Deuteronomy 24

Of the woman that was dismissed by her husband with a bill of divorcement verse 1 &c. the liberty of the new married man 5 pawns or pledges 6 man stealers 7 leprosy 8 and again of pawns or pledges 10 of day wages 14 none to be punished for another offence 19 of justice and love towards widows fatherless strangers 17.

1. When a man shall have taken a wife and married her then it shall come to pass if she shall find no favor in his eyes because he hath found some shameful things [Heb. Nakedness and shamefulness of things understand such things whereby the husband taketh distaste at her excepting whoredom] in her that she shall write her a bill of divorcement [Heb. A letter or book of it or cutting off because the marriage tie was thereby as it were cut in twain and the married couple parted all under see our savior Christ exposition upon this law Matthew 19:3 &c.] and give it in her hand and let her go out of his house [others and he shall have written her a bill of divorcement and give it in her hand and dismist her out of the house and so on to the 4.5 verse see Matthew 5:31 and 19.7 Mark 10:4.]

2. If she then being departed out of the house shall go her way and become another mans wife.

3. And this last husband shall have hated her and shall have written her a bill of divorcement and let her go out of his house or when his last husband which took other to be his wife shall be dead.

4. Then the last husband which let her go may not take her again [Heb.. may not return to take her] to be his wife after that she is defiled [compare Matthew 5:32] for it is abomination before the face o f the Lord so thou shalt not cause the land to sin [that is bring no guilt and punishment upon the land or give the inhabitants of the land occasion to sin] which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

5. When a man shall have taken a new wife he shall not go forth into the army [that is to war see Numbers 1 on verse 2] neither shall they lay any burden upon him [Hebrews 2 nothing that is no burden shall go upon him] he shall be free [Heb. Innocent that is free from burden as the guiltless and the innocent person ought to be free from punishment] in his own house one year and cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

6. They shall not take both mill stones to pledge [this seemeth to have respect to the hand mills which of old they were wont to have in their families compare Exodus 11:5 Numbers 11:28 Jeremiah 25:10] for he [that doth it] taketh the soul [that is the life understand whereby a man should live or wherewith he is to maintain himself or get the livelihood] to pledge.

7. When any man shall be found that stealth a soul [that is a man] from his brethren from the children of Israel and maketh merchandise of him and selleth him then this thief shall die and thou shalt put away evil from the midst of thee.

8. Take heed in the plague of leprosy that thou observe diligently Heb. greatly] and do according to all that Levitically Priest shall teach you according as I command them so you shall observe to do.

9. Remember what the Lord thy god did unto Miriam by the way when ye were come forth out of the land of Egypt [see numbers 12.10.]

10. When thou shalt have lent thy neighbor anything [Heb. Shalt have lent the loan of anything] then thou shalt not go into any house to take his pledge to pledge.

11. Thou shalt stand without doors and the man to whom thou hast lent shall bring out the pledge unto thee abroad.

12. But if be a poor man then thou shalt not lie down [or go sleep] with his pledge.

13. Thou shalt surely deliver him the pledge again [Heb. Delivering again when the sun goeth goeth down that he may lie down in his own remnant and bless thee [that is be mindful before God of thy compassion and heartily crave his divine blessing upon thee for it] and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the face of the Lord thy God [that is God shall esteem it to be a good work of mercy which shall be acceptable unto him in the Messiah as being done in true faith and this glory according to law which is the rule of righteousness according to those justified by faith are to walk testifying their gratitude and thankfulness unto God compare above chapter 6 on verse 25 and chapter 9 on verse 5 Psalms 106:31 Luke 1:74,75 Romans 6:18,19 Galatians 5:6 Philippians 1:11.]

14. Thou shalt not oppress the poor and needy hirelings [that are craftily or violently keep back or diminish his wages] who are of thy brethren or of thy strangers that are in thy land and in thy gates [that is cities and dwelling places.]

15. At this day thou shalt give him his hire [that is on the same day when he took pains earned his wages] neither shall the sun go down upon it [that is thou shalt take care that he be satisfied before the sun set] for he is poor and his soul longeth after it [Heb. He lifted up his soul unto or after it to wit his wages that is his heart longeth for or after see Psalms 4 on verse 4] lest he cry unto the Lord and it be sin in thee [see above chapter 23 on verse 21.]

16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children neither shall the children put to death the fathers [Moseh intimated hereby that judges must beware that they punish not an innocent person for or with guilt one see likewise 2Kings 14.6 and 2 Chronicles 25:4] every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

17. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the stranger nor of the fatherless [by these must the widow be also understood as in the following words by the widow the other two are also to be meant see Exodus 22:21,22 Proverbs 22:22 Isaiah 1:23 Jeremiah 5:28 and 22.3 Ezekiel22.9 Zachariah 7.10] neither shalt thou take the widows ruminant pledge.

18. But thou remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence therefore I command tee to do this thing.

19. When thou shalt have cut down thine harvest in the field and shalt have forgotten a sheaf in the field then thou shalt not turn again to take it up 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 [see Leviticus 19:9,10 and 23.22.]

20. When thou shalt have shaken thine olive tree then thou shalt not narrowly search over the boughs behind or past over and so in the following verse] it shall be for the stranger for the fatherless and for the widow.

21. When thou hast gathered the grapes of the vineyards then thou shalt not glean the grapes being thee it shall be the stranger for the fatherless and for the widow.

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