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Deuteronomy 24

22 verses

TL;DR

Deuteronomy 24 gives practical laws on divorce, property pledges, work wages, and charity, linking them to Israel’s memory of slavery.

Summary

Deuteronomy 24 opens with rules on divorce, allowing a husband to write a bill of divorcement and release his wife, but forbidding him from remarrying her if she has married again. The chapter then shifts to economic conduct: it prohibits pledging millstones, prescribes fair wages for hired labor, and prohibits sleeping with a borrower’s pledge. It forbids generational death penalties and protects the vulnerable—strangers, the fatherless, and widows—by leaving portions of harvest, olives, and grapes for them. The laws emphasize the value of human life and dignity, reminding Israel that their past bondage in Egypt obliges them to treat others justly. These statutes collectively aim to foster a compassionate, socially responsible community.

Outline
  1. Marriage and divorce regulations (vs. 1‑4)
  2. Economic and labor laws (vs. 5‑15)
  3. Justice and charity toward foreigners, orphans, and widows (vs. 16‑22)
Themes
social justiceremembrance of slaverycompassionate stewardship
Keywords
divorceleprosypledgehirestrangerwidowfatherlessmillstonesheafolivegrape
People
Miriam
Places
Egypt
Things
bill of divorcementnether and upper millstoneleprosypledgehirestrangerfatherlesswidowsheafolive treegrapesvineyard
Key Verses
  • Deuteronomy 24:1: introduces the divorce procedure and its conditions
  • Deuteronomy 24:4: forbids a former husband from remarrying a divorced wife after she marries again, highlighting moral boundaries
  • Deuteronomy 24:10: sets the rule that a lender must not take the borrower’s pledge into his home
  • Deuteronomy 24:15: commands timely payment of wages, protecting laborers from exploitation
  • Deuteronomy 24:18: reminds Israel of their past slavery and obliges them to help the stranger, fatherless, and widow
Questions
  • Why does the law forbid a husband from taking his divorced wife again after she has married another?
  • How does the command regarding millstones reflect the value placed on human life?
  • What is the significance of the repeated instruction to leave portions of the harvest for the stranger, fatherless, and widow?
  • In what ways do the regulations about hiring reflect economic justice?
  • How does Deuteronomy 24 link Israel’s treatment of others to their memory of slavery in Egypt?
Sentiment

mixed
The chapter contains both harsh regulations and compassionate directives, reflecting a balanced approach to justice and mercy.