Deuteronomy Chapter 24
Showing all 22 verses for Deuteronomy Chapter 24.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"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. "
"If a man marries a woman and later finds something about her that displeases him because he has discovered something indecent or shameful in her, he may write out a formal certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house."
Jesus later explains that this rule was given because of hardness of heart, not because it reflected God's original design for marriage. He calls us instead towards faithful, lifelong commitment, treating divorce as a sad concession to human brokenness rather than something to be taken lightly.
"And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. "
"After she leaves his house, she is free to go and marry another man."
Jesus shows us that this law protected a vulnerable woman's ability to remarry and rebuild her life with dignity rather than being left in limbo. He calls us to think about how our decisions affect the ongoing lives of those we have hurt or separated from, ensuring they can move forward with respect.
"And 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; "
"If this second husband also comes to dislike her and writes her a certificate of divorce and sends her away, or if he dies,"
Jesus notes that even a difficult second marriage, or its ending through death, is treated honestly here rather than glossed over. He calls us to face the real complexities of broken relationships with truth and compassion, not pretence.
"Her 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. "
"then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been another man's wife, because that would be detestable to the LORD. Don't bring that kind of guilt onto the land God is giving you."
Jesus points to the deep respect for the sanctity of marriage embedded even here - a relationship once broken and remarried cannot simply be resumed as if nothing happened. He calls us to honour the seriousness of covenant relationships and not treat people's hearts and commitments as reversible on a whim.
"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. "
"When a man has recently married, he is not to be sent to war, and no public duty is to be laid on him. He is to be free at home for a year, and his role is to bring happiness to the wife he has married."
Jesus delights in this tender provision - a full year given to a newlywed couple to build joy and closeness before any other duty intrudes. He teaches that nurturing a new marriage is itself sacred work, worth protecting fiercely from the world's competing demands.
"No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge. "
"No one may take a millstone, whether the upper or lower one, as security for a loan, because that would be taking away someone's ability to make a living."
Jesus sees compassion woven into economic law here - taking a millstone as security would strip a family of their very ability to make bread and survive. He calls us to consider whether our demands on others, even when technically owed, might destroy their basic means of living.
"If 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. "
"If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and either enslaves him or sells him, that kidnapper is to be put to death. Get rid of this evil from among you."
Jesus condemns treating a human being as property to be bought and sold, naming it worthy of the harshest penalty. He teaches that every person carries the dignity of being made in God's image, and no one has the right to steal another's freedom for profit.
"Take 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. "
"Be careful with any outbreak of a serious skin disease. Follow exactly what the priests, who are Levites, instruct you, just as I commanded them."
Jesus points to the value of humble obedience to trained guidance for the sake of everyone's health and safety. He teaches that following wise, careful instruction - especially in matters affecting a whole community - is an act of love towards others, not mere rule-keeping.
"Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt. "
"Remember what the LORD did to Miriam on the journey after you came out of Egypt."
Jesus calls his people to remember past discipline honestly as a warning against pride and rebellion, just as Miriam's story served Israel. He teaches that humility means learning from our own history rather than repeating the same mistakes.
"When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. "
"When you lend something to your fellow Israelite, do not go into his house to take his security deposit yourself."
Jesus insists on preserving a debtor's dignity - you do not have the right to barge into someone's home to claim collateral. He teaches that even when we are owed something, respect for another's privacy and dignity comes first.
"Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee. "
"Stay outside, and let the man you are lending to bring the security out to you."
Jesus notices the dignity preserved in this small detail - the borrower himself chooses what to bring out, keeping some control over his own possessions. He teaches that respecting someone's agency, even in a difficult financial situation, matters to God.
"And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: "
"And if he is poor, do not go to sleep still holding on to his security deposit."
Jesus shows tenderness here - don't keep a poor man's only covering overnight, leaving him cold and humiliated. He calls us to notice when our rightful claims might cause real suffering to someone with nothing to spare, and to choose mercy over strict entitlement.
"In 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. "
"Be sure to give the pledge back to him by sunset, so he can sleep in his own cloak and bless you for it - and this will count as an act of righteousness before the LORD your God."
Jesus points out the beautiful outcome here - returning the pledge each evening lets the poor man sleep in comfort and bless the one who showed him mercy. He teaches that small acts of practical compassion create genuine gratitude and are counted as righteousness before God.
"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: "
"Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and in need, whether he is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner living in one of your towns."
Jesus draws no distinction between insiders and outsiders here - the poor and needy servant deserves fairness whether Israelite or foreigner. He calls us to extend justice and kindness equally to everyone who works for us, regardless of where they come from.
"At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setheth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. "
"Pay him his wages the same day, before the sun goes down, because he is poor and depends on it. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin."
Jesus takes seriously the cry of a poor labourer denied his wages - it reaches God's own ears. He teaches that withholding what someone has honestly earned, especially when they are counting on it to survive, is a sin that God notices and will address.
"The 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. "
"Parents are not to be put to death for their children's crimes, nor children for their parents' crimes. Each person is to be put to death only for their own sin."
Jesus affirms personal responsibility here - guilt cannot be transferred across generations, each person answers for their own choices. He teaches that no one should be condemned for a parent's or child's sin, only judged fairly for what they themselves have done.
"Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge: "
"Do not deny justice to a foreigner or an orphan, and do not take a widow's clothing as security for a loan."
Jesus calls for unwavering fairness towards those with the least power to defend themselves - the foreigner, the orphan, the widow. He teaches that true justice is measured by how we treat those who cannot fight back for their own rights.
"But 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. "
"Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I am commanding you to do this."
Jesus roots this ethic of justice in remembered experience - you were once enslaved, so now show mercy to those without power. He teaches that our own history of need and rescue should shape how generously and fairly we treat others today.
"When thou cutiest 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. "
"When you harvest your field and forget a bundle of grain there, do not go back for it. Leave it for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything you do."
Jesus loves the built-in generosity here - a forgotten sheaf isn't fetched back, but deliberately left for those with nothing. He teaches that true blessing flows from open-handed generosity, even when it costs us something we could have kept for ourselves.
"When 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. "
"When you beat the olives off your trees, do not go over the branches again. What is left is for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow."
Jesus notices that this law asks farmers to resist the urge to gather every last olive for themselves, leaving margin for those in need. He calls us to build deliberate generosity into our own lives and livelihoods, not just give from what happens to be left over.
"When 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. "
"When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over it again afterwards. What remains is for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow."
Jesus sees in this vineyard law a repeated rhythm of generosity - always leaving something behind for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. He teaches that caring for the vulnerable should be woven into the very structure of how we work and provide, not an afterthought.
"And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing. "
"And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. That is why I am commanding you to do this."
Jesus returns us once more to the root of all this compassion - remember you were once a slave, and let that memory soften your heart towards others in need. He calls us to let our own experience of God's mercy overflow into generous, humble mercy towards everyone around us.