Deut. 24 Of the woman that was dismissed by her husband with a bill of divorcement, Deut. 24:1–4. The liberty of the new-married man, Deut. 24:5. Pawns and pledges, Deut. 24:6. Man-stealers, Deut. 24:7. Leprosy, Deut. 24:8. And again of pawns or pledges, Deut. 24:10–13. Of day wages, Deut.

That she find no favour in his eyes, i.e. he dislike and loathe her. It is a figure called meiosis, whereby more is understood than is expressed, as Prov. 10:2, Prov. 17:21, Prov. 24:23. Uncleanness; Heb. nakedness, or shamefulness, or filthiness of a thing, i.e.

For although he could not causelessly put her away without sin, yet she being put away, and forsaken by her husband, might marry another without sin, as is determined in the same or a like case, 1 Cor. 7:15.

This is the punishment of his levity and injustice in putting her away without sufficient cause, which by this offer he now acknowledgeth. After that she is defiled; not simply and absolutely, as if her second marriage were a sin, but respectively, or as to her first husband, to whom she is as a…

Any business, i.e. any public office or employment, which may cause an absence from or neglect of his wife. He shall be free at home one year, that their affections newly engaged may be firmly settled, so as there may be no occasions for the divorces last mentioned.

The nether or the upper millstone, used in their handmills; of which see Ex. 11:5, Num. 11:8, Jer. 25:10. Under this one kind he understands all other things necessary to get a livelihood, the taking away whereof is against the laws both of charity and prudence, seeing by those things alone he can…

See Poole “Ex. 21:16”.

By which words he plainly intimates, that they were not only to have an eye to the Levites’ instructions, but also and especially unto the word and command of God, and that if the Levites’ sentence were manifestly contrary to the command of God, it were not to be obeyed.

God smote Miriam with leprosy for her contempt of Moses, and therefore thou mayst expect the same or like punishment, if thou dost despise the counsel and direction of the Levites, which I have set over thee, and commanded thee to observe in this and the like matters.

To prevent both the poor man’s reproach, by having his wants exposed to view, and the creditor’s insolence and greediness, which might be occasioned by the sight of something which he desired, and the debtor could not spare.

He shall choose what pledge he please, provided only it be sufficient for the purpose.

But restore it before night, which intimates that he should take no such thing for pledge, without which a man cannot sleep, since it were an idle thing to fetch it and carry it every day. See Poole “Ex. 22:26–27”.

Bless thee, instrumentally, as ministers are said to convert and save sinners, to wit, bring down the blessing of God upon thee by his prayers; for though his prayers, if he be not a good man, shall not avail for his own behalf, yet they shall avail for thy benefit.

Either by laying too grievous burdens of work upon him, or by withholding his wages from him, as it follows.

At his day; at the time appointed, weekly or daily. Neither shall the sun go down upon it, to wit, after the day upon which it is due, and desired or demanded by him; for justice must not be denied or delayed. Setteth his heart upon it, Heb.

Understand it thus, if the one be free from the guilt of the other’s sin, and except in those cases where the sovereign Lord of life and death, before whom none is innocent, hath commanded it, as Deut. 13:0; Josh. 7:24.

Nor of the fatherless; nor of the widow, which is to be supplied out of the last member; nor indeed of any other person; but he particularly mentions these, partly because men are most apt to wrong such helpless persons, and partly because God is pleased especially to charge himself, and so to…

Thou shalt remember, to wit, affectionately and practically; and by the compassionate sense of others’ miseries, thou shalt make it evident that thou hast not forgotten thy own distresses and deliverances.

When thou beatest thine olive tree with staves, as they used to do to fetch down the olives.