The word translated “putting away” in Malachi 2:16 is not keriythuwth, the Hebrew word for divorce. Instead, it is the word shalach. (See Malachi 2:14-16 in the American Standard Version, 1901.) The practice of “putting away” was cruel and adulterous, but most importantly it was not a legal divorce. It was much worse, for it ignored the wife’s welfare. The woman who was “put away” was cast aside, and not lived with as a true spouse. (It can apply to both genders.)
There are Bible teachers today who say that you can make no distinction between the two words (keriythuwth and shalach) because they were used synonymously. Yes, they were used synonymously...by hard-hearted men! That was the root of the problem. That is what Deuteronomy 24:1-2 and Matthew 19:7-8 were all about. On account of the hardness of men’s hearts, husbands were sending away their wives without concern for their welfare, putting them away without providing them a legal bill of divorcement, and failing to pay the “bride price,” (monetary compensation paid to the wife in the event of the cessation of their marriage).
Many of us have heard sermons on how “God Hates Divorce,” based on this passage in Malachi:
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Author: Compiled
Keywords: Marriage, Divorce, Bill of divorcement, Certificate of divorce, Certificate of divorcement, Bill of divorce, School of Hillel, School of Shammai, Any cause, Every cause, Divorce for any cause, Divorce of every cause, Rabbinic debate, Commits adultery, Remarriage, remarried, remarry, Divorcement, Exception clause, Put away, Put assunder, Putteth away, Divorcee, matter of indecency, no fault divorce, any matter, divorce marriage, divorce remarriage, domestic violence, sexual abuse, husbands and wives
Bible reference(s): Deuteronomy 24:1-3, Malachi 2:16, Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9, Mark 10:4, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:2-3, 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, 1 Corinthians 7:13, 1 Corinthians 7:15, 1 Corinthians 7:27
Source: Compiled.
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