Deuteronomy 24:1–4
“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency (עֶרְ;וַת דֲָבָר, ʿerwat dābār) in her…”
- ʿerwat dābār (עֶרְוַת דָּבָר)
- ʿervah = nakedness, indecency
- dābār = thing, matter
- Not the same as na’aph (adultery), which brought the death penalty (Leviticus 20:10)
Matthew 5:31–32
“…whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery…”
Matthew 19:3–9
“…because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce… but from the beginning it has not been this way… whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication (πορνεία, porneia), and marries another, commits adultery…”
Hebrew: ʿerwat dābār (עֶרְוַת דָּבָר)
- Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB): “nakedness of a thing”; euphemism for something improper but undefined
- TWOT #1637, 1827: Typically understood as something indecent, not necessarily adultery
Greek: porneia (πορνεία)
- BDAG: “Unlawful sexual intercourse, unchastity, fornication”
- Louw-Nida 88.271: Broad term for sexual immorality
- Different from μοιχεία (moicheia, adultery)
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David Instone-Brewer
Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible: The Social and Literary Context
(Eerdmans, 2002; ISBN: 9780802849434)
Summary: Historical/legal background on ʿerwat dābār. Jesus restricts divorce to porneia.
Publisher page (Eerdmans) -
Robert H. Stein
Jesus the Messiah: A Survey of the Life of Christ
(IVP, 1996; ISBN: 9780830818831)
Summary: Places Jesus’ teachings on divorce in Jewish context.
Publisher page (IVP) -
Wayne Jackson
The Divorce Dilemma (Christian Courier)
Summary: Only the innocent party in a scriptural divorce may remarry.
Search: “divorce” on Christian Courier
Is All Remarriage After Divorce Condemned? -
Gordon J. Wenham
Jesus, Divorce and Remarriage: In Their Historical Setting
(Lexham Press, 2020; ISBN: 9781683593294)
Summary: Early church held to one exception: porneia, but no remarriage.
Lexham Press | Barnes & Noble
- God’s original design is lifelong covenant (Genesis 2:24)
- Moses’ divorce concession was due to hardness of heart
- Jesus restores the standard: porneia is the only valid reason
- Only the innocent party may remarry
- The guilty party is not free to remarry
Deuteronomio 24:1–4
“Cuando un hombre toma una mujer y se casa con ella, si ella no halla gracia ante sus ojos por haber hallado en ella alguna cosa indecente (עֶרְ;וַת דֲָבָר, ʿerwat dābār)…”
- ʿerwat dābār (עֶרְוַת דָּבָר)
- ʿervah = desnudez, indecencia
- dābār = asunto, causa
- No equivale a adulterio (na’aph), que merecía la pena de muerte (Levítico 20:10)
Mateo 5:31–32
“…pero yo os digo que el que repudia a su mujer, excepto por causa de fornicación, la hace cometer adulterio…”
Mateo 19:3–9
“…por la dureza de vuestros corazones Moisés os permitió repudiar… pero desde el principio no fue así… el que repudia a su mujer, salvo por fornicación, y se casa con otra, comete adulterio…”
Hebreo: ʿerwat dābār (עֶרְוַת דָּבָר)
- Diccionario BDB: “desnudez de algo”; eufemismo para algo impropio
- TWOT #1637, 1827: Algo indecente, pero no necesariamente adulterio
Griego: porneia (πορνεία)
- Diccionario BDAG: “relación sexual ilícita, fornicación”
- Louw-Nida 88.271: Término amplio para inmoralidad sexual
- Distinto de μοιχεία (moicheia, adulterio)
-
David Instone-Brewer
Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible
Enlace: Eerdmans -
Robert H. Stein
Jesus the Messiah
Enlace: IVP -
Wayne Jackson
El Dilema del Divorcio
Buscar “divorcio” en Christian Courier
¿Está todo nuevo matrimonio después del divorcio condenado? -
Gordon J. Wenham
Jesús, el Divorcio y el Recasamiento
Lexham Press | Barnes & Noble
- El diseño original de Dios es un pacto de por vida (Génesis 2:24)
- Moisés permitió el divorcio por la dureza del corazón
- Jesús restaura el estándar: solo porneia justifica el divorcio
- Solo la parte inocente puede volver a casarse
- La parte culpable no puede volver a casarse con aprobación divina
1. ʿErwat Dābār (עֶרְוַת דָּבָר) — “A Matter of Indecency”
Text: Deuteronomy 24:1
- ʿervah (עֶרְוָה): “nakedness, indecency, shameful exposure”
- dābār (דָּבָר): “matter, thing, cause”
- Together: “a shameful or indecent matter” — ambiguous, not directly “adultery”
- Key Lexicons: BDB, TWOT #1637/1827
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Scholarly Analysis:
– Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Toward Old Testament Ethics
– David Instone-Brewer, Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible
– Mishnah Gittin 9:10 (Sefaria link)
2. Porneia (πορνεία) — “Sexual Immorality”
Text: Matthew 5:32; 19:9
- Lexical Sources: BDAG, Louw-Nida 88.271, TDNT Vol. VI
- Summary: Porneia includes all immoral sexual behavior (fornication, incest, prostitution, etc.). It is broader than moicheia and is the basis for Jesus’ exception clause.
3. Moicheia (μοιχεία) — “Adultery”
Text: Matthew 5:27–28; Romans 7:3
- Lexical Sources: BDAG, Louw-Nida 88.278, TDNT Vol. IV
- Summary: Moicheia refers specifically to married individuals violating their covenant through sexual sin. It is a narrower term than porneia.
Sección: Estudio Léxico Ampliado (Español)
1. ʿErwat Dābār (עֶרְוַת דָּבָר) — “Cosa indecente”
Texto: Deuteronomio 24:1
- ʿervah: desnudez, indecencia
- dābār: cosa, asunto
- Frase ambigua, no es sinónimo de adulterio
- Amazon — Kaiser Jr., Eerdmans — Instone-Brewer, Sefaria — Mishnah Gittin 9:10
2. Porneia (πορνεία) — “Inmoralidad Sexual”
Texto: Mateo 5:32; 19:9
Incluye fornicación, incesto, prostitución. Es más amplio que moicheia. Jesús lo usa como causa válida para el divorcio.
3. Moicheia (μοιχεία) — “Adulterio”
Texto: Mateo 5:27–28; Romanos 7:3
Acto de infidelidad sexual por parte de una persona casada; implica violación del pacto matrimonial. Siempre condenado en la Escritura.
4. Timeline: Jewish Divorce Law / Línea de Tiempo
| Period / Época | Event / Evento | Legal Interpretation / Interpretación Legal | Source / Fuente | Theological Implication / Implicación Teológica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~1400 BC ~1400 a.C. | Divorce permitted for ʿerwat dābār Divorcio por ʿerwat dābār | Ambiguous; not adultery Ambiguo; no adulterio | Deut 24:1–4 | Due to hardness of heart; regulation not approval Por dureza de corazón; regulación, no aprobación |
| ~1000–500 BC ~1000–500 a.C. | Adultery = death; divorce less discussed Adulterio: muerte; poco divorcio | Marriage as covenant, not mere contract Matrimonio como pacto | Lev 20:10; Mal 2:14–16 | God hates divorce; but permits under Moses Dios aborrece el divorcio, pero lo permite |
| 200–20 BC 200–20 a.C. | Rabbinic interpretation rises Surge la interpretación rabínica | Hillel: any cause Shammai: immorality only | Mishnah Gittin 9:10 | Legal schools diverged; increased misuse Escuelas divididas; abuso crece |
| ~30 AD ~30 d.C. | Jesus addresses debate Jesús responde al debate | Sides w/ Shammai; restricts divorce Se alinea con Shammai; restringe divorcio | Matt 5:32; 19:3–9 | Restores God’s intent (Gen 2:24) Restaura el propósito de Dios |
| 70–200 AD 70–200 d.C. | Rabbinic law codified in Mishnah Ley en la Mishná | Hillel’s view preserved Visión de Hillel preservada | Mishnah Gittin; Tosefta | Flexibility up; Gospel teachings contrast Más flexibilidad; el evangelio contrasta |
| 200–500 AD 200–500 d.C. | Divorce procedure formalized (Get) Procedimiento formalizado | Written decree; variable grounds Acta escrita; causas varias | Bab. Talmud, Gittin | Law focuses on form, not cause Enfasis en forma legal, no causa |