Deuteronomy 24

1 When a man taketh a woman, and marrieth her, then shall it be, if she find not favour in his eyes, because he hath found in her some matter of shame, that he shall write her a scroll of divorcement, and put it into her hand, and shall send her forth, out of his house.

“Suppose a man marries a woman and later decides that he does not want her because there is something about her that he doesn’t like. And suppose he writes on paper that he is divorcing her, and he gives the paper to her [SYN] and sends her away from his house.

2 And, when she cometh forth out of his house, then may she go her way, and become another man’s.

Then suppose that she goes and marries another man,

3 But if the latter husband hate her, and write her a scroll of divorcement and put it into her hand, and send her away out of his house, —or, if the latter husband die, who had taken her to him to wife,

and that man [later also] decides that he does not like her, and he also writes on paper that he is divorcing her, and he sends her away from his house. Or, suppose that the second husband dies.

4 then may her first husband who sent her away not again take her to become his wife after that she hath been defiled, for that were an abomination, before Yahweh, —lest thou bring sin upon the land which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee for an inheritance.

If either of those things happens, her first husband must not marry her again. He must consider that she has become unacceptable to Yahweh. Yahweh would consider it to be disgusting [if he married her again]. You must not sin [MTY] by doing that in the land that Yahweh our God is giving to you.”

5 When a man taketh a new wife, he shall not go forth to war, neither shall he be charged with any business, —free, shall he be for his own house one year, and shall rejoice with his wife whom he hath taken.

“When some man has recently become married, he must not [be required to] become a soldier in the army or be required to do any other work [for the government] for one year [after being married]. He should stay happily at home with his wife for that year.

6 No man shall take in pledge a handmill, or an upper millstone, —for he would be taking life, in pledge.

“Anyone who lends money to someone else [is allowed to require that person to give him something] to guarantee [that he will pay back the money that he borrowed. But] he must not take from him his (millstone/stone for grinding grain). That would be taking [the millstone that his family needs to grind the grain to make the bread] they need to stay alive.

7 When a man is found stealing any person from among his brethren of the sons of Israel, and making merchandise of him, or selling him, then shall that thief die, so shalt thou consume the wicked thing out of thy midst.

“If someone kidnaps/steals a fellow Israeli to cause that person to become his slave or to sell him [to become someone else’s slave], you must execute the person who did that. By doing that, you will get rid of this evil among you.

8 Take heed, in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do, —according to all that the priests the Levites shall direct you, as I have commanded them, so shall ye observe to do.

“If you are suffering from (leprosy/a dreaded skin disease), be sure to do everything that the priests, who are from the tribe of Levi, tell you to do. Obey carefully the instructions that I have given to them.

9 Remember that which Yahweh thy God did to Miriam, —by the way, as ye came forth out of Egypt.

Do not forget what Yahweh our God did to Miriam, [when she became a leper], after your ancestors left Egypt.

10 When thou lendest thy neighbour a loan of anything, thou shalt not enter into his house to secure his pledge:

“When you lend something to someone, do not go into his house to take the cloak that he says that he will give you to guarantee [that he will return what he has borrowed].

11 outside, shalt thou stand, and the man to whom thou art lending, shall bring forth unto thee his pledge outside,

Stand outside his house, and the man to whom you are lending something will bring the cloak out to you.

12 And, if he be a poor man, thou shalt not sleep in his pledge:

But if he is poor, do not keep that cloak all night.

13 thou shalt, restore, to him the pledge at the going in of the sun, so shall he sleep in his own mantle, and bless thee, —and, unto thee, shall it be righteousness before Yahweh thy God.

When the sun sets, take the cloak back to him, in order that he may wear it while he sleeps. If you do that, he will [ask God to] bless you, and Yahweh our God will be pleased with you.

14 Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, —of thy brethren or of thy sojourners that are in thy land, within thy gates;

“Do not mistreat any servants whom you have hired who are poor and needy [DOU], whether they are Israelis or foreigners who are living in your town.

15 for his day, shalt thou give his hire neither shall the sun, go in upon it, for, poor, he is, and, unto it, is he lifting up his soul, —lest he cry out against thee, unto Yahweh, and it be, in thee a sin.

Every day, before sunset, you must pay/give them the money that they have earned. They are poor and they need to get their pay. If you do not pay them right away, they will cry out against you to Yahweh, and he will punish [MTY] you for having sinned like that.

16 Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor shall sons, be put to death for fathers, —every man, for his own sin, shall he put to death.

“Parents must not be executed for crimes that their children have committed, and children must not be executed for crimes that their parents have committed. People should be executed only for the crimes that they themselves have committed.

17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the sojourner [or] the fatherless, —neither shalt thou take in pledge the garment of a widow;

“You must [LIT] do for foreigners [who live] among you and for orphans what the laws state must be done for them. And [if you lend something to] a widow, do not take her coat from her as a guarantee [that she will return it].

18 so shalt thou remember that, a servant, becamest thou in Egypt, and that Yahweh thy God, redeemed thee, from thence, —therefore, am I commanding thee to do this thing.

Do not forget that [you had great hardships/troubles when] you were slaves in Egypt, and Yahweh our God rescued you from there. That is why I am commanding you [to help others who have troubles].

19 When thou cuttest down thy harvest in thy field and forgettest a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not turn back to fetch it, to the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, shall it belong, —that Yahweh thy God, may bless thee, in all the Work of thy hands.

“When you harvest your crops, if you have forgotten [that you left] one bundle in the field, do not go back to get it. [Leave it there] for foreigners, orphans, and widows. If you do that, Yahweh will bless you in everything that you do.

20 When thou beatest thine olive-tree, thou shalt not glean after thee, —to the sojourner to the fatherless and to the widow, shall it belong,

And when you have harvested/picked all your olives from the trees once, do not go back [to pick the ones that are still] on the trees.

21 When thou cuttest off the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not go about picking after thee, —to the sojourner to the fatherless and to the widow, shall it belong:

[Similarly], when you pick the grapes in your vineyard, do not go back a second time [to try to find more]. Leave them for the foreigners, orphans, and widows [among you].

22 so shalt thou remember that a servant, becamest thou in the land of Egypt, —therefore, am I commending thee to do this thing.

Do not forget that [Yahweh was kind to you when] you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I am commanding you [to be kind to those who are needy].”