Deuteronomy 24
AnnBibleDeuteronomy 24:1-22
- Concerning Divorce and Laws of MercyCHAPTER 24
- Concerning divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-5)
- Concerning pledge and slavery (Deuteronomy 24:6-7)
- Concerning leprosy (Deuteronomy 24:8-9)
- Concerning the oppression of the poor (Deuteronomy 24:10-15)
- Concerning injustice (Deuteronomy 24:16-18)
- The stranger, the fatherless and the widow remembered (Deuteronomy 24:19-22) Matthew 19:1-9 must be studied with the words of Moses on divorce. The Pharisees asked the Lord “ why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?” But they erred when they called Moses’ word a commandment. It was only something which Moses allowed. Adultery according to the law was punishable with death. “ He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away doth commit adultery.”
No part of the handmill, the millstone, was to be taken as a pledge, for that would have deprived the person of the necessary instrument in the preparation of food. Manstealing was forbidden under penalty of death (Exodus 21:16).
Merciful are the laws found in verses 10-15. If these laws were obeyed how many questions would be solved and how much injustice would be abolished. See also James 5:4. Mercy was to be shown to the poor in remembrance of their former condition in Egypt.