Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 3. And write her a bill of divorcement] These bills, though varying in expression, are the same in substance among the Jews in all places. The following, collected from Maimonides and others, is a general form, and contains all the particulars of such instruments. The reader who is curious may find a full account of divorces in the Biblioth. Rab. of Bartolocci, and the following form in that work, vol. iv., p. 550.
"In - day of the week, or day - of the month A., in - year from the creation of the world, or from the supputation (of Alexander) after the account that we are accustomed to count by, here, in the place B., I, C., the son of D., of the place B., (or if there be any other name which I have, or my father hath had, or which my place or my father's place hath had,) have voluntarily, and with the willingness of my soul, without constraint, dismissed, and left, and put away thee, even thee, E., the daughter of F., of the city G., (or if thou have any other name or surname, thou or thy father, or thy place or thy father's place,) who hast been my wife heretofore; but now I dismiss thee, and leave thee, and put thee away, that thou mayest be free, and have power over thy own life, to go away to be married to any man whom thou wilt; and that no man be refused of thine hand, for my name, from this day and for ever. And thus thou art lawful for any man; and this is unto thee, from me, a writing of divorcement, and book (instrument) of dismission, and an epistle of putting away; according to the Law of Moses and Israel.
A., son of B., witness.
C., son of D., witness."
John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And [if] the latter husband hate her , etc.] Or less loves her than another woman, and she is disliked by him as she was by her former husband; and write her a bill off divorcement, and giveth [it] into her hand , and sendeth her out of his house : as he had by this law a permission, in like manner as her former husband had; (see Gill on “ Deuteronomy 24:1”); or if her latter husband die, which took her [to be] his wife ; and she survives him; as she is then by death loosed from the law of an husband, she may lawfully marry another man, but not her former husband, as follows.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Where the providence of God, or his own wrong choice in marriage, ha allotted to a Christian a trial instead of a help meet; he will from his heart prefer bearing the cross, to such relief as tends to sin confusion, and misery. Divine grace will sanctify this cross, suppor under it, and teach so to behave, as will gradually render it mor tolerable.
Original Hebrew ושׂנאה8130 האישׁ376 האחרון314 וכתב3789 לה ספר5612 כריתת3748 ונתן5414 בידה3027 ושׁלחה7971 מביתו1004 או176 כי3588 ימות4191 האישׁ376 האחרון314 אשׁר834 לקחה3947 לו לאשׁה׃802
