Deuteronomy

Moses gives speeches about laws and the importance of following God before the Israelites enter the Promised Land.

Chapter 24

1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

*When a man marries a woman but later doesn't like her due to finding something unclean, he should give her a written divorce and send her away from his home.

2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.

*When she leaves his home, she can marry another man.

3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;

*If the second husband doesn't like her, writes a divorce paper, gives it to her, and sends her away from his home, or if the second husband passes away, she is no longer his wife.

4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

*A previous husband who sent her away can't take her back as his wife if she's been unfaithful; this is wrong in God's eyes. Don't let this happen in the land God gave you, or it will be punished.

5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

*When a man gets a new wife, he shouldn't go to war or have other duties for a year. Instead, he should stay home and make his new wife happy.

6 No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge.

*No one should use the lower or upper grinding stone as collateral: because he is putting a person's life at risk.

7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

*If a man is caught stealing another Israelite and turns them into a slave or sells them, the thief should be executed to remove evil from your community.

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

*Be careful with the disease of leprosy. Listen closely to what the Levite priests teach about it, and follow their instructions exactly as I have told them.

9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.

*Remember how God helped Miriam while traveling after leaving Egypt.

10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.

*When you lend something to your brother, don't go into his home to take his collateral.

11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.

*You will stand outside, and the person you lend to will bring the collateral outside to you.

12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge:

*And if the person is poor, you mustn't sleep with their collateral.

13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God.

*If you do this, give back the pledge when the sun sets so he can rest wearing his own clothes and bless you. This will show that you are fair and following God's rules.

14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:

*Do not mistreat a poor, needy worker, whether they are your brother or a stranger living in your country. Treat them fairly within your city's walls.

15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.

*Give the worker their pay when they've done their work. Don't let the sun set on their wages. They're poor and rely on that money. If they complain to God about you, it will be a sin.

16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

*Fathers won't die because of their children, and children won't die for what their fathers did. Everyone will face consequences for their own wrongdoing.

17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:

*Do not twist justice for strangers or fatherless people, and don't use a widow's clothes as collateral.

18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

*But you must remember that you were once a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God saved you from there. That's why I am telling you to do this.

19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

*When you harvest your crops and forget a bundle in the field, don't go back to get it. It belongs to the traveler, orphan, and widow. This is so the Lord will bless everything you do.

20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

*When you shake your olive tree for olives, don't go back to hit it again. The extra olives are for those who are not part of a family (strangers), those without fathers, and those who have lost their husbands (widows).

21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

*When you harvest your grapes from your vineyard, don't go back to pick up any leftovers: they are for those who are not from there, those with no parents, and those who have lost their husband.

22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

*Remember you were a slave in Egypt, so I'm telling you to do this.

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