the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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King James Version
Matthew 1:19
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Concordances:
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- CondensedParallel Translations
Mary's husband, Joseph, was a good man. He did not want to cause her public disgrace, so he planned to divorce her secretly.
The Ioseph her husbande beinge a perfect ma and loth to make an ensample of hir was mynded to put her awaye secretely.
Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her secretly.Deuteronomy 24:1;">[xr]
And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.
Because Mary's husband, Joseph, was a good man, he did not want to disgrace her in public, so he planned to divorce her secretly.
But Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to publicly expose her, decided to divorce her privately.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just [man], and not willing to make her a public example, purposed to put her away privately.
And Joseph her [promised] husband, being a just and righteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her away and divorce her quietly.
And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and yet not willing to make her a publick example, purposed to put her away privily.
But Joseph her husband, being a kind-hearted man and unwilling publicly to disgrace her, had determined to release her privately from the betrothal.
And Joseph, hir hosebonde, for he was riytful, and wolde not puplische hir, he wolde priueli haue left hir.
And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding.
And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
And Joseph, her husband, being an upright man, and not desiring to make her a public example, had a mind to put her away privately.
Her husband-to-be, Yosef, was a man who did what was right; so he made plans to break the engagement quietly, rather than put her to public shame.
But Joseph, her husband, being [a] righteous [man], and unwilling to expose her publicly, purposed to have put her away secretly;
But Jauseph her husband was just, and, not willing to defame her, meditated privately to release her.
And Joseph her husband was a righteous man, and unwilling to expose her: and he thought of putting her away privately.
Then Ioseph her husband being a iust man, and not willing to make her a publique example, was minded to put her away priuily.
Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
Joseph was her promised husband. He was a good man and did not want to make it hard for Mary in front of people. He thought it would be good to break the promised marriage without people knowing it.
Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.
Then Ioseph her husbande being a iust man, and not willing to make her a publike example, was minded to put her away secretly.
But Joseph her husband was a pious man, and did not wish to make it public; so hewas thinking of divorcing her secretly.
Moreover, Joseph her husband, being, righteous, and yet unwilling to expose her, - intended, privately, to divorce her.
Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.
and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
Then Ioseph her husbande, beyng a ryghteous man, and not wyllyng to make her a publique example, was mynded priuily to put her away.
Joseph was a man who always did what was right, but he did not want to disgrace Mary publicly; so he made plans to break the engagement privately.
So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.
Yosef, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
So Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to divorce her secretly.
But her husband to be , Joseph, being just, and not willing to make her a public example, he purposed to put her away secretly.
and Joseph her husband being righteous, and not willing to make her an example, did wish privately to send her away.
But Ioseph her hussbande was a perfect man, and wolde not bringe her to shame, but was mynded to put her awaie secretely.
but Joseph her husband, being a good-natur'd man, and unwilling to expose her to publick shame, he designed to put her away privately.
Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
In order to avoid an embarrassing shotgun wedding, Joseph was just gonna go away and leave Mary quietly.
And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.
And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
her husband: Leviticus 19:20, Deuteronomy 22:23, Deuteronomy 22:24
a just: Genesis 6:9, Psalms 112:4, Psalms 112:5, Mark 6:20, Luke 2:25, Acts 10:22
a public: Genesis 38:24, Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:21-24, John 8:4, John 8:5
was: Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Mark 10:4
Reciprocal: Judges 19:3 - speak Ezekiel 16:38 - as women Matthew 19:7 - and to Luke 2:5 - General
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then Joseph her husband,.... To whom she had been betrothed, and who was her husband, and she his wife according to the Jewish law, Deuteronomy 22:23 though not yet come together,
being a just man, observant of the law of God, particularly that which respected adultery, being wholly good and chaste, like the Patriarch of the same name; a character just the reverse of that which the Jews give him, in their scandalous b book of the life of Jesus; where, in the most malicious manner, they represent him as an unchaste and an unrighteous person:
and not willing to make her a public example, or to deliver her, i.e. to the civil magistrate, according to Munster's Hebrew edition. The Greek word signifies to punish by way of example to others, to deter them from sinning; and with the ancients it c denoted the greatest and severest punishment. Here it means either bringing her before the civil magistrate, in order to her being punished according to the law in Deuteronomy 22:23 which requires the person to be brought out to the gate of the city and stoned with stones, which was making a public example indeed; or divorcing her in a very public manner, and thereby expose her to open shame and disgrace. To prevent which, he being tender and compassionate, though strictly just and good,
was minded to put her away privily: he deliberately consulted and determined within himself to dismiss her, or put her away by giving her a bill of divorce, in a very private manner; which was sometimes done by putting it into the woman's hand or bosom, see Deuteronomy 24:1. In Munster's Hebrew Gospel it is rendered, "it was in his heart to forsake her privately."
b Teldos Jesu, p. 3. c A. Gellii Noct. Attic. l. 6. c. 14.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Her husband - The word in the original does not imply that they were married. It means here the man to whom she was espoused.
A just man - Justice consists in rendering to every man his own. Yet this is evidently not the character intended to be given here of Joseph. The meaning is that he was kind, tender, merciful; that he was so attached to Mary that he was not willing that she should be exposed to public shame. He sought, therefore, secretly to dissolve the connection, and to restore her to her friends without the punishment commonly inflicted on adultery. The word just has not unfrequently this meaning of mildness, or mercy. See 1 John 1:9; compare Cicero, De Fin. 5, 23.
A public example - To expose her to public shame or infamy. Adultery has always been considered a crime of a very heinous nature. In Egypt, it was punished by cutting off the nose of the adulteress; in Persia, the nose and ears were cut off; in Judea, the punishment was death by stoning, Leviticus 20:10; Ezekiel 16:38, Ezekiel 16:40; John 8:5. This punishment was also inflicted where the person was not married, but betrothed, Deu 21:23-24. In this case, therefore, the regular punishment would have been death in this painful and ignominious manner. Yet Joseph was a religious man - mild and tender; and he was not willing to complain of her to the magistrate, and expose her to death, but sought to avoid the shame, and to put her away privately.
Put her away privily - The law of Moses gave the husband the power of divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1. It was customary in a bill of divorce to specify the causes for which the divorce was made, and witnesses were also present to testify to the divorce. But in this case, it seems, Joseph resolved to put her away without specifying the cause; for he was not willing to make her a public example. This is the meaning here of “privily.” Both to Joseph and Mary this must have been a great trial. Joseph was ardently attached to her, but her character was likely to be ruined, and he deemed it proper to separate her from him. Mary was innocent, but Joseph was not yet satisfied of her innocence. We may learn from this to put our trust in God. He will defend the innocent. Mary was in danger of being exposed to shame. Had she been connected with a cruel, passionate, and violent man, she would have died in disgrace. But God had so ordered it that she was betrothed to a man mild, amiable, and tender: and in due time Joseph was apprised of the truth in the case, and took his faithful and beloved wife to his bosom. Thus, our only aim should be to preserve a conscience void of offence, and God will guard our reputation. We may be assailed by slander; circumstances may be against us; but in due time God will take care to vindicate our character and save us from ruin. See Psalms 37:5-6.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 1:19. To make her a public example — παραδειγματισαι, to expose her to public infamy; from παρα, near, and δεικνυμαι, I show, or expose; what is oddly, though emphatically, called in England, showing up-exposing a character to public view. Though Joseph was a righteous man, δικαιος, and knew that the law required that such persons as he supposed his wife to be should be put to death, yet, as righteousness is ever directed by mercy, he determined to put her away or divorce her privately, i.e. without assigning any cause, that her life might be saved; and, as the offence was against himself, he had a right to pass it by if he chose. Some have supposed that the term δικαιος should be translated merciful, and it certainly often has this signification; but here it is not necessary.
