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;

DEUTERONOMY 24:3KJV
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Deuteronomy 24:3 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 24:3 mean?

Deuteronomy 24:3 describes a situation where a woman, after being divorced and remarried, is either divorced again by her second husband or becomes widowed. The verse explains that if her second husband "hates" her and gives her a written divorce, or if he dies, she is released from that marriage as well.

In this part of Moses’ instructions to the Israelites, the focus is on the legal process and consequences of divorce and remarriage. The verse is part of a larger law that sets boundaries around marriage, divorce, and remarriage, aiming to protect individuals—especially women—in these situations by clarifying their legal status and what is permitted.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 24:3

  • The word "hate" (שָׂנֵא, śānēʾ) here means to dislike or reject, not necessarily strong emotional hatred. It signals the husband's decision to end the marriage, not just a feeling.
  • "Bill" (סֵפֶר, sēfer) and "divorcement" (כְּרִיתוּת, kĕritut) together refer to a formal written document, a "certificate of divorce," which was necessary for a legal separation. This shows that divorce was not just verbal but required an official act.
  • "Sendeth" (שָׁלַח, shālaḥ) means to send away or release. The verse emphasizes that the woman is not simply abandoned but formally released from the marriage, giving her the freedom to remarry.

Why Deuteronomy 24:3 matters

  • This verse clarifies that divorce in ancient Israel was a formal, legal process involving documentation, not just a private decision.
  • It highlights the protection of a woman's rights by ensuring she receives a written divorce, which allowed her to remarry without accusation of adultery.
  • Deuteronomy 24:3 is part of a larger passage that sets boundaries on remarriage, especially regarding returning to a former spouse, which is addressed in the following verses. This helps prevent the misuse of marriage and divorce laws for personal advantage.

Where else these words appear

“divorcement” Hebrew H3748 · used in 4 verses

  • Deuteronomy 24:1 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.
  • Isaiah 50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
  • Jeremiah 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

“latter” Hebrew H314 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
  • 1 Chronicles 23:27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:
  • Psalms 78:6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

“hate” Hebrew H8130 · used in 139 verses

  • Genesis 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
  • Esther 9:5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
  • Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: