Bible Strands
Malachi 2:16
“For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD, identified as the God of Israel and Lord of Hosts, addresses the post-exilic community through the prophet Malachi. He speaks immediately after warning them to guard their spirits and remain faithful to the wives of their youth (Malachi 2:15).
The words — The Hebrew verb שָׂנֵא (sa.Ne') translates literally as "he hates," and the noun שַׁלַּח (sha.Lach) means "sending away" or divorce. These terms anchor the divine declaration against marital dissolution.
The thread — This prohibition against breaking marital covenants reappears in the New Testament when Jesus addresses divorce legality (Matthew 19:3) and its Mosaic regulations (Matthew 5:31; Mark 10:2).
Why it lands — The text commands readers to protect their inner resolve and maintain covenant loyalty rather than severing marital bonds. It requires a deliberate choice to honor commitments over personal convenience.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Matthew 19:3 Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
- Matthew 5:31 It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
- Mark 10:2 Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.
- Luke 16:18 Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
- Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- 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.
- Isaiah 50:1 This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
- Isaiah 59:6 Their cobwebs cannot be made into clothing, and they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their deeds are sinful deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.
- Micah 7:2 The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt one another with a net.
- Isaiah 28:20 Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.