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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Matthew 19:7

"Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?" they asked.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Divorce;   Jesus, the Christ;   Marriage;   Scofield Reference Index - Kingdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Divorce;   Foes of the Home;   Home;   The Topic Concordance - Divorce;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Husbands;   Marriage;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Woman;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adultery;   Divorce;   Ethics;   Government;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Divorce;   Hardening, Hardness of Heart;   Homosexuality;   Marriage;   Woman;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Marriage;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Concubine;   Deuteronomy;   Divorce;   Wife;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Law;   Matthew, the Gospel According to;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Apostasy;   Divorce;   History;   Marriage;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Christianity;   Law;   Moses;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Asceticism (2);   Bill;   Celibacy (2);   Character;   Common Life;   Discourse;   Divorce (2);   Eunuch ;   Example;   Home (2);   Law of God;   Moses ;   Questions and Answers;   Searching;   Supremacy;   Womanliness;   Writing;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Divorce;   Marriage;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Concubine;   Lamech;   Marriage;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Deuteronomy;   Law of Moses;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Pharisees;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Garden of Eden;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Divorce in Old Testament;   Divorce in New Testament;   Family;   Law in the New Testament;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Divorce;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Why then,” they asked him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away?”
King James Version (1611)
They say vnto him, Why did Moses then command to giue a writing of diuorcement, and to put her away?
King James Version
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
English Standard Version
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?"
New American Standard Bible
They said to Him, "Why, then, did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND HER AWAY?"
New Century Version
The Pharisees asked, "Why then did Moses give a command for a man to divorce his wife by giving her divorce papers?"
Amplified Bible
The Pharisees said to Him, "Why then did Moses command us to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND HER AWAY?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
They said to him, Why did then Moses commaund to giue a bill of diuorcement, and to put her away?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?"
Legacy Standard Bible
They *said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Berean Standard Bible
"Why then," they asked, "did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Contemporary English Version
The Pharisees asked Jesus, "Why did Moses say that a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?"
Complete Jewish Bible
They said to him, "Then why did Moshe give the commandment that a man should hand his wife a get and divorce her?"
Darby Translation
They say to him, Why then did Moses command to give a letter of divorce and to send [her] away?
Easy-to-Read Version
The Pharisees asked, "Then why did Moses give a command allowing a man to divorce his wife by writing a certificate of divorce?"
George Lamsa Translation
They said to him, Why then did Moses command to give a letter of separation and then divorce her?
Good News Translation
The Pharisees asked him, "Why, then, did Moses give the law for a man to hand his wife a divorce notice and send her away?"
Lexham English Bible
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command us to give a document—a certificate of divorce—and to divorce her?"
Literal Translation
They said to Him, Why then did Moses command to "give a bill of divorce," "and to put her away"? Deut. 24:1
American Standard Version
They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?
Bible in Basic English
They say to him, Why then did Moses give orders that a husband might give her a statement in writing and be free from her?
Hebrew Names Version
They asked him, "Why then did Moshe command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?"
International Standard Version
They asked him, "Why, then, did Moses order us 'to give a certificate of divorce and divorce her'?"Deuteronomy 24:1,3">[fn]Deuteronomy 24:1; Matthew 5:31;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
They said to him, Why then did Musha direct that he should give a writing of dismissal and send her away?
Murdock Translation
They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put her away?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They say vnto hym: why did Moyses then commaunde to geue a writyng of diuorcement, and to put her away?
English Revised Version
They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?
World English Bible
They asked him, "Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
They say to him, Why then did Moses command to give a writing of divorce and put her away?
Weymouth's New Testament
"Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her `a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei seien to hym, What thanne comaundide Moises, to yyue a libel of forsakyng, and to leeue of?
Update Bible Version
They say to him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to divorce her?
Webster's Bible Translation
They say to him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
New English Translation
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?"
New King James Version
They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"
New Life Bible
The proud religious law-keepers said to Jesus, "Then why did the Law of Moses allow a man to divorce his wife if he put it down in writing and gave it to her?"
New Revised Standard
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They say unto him - Why then did, Moses, command, to give a writing of repudiation and to divorce?
Douay-Rheims Bible
They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away?
Revised Standard Version
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The sayde they to him: why did Moses comaunde to geve a testimoniall of divorsemet and to put hyr awaye?
Young's Literal Translation
They say to him, `Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce, and to put her away?'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde they: Why dyd Moses then comaunde to geue a testimonyall of deuorsement, & to put her awaye?
Mace New Testament (1729)
why then, said they, did Moses permit to give a writ of divorce to repudiate the wife?
THE MESSAGE
They shot back in rebuttal, "If that's so, why did Moses give instructions for divorce papers and divorce procedures?"
Simplified Cowboy Version
"Why then," they replied, "did Moses say a man could fill out a piece of paper that busted up the wedlock and then he could send her packin'?"

Contextual Overview

3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: "Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?" 4 "Haven't you read the Scriptures?" Jesus replied. "They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.'" 5 And he said, "‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together." 7 "Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?" they asked. 8 Jesus replied, "Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful." 10 Jesus' disciples then said to him, "If this is the case, it is better not to marry!" 11 "Not everyone can accept this statement," Jesus said. "Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Why: Matthew 5:31, Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Isaiah 50:1, Jeremiah 3:8, Mark 10:4

and to: Matthew 1:19, Malachi 2:16

Reciprocal: John 5:45 - in

Cross-References

Genesis 19:4
But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house.
Genesis 19:9
"Stand back!" they shouted. "This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he's acting like our judge! We'll treat you far worse than those other men!" And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door.
Genesis 19:11
Then they blinded all the men, young and old, who were at the door of the house, so they gave up trying to get inside.
Genesis 19:23
Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon.
Genesis 19:24
Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.
Leviticus 18:22
"Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
Leviticus 20:13
"If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.
Deuteronomy 23:17
"No Israelite, whether man or woman, may become a temple prostitute.
Judges 19:23
The old man stepped outside to talk to them. "No, my brothers, don't do such an evil thing. For this man is a guest in my house, and such a thing would be shameful.
Acts 17:26
From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They say unto him,.... That is the Pharisees, who object the law of Moses to him, hoping hereby to ensnare him, and expose him to the resentment of the people, should he reject that, as they supposed he would;

why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and put her away? referring to Deuteronomy 24:1 which they thought to be a contradiction, and what they knew not how to reconcile to the doctrine Christ had delivered, concerning the original institution of marriage, and the close union there is between a man and his wife, by virtue of it, and which is not to be dissolved by men. Concerning a writing of divorcement and the form, and manner of it,

see Gill "Mt 5:31"

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Why did Moses ... - To this they objected that Moses had allowed such divorces Deuteronomy 24:1; and if he had allowed them, they inferred that they could not be unlawful. See the notes at Matthew 5:31.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 19:7. Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement? — It is not an unusual case for the impure and unholy to seek for a justification of their conduct from the law of God itself, and to wrest Scripture to their own destruction. I knew a gentleman, so called, who professed deep reverence for the sacred writings, and, strange as it may appear, was outwardly irreproachable in every respect but one; that was, he kept more women than his wife. This man frequently read the Bible, and was particularly conversant with those places that spoke of or seemed to legalize the polygamy of the patriarchs!

A writing of divorcement — See the form of it in Clarke's note on "Matthew 5:31".


 
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