DIVORCE,

The dissolution of the marriage tie was regulated by the Mosaic law (Deut. 24:1-4). The Jews, after the Captivity, were reguired to dismiss the foreign women they had married contrary to the law (Ezra 10:11-19). Christ limited the permission of divorce to the single case of adultery. It seems that it was not uncommon for the Jews at that time to dissolve the union on very slight pretences (Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:1-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). These precepts given by Christ regulate the law of divorce in the Christian Church.

“a legal dissolution of the marriage relation.” The law regulating this subject is found (24:1-4) and the cases in which the right of a husband to divorce his wife was lost are stated ibid ., (22:19,29) The ground of divorce is appoint on which the Jewish doctors of the period of the New Testament differed widely; the school of Shammai seeming to limit it to a moral delinquency in the woman, whilst that the Hillel extended it to trifling causes, e.g., if the wife burnt the food she was cooking for her husband. The Pharisees wished perhaps to embroil our Saviour with these rival schools by their question, (Matthew 19:3) by his answer to which, as well as by his previous maxim, (Matthew 5:31) he declares that he regarded all the lesser causes than “fornication” as standing on too weak ground, and declined the question of how to interpret the words of Moses.

DIVORCE', the dissolution of the marriage relation. This was permitted by the law of Moses because already existent, but so regulated as to mitigate its injustice and cruelty to the wife, Deut 24:1-4, and in certain cases forbidden, Deut 22:19, 1 Chr 2:29. Although divorce was common in the later days of the Hebrew nation, Mal 2:16, and men put away their wives for trivial causes, Matt 19:3 — and many of the Jewish doctors contended that this was the spirit of the Law — there is no distinct case of divorce mentioned in the O.T. Our Saviour was questioned upon this matter, but he defeated the purpose of his inquisitors to entangle him in his talk, and took the opportunity to rebuke the lax morals of the day and set forth adultery as the only proper ground of divorce. Matt 5:32; 1 Kgs 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18. According to Jewish customs, the husband was required to give his wife a writing or bill of divorcement, in which was set forth the date, place, and cause of her repudiation, and a permission was given by it to marry whom she pleased. It was provided, however, that she might be restored to the relation at any future time if she did not meanwhile marry any other man. The woman also seems to have had power — at least in a later period of the Jewish state — to put away her husband — i.e. without a formal divorce to forsake him. Mark 10:12. DIZ'AHAB (region of gold), a place in the Arabian desert, near which Moses rehearsed to Israel God's dealings with them, Deut 1:1; possibly Dehab.

DIVORCE', the dissolution of the marriage relation. This was permitted by the law of Moses because already existent, but so regulated as to mitigate its injustice and cruelty to the wife, Deut 24:1-4, and in certain cases forbidden, Deut 22:19, 1 Chr 2:29. Although divorce was common in the later days of the Hebrew nation, Mal 2:16, and men put away their wives for trivial causes, Matt 19:3 — and many of the Jewish doctors contended that this was the spirit of the Law — there is no distinct case of divorce mentioned in the O.T. Our Saviour was questioned upon this matter, but he defeated the purpose of his inquisitors to entangle him in his talk, and took the opportunity to rebuke the lax morals of the day and set forth adultery as the only proper ground of divorce. Matt 5:32; 1 Kgs 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18. According to Jewish customs, the husband was required to give his wife a writing or bill of divorcement, in which was set forth the date, place, and cause of her repudiation, and a permission was given by it to marry whom she pleased. It was provided, however, that she might be restored to the relation at any future time if she did not meanwhile marry any other man. The woman also seems to have had power — at least in a later period of the Jewish state — to put away her husband — i.e. without a formal divorce to forsake him. Mark 10:12.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. A legal dissolution of the marriage contract by a court or other body having competent authority. This is properly a divorce, and called, technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii. "from the bond of matrimony."

2. The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband -- divorce a mensa et toro (or thoro), "from bed board."

3. The decree or writing by which marriage is dissolved.

4. Separation; disunion of things closely united. To make divorce of their incorporate league. Shak.

5. That which separates. [Obs.] Shak. Bill of divorce. See under Bill.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To dissolve the marriage contract of, either wholly or partially; to separate by divorce.

2. To separate or disunite; to sunder. It [a word] was divorced from its old sense. Earle.

3. To make away; to put away. Nothing but death Shall e'er divorce my dignities. Shak.