Marriage and Divorce Laws
(Matthew 5:31–32; Luke 16:18)

1  כִּֽי־ (When) יִקַּ֥ח (takes) אִ֛ישׁ (a man) אִשָּׁ֖ה (a wife) וּבְעָלָ֑הּ (and marries her), וְהָיָ֞ה (and it comes to pass) אִם־ (that) לֹ֧א (not) תִמְצָא־ (she finds) חֵ֣ן (favor) בְּעֵינָ֗יו (in his eyes) כִּי־ (because) מָ֤צָא (he has found) בָהּ֙ (in her) עֶרְוַ֣ת (uncleanness) דָּבָ֔ר (some), וְכָ֨תַב (and he writes) לָ֜הּ (to her) סֵ֤פֶר (a certificate) כְּרִיתֻת֙ (of divorce) וְנָתַ֣ן (and puts it) בְּיָדָ֔הּ (into her hand) וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ (and sends her) מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃ (out of his house), 2  וְיָצְאָ֖ה (and she has departed) מִבֵּית֑וֹ (from his house) וְהָלְכָ֖ה (and goes) וְהָיְתָ֥ה (and becomes) לְאִישׁ־ (to a man) אַחֵֽר׃ (another), 3  וּשְׂנֵאָהּ֮ (and detests her) הָאִ֣ישׁ (the husband) הָאַחֲרוֹן֒ (latter) וְכָ֨תַב (and writes) לָ֜הּ (her) סֵ֤פֶר (a certificate) כְּרִיתֻת֙ (of divorce), וְנָתַ֣ן (and puts it) בְּיָדָ֔הּ (in her hand) וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ (and sends her out) מִבֵּית֑וֹ (of his house), א֣וֹ (or) כִ֤י (if) יָמוּת֙ (dies) הָאִ֣ישׁ (the husband) הָאַחֲר֔וֹן (latter) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) לְקָחָ֥הּ (took her) ל֖וֹ (his) לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (as wife), 4  לֹא־ (then not) יוּכַ֣ל (must) בַּעְלָ֣הּ (her husband) הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן (former) אֲשֶֽׁר־ (who) שִׁ֠לְּחָהּ (divorced her) לָשׁ֨וּב (back) לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ (take her) לִהְי֧וֹת (to be) ל֣וֹ (to him) לְאִשָּׁ֗ה (wife) אַחֲרֵי֙ (after) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (after) הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה (she has been defiled); כִּֽי־ (for) תוֹעֵבָ֥ה (an abomination) הִ֖וא (that is) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH), וְלֹ֤א (and not) תַחֲטִיא֙ (you shall bring sin) אֶת־ (-) הָאָ֔רֶץ (upon the land) אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) נֹתֵ֥ן (is giving) לְךָ֖ (to you) נַחֲלָֽה׃ס (as an inheritance).

5  כִּֽי־ (When) יִקַּ֥ח (has taken) אִישׁ֙ (a man) אִשָּׁ֣ה (a wife) חֲדָשָׁ֔ה (new), לֹ֤א (not) יֵצֵא֙ (he shall go out) בַּצָּבָ֔א (to war) וְלֹא־ (or) יַעֲבֹ֥ר (be charged) עָלָ֖יו (with) לְכָל־ (any) דָּבָ֑ר (thing). נָקִ֞י (Free) יִהְיֶ֤ה (he shall be) לְבֵיתוֹ֙ (at home) שָׁנָ֣ה (year) אֶחָ֔ת (one), וְשִׂמַּ֖ח (and bring joy) אֶת־ (-) אִשְׁתּ֥וֹ (to his wife) אֲשֶׁר־ (whom) לָקָֽח׃ס (he has taken).

Additional Laws

6  לֹא־ (No one) יַחֲבֹ֥ל (shall take in pledge) רֵחַ֖יִם (the lower) וָרָ֑כֶב (or the upper millstone), כִּי־ (for) נֶ֖פֶשׁ (a life) ה֥וּא (it is) חֹבֵֽל׃ס (for a pledge).

7  כִּי־ (If) יִמָּצֵ֣א (is found) אִ֗ישׁ (a man) גֹּנֵ֨ב (kidnapping) נֶ֤פֶשׁ (any) מֵאֶחָיו֙ (of his brothers) מִבְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), וְהִתְעַמֶּר־ (and he mistreats) בּ֖וֹ (him) וּמְכָר֑וֹ (or sells him), וּמֵת֙ (and shall die) הַגַּנָּ֣ב (the thief) הַה֔וּא (that). וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ (And you shall put away) הָרָ֖ע (the evil) מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃ (from among you).

8  הִשָּׁ֧מֶר (Take heed) בְּנֶֽגַע־ (in an outbreak) הַצָּרַ֛עַת (of leprosy) לִשְׁמֹ֥ר (that you observe) מְאֹ֖ד (carefully) וְלַעֲשׂ֑וֹת (and do according) כְּכֹל֩ (to all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) יוֹר֨וּ (shall teach) אֶתְכֶ֜ם (you⁺) הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים (the priests) הַלְוִיִּ֛ם (the Levites). כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (As) צִוִּיתִ֖ם (I commanded them), תִּשְׁמְר֥וּ (you⁺ shall be careful) לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ס (to do). 9  זָכ֕וֹר (Remember) אֵ֧ת (-) אֲשֶׁר־ (what) עָשָׂ֛ה (did) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God) לְמִרְיָ֑ם (to Miriam) בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ (on the way), בְּצֵאתְכֶ֥ם (when you⁺ came) מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ס (out of Egypt).

10  כִּֽי־ (When) תַשֶּׁ֥ה (you lend) בְרֵֽעֲךָ (your brother) מַשַּׁ֣את (a loan), מְא֑וּמָה (of anything) לֹא־ (not) תָבֹ֥א (you shall go) אֶל־ (into) בֵּית֖וֹ (his house) לַעֲבֹ֥ט (to get) עֲבֹטֽוֹ׃ (his pledge). 11  בַּח֖וּץ (Outside) תַּעֲמֹ֑ד (you shall stand), וְהָאִ֗ישׁ (and the man) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (to whom) אַתָּה֙ (you) נֹשֶׁ֣ה (lend) ב֔וֹ (in it) יוֹצִ֥יא (shall bring out) אֵלֶ֛יךָ (to you) אֶֽת־ (-) הַעֲב֖וֹט (the pledge) הַחֽוּצָה׃ (outside). 12  וְאִם־ (And if) אִ֥ישׁ (the man) עָנִ֖י (poor) ה֑וּא (is), לֹ֥א (not) תִשְׁכַּ֖ב (you shall lie asleep) בַּעֲבֹטֽוֹ׃ (with his pledge). 13  הָשֵׁב֩ (Returning) תָּשִׁ֨יב (you shall return) ל֤וֹ (to him) אֶֽת־ (-) הַעֲבוֹט֙ (the pledge) כְּבֹ֣א (when goes down) הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ (the sun), וְשָׁכַ֥ב (that he may sleep) בְּשַׂלְמָת֖וֹ (in his own garment), וּבֵֽרֲכֶ֑ךָּ (and bless you) וּלְךָ֙ (and to you) תִּהְיֶ֣ה (it shall be) צְדָקָ֔ה (righteousness) לִפְנֵ֖י (before the face of) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ס (your God).

14  לֹא־ (Not) תַעֲשֹׁ֥ק (you shall oppress) שָׂכִ֖יר (a hireling) עָנִ֣י (who is poor) וְאֶבְי֑וֹן (and needy), מֵאַחֶ֕יךָ (one of your brothers) א֧וֹ (or) מִגֵּרְךָ֛ (one of the foreigners) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who is) בְּאַרְצְךָ֖ (in your land) בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (within your gates). 15  בְּיוֹמוֹ֩ (Each day) תִתֵּ֨ן (you shall give him) שְׂכָר֜וֹ (his wage), וְֽלֹא־ (and not) תָב֧וֹא (let go down) עָלָ֣יו (on it) הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ (the sun); כִּ֤י (for) עָנִי֙ (is poor) ה֔וּא (he), וְאֵלָ֕יו (and on it) ה֥וּא (he) נֹשֵׂ֖א (lifts up) אֶת־ (-) נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (his heart), וְלֹֽא־ (lest) יִקְרָ֤א (he cry out) עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ (against you) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), וְהָיָ֥ה (and it be) בְךָ֖ (in you) חֵֽטְא׃ס (sin).

16  לֹֽא־ (Not) יוּמְת֤וּ (shall be put to death) אָבוֹת֙ (fathers) עַל־ (for) בָּנִ֔ים (sons); וּבָנִ֖ים (and sons) לֹא־ (neither) יוּמְת֣וּ (shall be put to death) עַל־ (for) אָב֑וֹת (fathers). אִ֥יש (A man) בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ (for his own sin) יוּמָֽתוּ׃ס (shall be put to death).

17  לֹ֣א (Not) תַטֶּ֔ה (you shall pervert) מִשְׁפַּ֖ט (justice due) גֵּ֣ר (the sojourner) יָת֑וֹם (or the fatherless), וְלֹ֣א (and not) תַחֲבֹ֔ל (take as a pledge) בֶּ֖גֶד (the garment) אַלְמָנָֽה׃ (of a widow). 18  וְזָכַרְתָּ֗ (And you shall remember) כִּ֣י (that) עֶ֤בֶד (a slave) הָיִ֙יתָ֙ (you were) בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם (in Egypt), וַֽיִּפְדְּךָ֛ (and redeemed you) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God) מִשָּׁ֑ם (from there). עַל־ (Upon) כֵּ֞ן (thus) אָנֹכִ֤י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֙ (command you) לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת (to do) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֖ר (the thing) הַזֶּֽה׃ס (this).

19  כִּ֣י (When) תִקְצֹר֩ (you reap) קְצִֽירְךָ֨ (your harvest) בְשָׂדֶ֜ךָ (in your field) וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֧ (and have forgotten) עֹ֣מֶר (a sheaf) בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה (in the field), לֹ֤א (not) תָשׁוּב֙ (you shall go back) לְקַחְתּ֔וֹ (to get it). לַגֵּ֛ר (To the sojourner), לַיָּת֥וֹם (to the fatherless), וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖ה (and to the widow) יִהְיֶ֑ה (it shall be), לְמַ֤עַן (that) יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ (may bless you) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) בְּכֹ֖ל (in all) מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה (the work) יָדֶֽיךָ׃ (of your hands).

20  כִּ֤י (When) תַחְבֹּט֙ (you beat) זֵֽיתְךָ֔ (your olive trees), לֹ֥א (not) תְפָאֵ֖ר (you shall go over the boughs) אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ (again). לַגֵּ֛ר (To the sojourner), לַיָּת֥וֹם (to the fatherless), וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖ה (and to the widow) יִהְיֶֽה׃ס (it shall be).

21  כִּ֤י (When) תִבְצֹר֙ (you gather the grapes) כַּרְמְךָ֔ (of your vineyard), לֹ֥א (not) תְעוֹלֵ֖ל (you shall glean) אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ (after yourself); לַגֵּ֛ר (to the sojourner), לַיָּת֥וֹם (to the fatherless), וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖ה (and to the widow) יִהְיֶֽה׃ (it shall be). 22  וְזָ֣כַרְתָּ֔ (And you shall remember) כִּי־ (that) עֶ֥בֶד (a slave) הָיִ֖יתָ (you were) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) מִצְרָ֑יִם (of Egypt). עַל־ (Upon) כֵּ֞ן (thus) אָנֹכִ֤י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֙ (command you) לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת (to do) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֖ר (the thing) הַזֶּֽה׃ס (this).