Ver. 1. Because he hath found some uncleanness.] He is displeased with some defect which he hath found either in her body or behaviour: as our Henry VIII pretended at least to do in his Anne of Cleve, sister to William, duke of Cleve, whose other sister Frederick, duke of Saxony, Luther’s patron and protector, had espoused. This lady being sent into England, against Frederick’s liking, and married to King Henry, seemed nothing pleasing in his eye, and was therefore (sed quo iure?) soon after divorced. This Stephen Gardiner thought a fit subject for him to work upon against the Lord Cromwell, who had made the match, and now opposed the divorce, and was therefore put to death, which he suffered right Christianly and cheerfully. Let him write her a bill of divorcement.] Heb., He shall write her a bill of divorcement. God permitteth, he commandeth not the Jews thus to do, as they mistook the matter, (Matthew 19:7) and were better informed by our Saviour. (Matthew 19:8) [See Trapp on “Mt 19:8”] Speed’s Hist, fol. 1042.
Ver. 3. And if the latter husband hate her.] As many Nabals now-a-days do. Job was not more weary of his boils, than they are of their bedfellows, cursing their weddingday as much as he did his birthday, and thirsting after a divorce as he did after death: which, because it cannot be had, their lives prove like the sojourning of Israel in Marah, where almost nothing could be heard but mourning, conjuring, and complaining.
Ver. 4. After that she is defiled.] Or, Caused to he defiled, to wit, by her husband, who put her away first, he being her only lawful husband. (Matthew 5:32)
Ver. 5. Shall cheer up his wife.] For the better knitting of their affections; which, if well done at first, will continue the more firm ever after; as a broken bone well set, or as two boards well glued together, will sooner break in a new place than there.
Ver. 6. A man’s life.] That is, his livelihood. A poor man in his house is like a snail in his shell, crush that and you kill him. See Luke 8:43 Mr 12:44. All her life, ολον του βιον, that is, all her living.
Ver. 7. And maketh merchandise of him.] What then shall be done to those seducers, that “creeping,” or shooting themselves into houses, “lead captive silly women,” (2 Timothy 3:6) and simple men, (Romans 16:18) take them prisoners, and then make price of them? (2 Peter 2:3) Of which sort of soul merchants, there are now-a-days found not a few. See Revelation 18:13.
Ver. 8. The Levites shall teach you.] Not the history only, but the mystery too. [See Trapp on “Le 13:2”] &c.
Ver. 9. Did unto Miriam.] When he spat in her face, and spared her not, though a prophetess, and a conductress of God’s people to Canaan. (Micah 6:4) God will not pass by the sins of his saints, if scandalous especially, without a sensible check.
Ver. 10. To fetch his pledge.] To see, Quam sit eurta supellex, and to pick and choose what pledge thou pleasest.
Ver. 12. Thou shalt not sleep with his pledge.] As those cruel crafties did, (Amos 2:8) that “sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes.” (Amos 2:6)
Ver. 13. May bless thee.] Saying, as St Paul brings in the relieved poor Christian, (2 Corinthians 9:15) “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” God will surely bless thee for such a blessing. And it shall be righteousness unto thee.] God will reckon it for a good work, and graciously reward it, he will turn paymaster to thee; thy righteousness, and thy riches too, shall endure for ever. (Psalms 112:3)