, a written document ending the marriage], hands [gives, puts] it to her, and sends [departs, dismisses] her away from his house [dwelling place, home], or if he dies [passes away, meets his end], word study 4 then the husband [her former master] who divorced her first may not remarry her after she has been [morally or ceremonially] defiled [made unclean, shamed], for that is an abomination [a disgusting thing, an offense] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. You must not bring sin [lawlessness, rebellion] upon the land [the earthly territory, the promised inheritance] that the LORD [the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one true God] is giving you as an inheritance [a gift, a possession]. word study 5 If a man [newlywed, recently married] is newly married, he must not be sent to war [or be enrolled in the army] or be pressed into any duty [or business, public service]. For one year [a full twelve months, a complete cycle] he is free to stay at home [in his own house, with his family] and bring joy [happiness, cheer] to the wife [his partner, companion] he has married [taken, chosen]. word study 6 Do not [under no circumstances] take a pair of millstones [grinding stones, nether millstone] or even an upper millstone [rider, upper stone] as security [pledge, guarantee] for a debt [loan, obligation], because that would be taking one’s livelihood [life, soul] as security [pledge, for he taketh a man’s life to pledge]. word study 7 If a man [any person, individual] is caught kidnapping [stealing, taking by force] one of his Israelite brothers [fellow countrymen, relatives], whether he treats him as a slave [unfairly, with bondage] or sells him [as merchandise, a commodity], the kidnapper [thief, one who takes by deceit] must die [face death, be put to death]. So you must purge [remove, eliminate] the evil [bad, morally wrong] from among you [your midst, your community]. word study 8 In cases of infectious [severe] skin diseases [like leprosy, a dreaded skin disease], be careful [take heed, be cautious] to diligently [with great care, much attention] follow [obey, heed] everything the Levitical [from the tribe of Levi] priests [spiritual leaders, teachers] instruct [teach, guide] you. Be careful [watchful, attentive] to do [perform, obey] as I have commanded [given orders to, instructed] them [the priests, the Levites]. word study 9 Remember [to recall, keep in mind] what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme deity] did [made, brought about] to Miriam [meaning rebellion] on the journey [by the way, along the path] after you came out [went forth, departed] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 10 When you [choose to] lend [give temporarily, expecting return] anything [something, no matter how small] to your neighbor [close friend, companion], do not [refuse to] enter [go into, approach] his house [dwelling place, home] to collect [take, gather] security [pledge, guarantee of repayment]. word study 11 You [as a lender, the one giving] are to stand [in a strong sense, firmly] outside [in the street, beyond the wall] while the man [a male person, an individual] to whom you are lending [giving with expectation of return, trusting] brings [to come out, to go forth] the security [pledge, a promise of repayment] out to you [towards you, in your direction]. word study 12 If he is a poor [afflicted, or humble] man [a male person or individual], you must not go to sleep [lie down, rest] with the security [pledge, something given as a guarantee] in your possession [keeping it, holding onto it, as a deposit for a debt]; word study 13 be sure to return [give back, restore] it to him by sunset [when the sun goes down], so that he may sleep [lie down, rest] in his own cloak [garment, raiment] and bless [praise, honor] you, and this will be credited [counted, reckoned] to you as righteousness [justice, virtue] before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God]. word study 14 Do not [refuse the hire of] oppress a hired hand [servant, laborer] who is poor [afflicted, humble] and needy [in need of help, destitute], whether he is a brother [male sibling, close relative] or a foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident] residing in one of your towns [cities, within your gates]. word study 15 You are to pay his wages [daily payment for labor] each day [at the end of every day] before sunset [before the sun goes down], because he is poor [afflicted, humble] and depends on them [is relying on it for survival]. Otherwise he may cry out [call out in distress] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] against you, and you will be guilty of sin [commit a transgression, miss the mark]. word study 16 Fathers [parents, ancestors] shall not be put to death [executed, killed] for their children [sons, descendants], nor children [sons, offspring] for their fathers [ancestors, forefathers]; each [every man, individual] is to die [be put to death, suffer punishment] for his own [personal, unique] sin [transgression, guilt]. word study 17 Do not [pervert, twist] deny justice [righteous judgment] to the foreigner [sojourner, stranger] or the fatherless [orphan, without a father], and do not [under any circumstances] take a widow’s [a woman whose husband has died, alone and vulnerable] cloak [garment, clothing] as security [a pledge, something given in exchange for a loan]. word study 18 Remember [to recall, to mark] that you were slaves [bondmen, servants] in Egypt [a land of bondage], and the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] redeemed [ransomed, set free] you from that place [of oppression]. Therefore [for this reason, thus] I am commanding [giving orders, appointing] you to do [to make, to perform] this. word study 19 If you are harvesting [reaping, gathering in] in your field [land, cultivated ground] and forget [are oblivious to, mislay] a sheaf [bundle of grain, omer] there, do not go back [return, turn back] to get it [take, fetch it]. It is to be left [given, abandoned] for the foreigner [sojourner, stranger], the fatherless [orphan, child without a father], and the widow [woman whose husband has died, alone and vulnerable], so that the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] your God [Elohim, supreme Creator] may bless [praise, honor] you in all [everything, every aspect] the work [deed, action] of your hands [strength, power]. word study 20 When you beat [thresh, knock down] the olives [olive berries, a source of oil and light] from your trees, you must not go over [examine, search through] the branches again [a second time, to gather every last one]. What remains [is left, not harvested] will be for the foreigner [sojourner, stranger], the fatherless [orphan, child without a father], and the widow [a woman whose husband has died, left alone and vulnerable]. word study 21 When you gather [harvest, collect] the grapes of your vineyard [a garden for vines], you must not go over [glean, thoroughly gather] the vines again [afterward, a second time]. What remains [is left, not harvested] will be for the foreigner [sojourner, stranger], the fatherless [orphan, without a father], and the widow [a woman whose husband has died, alone and vulnerable]. word study 22 Remember [to recall, to mark] that you were [once] slaves [servants, bondmen] in the land [earth, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. Therefore [for this reason, because of this] I [the Lord, the Commander] am commanding [giving orders, appointing] you to do [to make, to perform] this [thing, action]. word study