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Deuteronomy 24

ScriptureDepth's study of Deuteronomy 24

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be, if she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.”

Deuteronomy 24:1

Moses presents this law to the Israelites about divorce, which sets clear parameters for marriage and the legal processes involved in ending a union.

What Deuteronomy 24 is about

When a man marries a wife and she finds no favor, he may write her a bill of divorce and send her out (vv. 1-2). If she marries another man and he divorces her or dies, her first husband cannot remarry her (v. 4). A man who takes a new wife cannot go to war for one year but shall stay home and cheer his wife (v. 5). No one may take a millstone as a pledge since it represents a life (vv. 6-7). The people must be diligent in following the regulations about leprosy as instructed by the priests (vv. 8-9). When lending, a lender should stand outside and not enter the borrower's home to collect a pledge (vv. 10-11). A poor man's pledge must be returned by sundown so he can have his garment to sleep in (vv. 12-13). Workers must be treated fairly, with wages given promptly (vv. 14-15). Justice must be upheld for foreigners, the fatherless, and widows (vv. 16-22).

Remember that you were a slave in Egypt; therefore, I command you to do this.

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Deuteronomy 24 at a glance

  1. Deuteronomy 24:1–4Regulations on Divorce
  2. Deuteronomy 24:5New Marriages and Military Service
  3. Deuteronomy 24:6–7Prohibitions on Pledges
  4. Deuteronomy 24:8–9Observing Leprosy Laws
  5. Deuteronomy 24:10–13Lending Practices and Justice
  6. Deuteronomy 24:14–15Fair Treatment of Workers
  7. Deuteronomy 24:16–22Justice for Vulnerable Groups

Key verse: Deuteronomy 24:1

Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.

Chapter text

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Regulations on Divorce Deuteronomy 24:1–4

Verse 1. When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be, if she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house. Verse 2. When she has departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. Verse 3. If the latter husband hates her, and write her a bill of divorce, and puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife;

Verse 4. her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before Yahweh. You shall not cause the land to sin, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance.

New Marriages and Military Service Deuteronomy 24:5

Verse 5. When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out in the army, neither shall he be assigned any business. He shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken.

Prohibitions on Pledges Deuteronomy 24:6–7

Verse 6. No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge; for he takes a life in pledge. Verse 7. If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him; then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

Observing Leprosy Laws Deuteronomy 24:8–9

Verse 8. Be careful in the plague of leprosy, that you observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites teach you. As I commanded them, so you shall observe to do. Verse 9. Remember what Yahweh your God did to Miriam, by the way as you came out of Egypt.

Lending Practices and Justice Deuteronomy 24:10–13

Verse 10. When you lend your neighbor any kind of loan, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. Verse 11. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge outside to you. Verse 12. If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. Verse 13. You shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment, and bless you. It shall be righteousness to you before Yahweh your God.

Fair Treatment of Workers Deuteronomy 24:14–15

Verse 14. You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers, or one of the foreigners who are in your land within your gates. Verse 15. In his day you shall give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor, and sets his heart on it; lest he cry against you to Yahweh, and it be sin to you.

Justice for Vulnerable Groups Deuteronomy 24:16–22

Verse 16. 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. Verse 17. You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge; Verse 18. but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you there. Therefore I command you to do this thing. Verse 19. When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

Verse 20. When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. Verse 21. When you harvest your vineyard, you shall not glean it after yourselves. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. Verse 22. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. Therefore I command you to do this thing.

World English Bible (public domain)

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Main themes in Deuteronomy 24

Marriage and Divorce

Regulations on divorce are found in verses 1-4. A man may write a bill of divorce if 'she finds no favor in his eyes' due to 'some unseemly thing.' After her departure, she may marry another man, but if he divorces her, her first husband cannot remarry her, as this would be an 'abomination before Yahweh.' This regulation seeks to establish boundaries around marital relationships.

Social Justice

Social justice is addressed in several areas, particularly in verses 10-15. Instructions for lending prohibit entering a neighbor's house to collect a pledge, emphasizing respect for personal space. The text commands fair treatment of hired workers and forbids oppressing the poor. These regulations are aimed at promoting equitable treatment within the community.

Compassion for the Vulnerable

Compassion for vulnerable groups is woven throughout the chapter, especially in verses 19-22. Farmers are instructed to leave portions of their harvest for the needy, specifically for the poor and the foreigner. This provision calls for consideration of those in need and acknowledges the Israelites' history as former slaves. The directive indicates community responsibility for those who are less fortunate.

Covenant Faithfulness

Covenant faithfulness is reinforced in verses 18 and 22. The text commands justice toward the vulnerable, reminding the Israelites of their past as slaves in Egypt, stating, 'you were a slave in the land of Egypt.' This recollection serves as a basis for their obligation to follow Yahweh's commands, thereby linking their historical experience to ongoing covenantal responsibilities.

Chapter outline

How Deuteronomy 24 unfolds

  1. Deuteronomy 24:1–4 Regulations on Divorce

    If a man finds 'some unseemly thing' in his wife, he may write her a bill of divorce and send her away (v. 1). If she marries another man and is divorced again, she cannot return to her first husband (v. 4).

  2. Deuteronomy 24:5 New Marriages and Military Service

    A newly married man is not to be sent to war or assigned other duties for one year, allowing him to focus on his wife (v. 5).

  3. Deuteronomy 24:6–7 Prohibitions on Pledges

    Taking a mill or upper millstone as a pledge is prohibited because it would take 'a life in pledge' (v. 6). If someone steals another Israelite and sells him, the thief is to be executed (v. 7).

  4. Deuteronomy 24:8–9 Observing Leprosy Laws

    The Israelites are instructed to follow the priests' guidelines on leprosy, remembering Yahweh's actions regarding Miriam (v. 9). Observing these laws is essential for maintaining community health (v. 8).

  5. Deuteronomy 24:10–13 Lending Practices and Justice

    Lenders must stand outside to receive a pledge and cannot enter a borrower's home (vv. 10-11). If a poor man offers a pledge, it must be returned by sunset so he can sleep in it (vv. 12-13).

  6. Deuteronomy 24:14–15 Fair Treatment of Workers

    Israelites are prohibited from oppressing poor and needy hired servants, ensuring they receive their wages by the end of the day (vv. 14-15). This is to prevent their cries from reaching Yahweh as a sin against the employer.

  7. Deuteronomy 24:16–22 Justice for Vulnerable Groups

    Justice must be upheld for the foreigner, fatherless, and widow, who cannot be deprived of their rights or have their clothing taken as pledge (vv. 17-18). The Israelites are commanded to remember their own past as slaves in Egypt (v. 22).

Key verses

  • Deuteronomy 24:1Moses presents this law to the Israelites about divorce, which sets clear parameters for marriage and the legal processes involved in ending a union.

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Study questions

Questions for studying Deuteronomy 24

SummarizeObserveInterpretApply

Uses your daily Ask questions.

  1. observeIn v1, what does a man need to provide when divorcing his wife?
  2. observeWhat does the phrase 'you shall not oppress' in v14 indicate about treatment of workers?
  3. interpretIn v4, why is the act of taking a former wife back described as 'abomination'?
  4. interpretIn v18, how does the command to remember slavery in Egypt affect justice for the vulnerable?
  5. applyWhen have you found it difficult to show fairness as instructed in v14?

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Deuteronomy 24: frequently asked questions

What is Deuteronomy 24 about?+
When a man marries a wife and she finds no favor, he may write her a bill of divorce and send her out (vv. 1-2).
What is the key verse in Deuteronomy 24?+
Deuteronomy 24:1: “When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be, if she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.”
What are the main themes of Deuteronomy 24?+
The main themes of Deuteronomy 24 are Marriage and Divorce, Social Justice, Compassion for the Vulnerable, Covenant Faithfulness.

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Study Notes