God's View On Divorce In Malachi
God's View on Divorce in Malachi
The book of Malachi presents a strong condemnation of divorce, with God declaring, "I hate divorce" (Malachi 2:16) [1]. This statement is part of a larger passage that criticizes the Israelites for their faithlessness, including their treatment of their wives. The context suggests that the divorce referred to is not just any divorce, but specifically the divorcing of Jewish women to marry foreign women, which was associated with idolatrous practices [11].
The interpretation of Malachi 2:16 has been debated among Jewish and Christian scholars. In the Jewish tradition, the Babylonian Talmud records a discussion between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yoḥanan regarding the meaning of the verse. Rabbi Yehuda interprets it as "if you hate her, put her away," suggesting that divorce is permissible if the husband hates his wife. In contrast, Rabbi Yoḥanan understands it as a condemnation of divorce, stating that one who divorces his wife is hated by God [2, 3, 4].
Christian interpreters have also grappled with the meaning of Malachi 2:16. Some, like John Gill, note that while the verse can be translated as "if he hate her, put her away," the context suggests that God hates divorce, not that He permits it [6]. The Tyndale House commentary on Malachi 2:16 explains that God's hatred of divorce is rooted in His character of faithfulness and His expectation of faithfulness from Israel [5].
The passage in Malachi is not just about divorce but also about faithlessness and covenant violation. The prophet criticizes the Israelites for being treacherous to their wives, whom they had covenanted with, and for marrying foreign women, which was seen as a form of idolatry [10, 11]. The condemnation of divorce is part of a broader critique of the Israelites' failure to keep their covenants, both with God and with each other.
The view that God hates divorce is reinforced by the surrounding context, which describes the emotional and spiritual cost of such actions. The altar is said to be covered with tears because of the faithlessness of the Israelites towards their wives [7, 8, 9]. This emphasizes the seriousness with which God views the covenant of marriage and the consequences of breaking it.
Sources
- Malachi “Malachi 2:16 (BSB) — “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.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 90b.5: § The prophet Malachi states in rebuke of those who divorce their wives: “For I hate sending away, says the Lord, the God of Israel” (Malachi 2:16). Rabbi Yehuda says: The verse means that if you hate your wife, send her away. Do not continue living with a woman whom you hate. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The verse means that one who sends his wife away is hated by God.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 181a.180:5: § The prophet Malachi states in rebuke of those who divorce their wives: “For I hate sending away, says the Lord, the God of Israel” (Malachi 2:16). Rabbi Yehuda says: The verse means that if you hate your wife, send her away. Do not continue living with a woman whom you hate. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The verse means that one who sends his wife away is hated by God.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 181b.180:5: § The prophet Malachi states in rebuke of those who divorce their wives: “For I hate sending away, says the Lord, the God of Israel” (Malachi 2:16). Rabbi Yehuda says: The verse means that if you hate your wife, send her away. Do not continue living with a woman whom you hate. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The verse means that one who sends his wife away is hated by God.”
- Malachi (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Malachi 2:16: 2:16 hate: God hates a broken covenant (see 1:3; Hos 9:15). This is appropriate because God’s relationship with people is characterized by faithfulness, and he expected no less from Israel (Exod 34:6; Deut 7:9). • To divorce (literally send away) means to expel a marriage partner. Malachi wanted to correct the abuse of the divorce laws (see Deut 24:1-4). • to overwhelm her with cruelty: Cruelty entails acts of violence or wrongdoing. The estrangement of divorce is a violent and cruel social crime. To divorce one’s wife is treachery against her and against the mar”
- Malachi (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Malachi 2:16: For the Lord the God of Israel saith, that he hateth putting away,.... The divorcing of wives; for though this was suffered because of the hardness of their hearts, it was not approved of by the Lord; nor was it from the beginning; and it was disagreeable, and even hateful to him, Mat 19:8 in the margin of some Bibles the words are rendered, "if he hate her, put her away"; and so the Targum, "but if thou hatest her, put her away;'' to which agree the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, and Arabic versions; and this sense made mention of in both Talmuds, and is thought to ”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 90b.7: As Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to anyone who divorces his first wife, even the altar sheds tears over him, as it is stated: “And this further you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that He does not regard the offering anymore, nor does He receive it with goodwill from your hand. Yet you say: What for? Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant” (Malachi 2:13–14). Clearly on”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 181b.180:7: As Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to anyone who divorces his first wife, even the altar sheds tears over him, as it is stated: “And this further you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that He does not regard the offering anymore, nor does He receive it with goodwill from your hand. Yet you say: What for? Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant” (Malachi 2:13–14). Clear”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 181a.180:7: As Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to anyone who divorces his first wife, even the altar sheds tears over him, as it is stated: “And this further you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that He does not regard the offering anymore, nor does He receive it with goodwill from your hand. Yet you say: What for? Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant” (Malachi 2:13–14). Clear”
- Malachi (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Malachi 2:10: Mal 2:10. "Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? wherefore are we treacherous one towards another, to desecrate the covenant of our fathers? Mal 2:11. Judah acts treacherously, and abomination has taken place in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has desecrated the sanctuary of Jehovah, which He loves, and marries the daughter of a strange god. Mal 2:12. Jehovah will cut off, to the man that doeth this, wakers and answerers out of the tents of Jacob, and him that offereth sacrifices to Jehovah of hosts." Malachi adopts the same course here a”
- Malachi (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Malachi 2:11: 2:11 Judah has been unfaithful (or treacherous), and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem: Men were divorcing their wives for the economic advantage of intermarriage with non-Israelite women who worshiped idols. Through these marriages, Jewish men gained access to the merchant guilds and trading cartels already in place when the Israelites returned from Babylonia. Malachi equates this adultery with idolatry. Israelite history had shown that intermarriage with foreign women went hand in hand with worship of foreign gods. Loyalty was to be th”