The big picture
Deuteronomy 24 opens in verse 1 with “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge…”, and closes in verse 22 with “And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, pledge, wife, fatherless, house. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Deuteronomy · King James Version · 22Deuteronomy 24:1-8
1–8: When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that…
Deuteronomy 24:1–8 opens with “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in…” and reaches “Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 24 develops its own movement around LORD, pledge, wife, fatherless, house, with particular weight carried by wife, house, husband.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” The line’s distinctive content terms include bill, divorcement, eyes. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her…” The line’s distinctive content terms include husband, latter, bill. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
“When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Deuteronomy 24:1-8
King James Version1When 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.
2And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.
3And 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;
4Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD : and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
5When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.
6No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge.
7If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.
8Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do.
Deuteronomy 24:9-16
9–16: Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye…
Deuteronomy 24:9–16 opens with “Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of…” and reaches “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 24 develops its own movement around LORD, pledge, wife, fatherless, house, with particular weight carried by pledge, death, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
Deuteronomy 24:9-16
King James Version9Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.
10When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.
11Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.
12And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge:
13In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God.
14Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:
15At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD , and it be sin unto thee.
16The 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.
Deuteronomy 24:17-22
17–22: Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the…
Deuteronomy 24:17–22 opens with “Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s…” and reaches “And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 24 develops its own movement around LORD, pledge, wife, fatherless, house, with particular weight carried by fatherless, stranger, widow.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Deuteronomy 24:17-22
King James Version17Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:
18But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
19When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
20When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
21When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
22And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Deuteronomy 24:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Deuteronomy 24:18 forms a natural hinge: “But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.”
The final note
Deuteronomy 24:22 leaves the reader with “And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, pledge, wife, fatherless, house, stranger help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does Rebekah contribute beyond family eligibility?
Energy, hospitality and a direct decision to make the journey.
Why is the servant's retelling so long?
It presents the sequence to the family and explains why he sees divine guidance in it.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.