Deuteronomy 24 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~1406 BC, the fortieth year after leaving Egypt
Location
The plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho
Audience
The second generation of Israelites, being taught how the poor and the vulnerable are to be treated in the land they are about to farm
Situation
Laws on divorce and remarriage, a year free of military duty for a newly married man, limits on taking a pledge for a loan, paying a hired worker the same day, individual responsibility in court, and leaving the edges of the harvest for the poor, the immigrant, the orphan and the widow.
Key Background
Divorce is regulated here rather than instituted, and the written certificate mattered because it publicly freed the woman to remarry instead of leaving her in an undefined status a former husband could exploit. Taking a poor man's cloak as security for a loan was allowed only until sunset, since the outer cloak doubled as a blanket and nights in the hill country are cold. Day laborers were paid daily because they had no savings, and the gleaning rules created a form of food access that let the poor work for their own supply rather than depend on handouts, the same practice that later shapes the story of Ruth.
If a man marries a woman and she doesn't please him because he finds something about her, he writes her a hands it to her, and sends her away from his house.
After she leaves his house, she's free to go and become another man's wife.
If that second husband also turns against her, writes her a divorce document, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house—or if that second husband dies—
then her first husband, who sent her away, is not allowed to take her back as his wife after she has been with another man. That would be to Yahweh. Don't bring guilt on the land that Yahweh your God is giving you as an
When a man is newly married, he must not be sent out with the army or be given any other public duty. He is free to stay home for one year and to the wife he has married.
No one may take a pair of — or even just the upper millstone — as collateral for a loan, because that would be taking someone's as collateral.
If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite — enslaving or selling them — that kidnapper must die. out this from among you.
When it comes to be very careful to do exactly what the Levitical priests instruct you. Follow carefully what I commanded them.
Remember what Yahweh your God did to on the journey after you left Egypt.
When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, don't go into their house to collect the collateral.
Stay outside and let the person you made the loan to bring the collateral out to you.
And if that person is poor, don't keep their collateral overnight.
Make sure you return their to them by sunset so they can sleep in it. They will be grateful to you, and Yahweh your God will consider it a
Don't take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and vulnerable, whether they're a fellow Israelite or an living in one of your towns.
Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and counting on it. Otherwise they may cry out to Yahweh against you, and you will be
Parents must not be put to death for their children's crimes, and children must not be put to death for their parents' crimes. Each person can only be put to death for their own
Don't deny to an immigrant or an orphan. Don't take a widow's clothing as collateral for a loan.
Remember that you were once enslaved in Egypt and Yahweh your God you from there. That's why I'm commanding you to do this.
When you're harvesting your field and you forget a out in the field, don't go back to get it. Leave it for the immigrant, the orphan, and the widow, so that Yahweh your God will everything you do.
When you the from your trees, don't go over the branches a second time. What's left is for the immigrant, the orphan, and the widow.
When you the from your vineyard, don't go through the vines a second time. What's left is for the immigrant, the orphan, and the widow.
Remember that you were once in the land of Egypt. That's why I'm commanding you to do this.