Matthew 19:7
New International Version
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

New Living Translation
“Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.

English Standard Version
They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?”

Berean Standard Bible
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

Berean Literal Bible
They say to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce and to send her away?"

King James Bible
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

New King James Version
They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

New American Standard Bible
They said to Him, “Why, then, did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND HER AWAY?”

NASB 1995
They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?”

NASB 1977
They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?”

Legacy Standard Bible
They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?”

Amplified Bible
The Pharisees said to Him, “Why then did Moses command us to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND HER AWAY?”

Christian Standard Bible
“Why then,” they asked him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why then,” they asked Him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away?”

American Standard Version
They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
They were saying to him, “Why therefore did Moses command to give a writing of divorce and to send her away?”

Contemporary English Version
The Pharisees asked Jesus, "Why did Moses say a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?"

Douay-Rheims Bible
They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away?

English Revised Version
They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Pharisees asked him, "Why, then, did Moses order a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her?"

Good News Translation
The Pharisees asked him, "Why, then, did Moses give the law for a man to hand his wife a divorce notice and send her away?"

International Standard Version
They asked him, "Why, then, did Moses order us 'to give a certificate of divorce and divorce her'?"

Literal Standard Version
They say to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce, and to put her away?”

Majority Standard Bible
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

New American Bible
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss [her]?”

NET Bible
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?"

New Revised Standard Version
They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?”

New Heart English Bible
They asked him, "Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce, and divorce her?"

Webster's Bible Translation
They say to him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

Weymouth New Testament
"Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her 'a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"

World English Bible
They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and divorce her?”

Young's Literal Translation
They say to him, 'Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce, and to put her away?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Teachings about Divorce
6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart; but it was not this way from the beginning.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 24:1
If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.

Matthew 5:31
It has also been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'

Matthew 19:6
So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Matthew 19:8
Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart; but it was not this way from the beginning.


Treasury of Scripture

They say to him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorce, and to put her away?

Why.

Matthew 5:31
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

Deuteronomy 24:1-4
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…

Isaiah 50:1
Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

and to.

Matthew 1:19
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

Malachi 2:16
For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

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Matthew 19
1. Jesus heals the sick;
3. answers the Pharisees concerning divorce;
10. shows when marriage is necessary;
13. receives the little children;
16. instructs the young man how to attain eternal life;
20. and how to be perfect;
23. tells his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;
27. and promises reward to those who forsake all to follow him.














(7) They say unto him.--The question comes apparently from the advocates of the laxer school. They fell back from what would seem to them a vague abstract principle upon the letter of the Law. Was Moses, the great lawgiver, sanctioning what God had forbidden? Would the Prophet of Nazareth commit Himself to anything so bold as that?

Verse 7. - Why did Moses then command? If, as you assert, God ordained that marriage should be indissoluble, how comes it that Moses commanded (ἐνετείλατο) us to practise divorce, and prescribed rules as to its conduct? They are referring to Deuteronomy 24:1, 2. Jesus had escaped the trap which was laid for him, and foiled them by the very words of Scripture and the plain intention of the first institution. But they see their way to opposing the authority of the great lawgiver to the dictum and interpretation of this new Teacher. It cannot be supposed, they argue, that Moses would enjoin a practice condemned by the Word of God; therefore, if you abide by your exposition, you contradict Moses. A writing of divorcement. The man who desired to divorce his wife could not effect this separation by mere word of mouth or by violent ejectment; he must have a written document formally prepared and witnessed, necessitating certain delay and publicity. In regulating the method of divorce and giving rules which prevented it from being undertaken rashly and lightly, Moses could not justly be said to have commanded it. There were also two cases in which he absolutely forbade divorce (see Deuteronomy 22:13-19; Deuteronomy 22:28, 29).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“Why
Τί (Ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

then,”
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

they asked,
Λέγουσιν (Legousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“{did} Moses
Μωϋσῆς (Mōusēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3475: Or Moses, or Mouses of Hebrew origin; Moseus, Moses, or Mouses, the Hebrew lawgiver.

order [a man]
ἐνετείλατο (eneteilato)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1781: To give orders (injunctions, instructions, commands). From en and the base of telos; to enjoin.

to give [his wife]
δοῦναι (dounai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

a certificate
βιβλίον (biblion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 975: A papyrus roll. A diminutive of biblos; a roll.

of divorce
ἀποστασίου (apostasiou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 647: Neuter of a adjective from a derivative of aphistemi; properly, something separative, i.e. divorce.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

send [her] away?”
ἀπολῦσαι (apolysai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 630: From apo and luo; to free fully, i.e. relieve, release, dismiss, or let die, pardon or divorce.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 19:7 They asked him Why then did Moses (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 19:6
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