20 Bible Verses about Divorce

And at the same time saw I Jews, that married wives of Ashdod, Ammon, and of Moab;

And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the children of Elam, answered, and said unto Ezra, "We have trespassed against the LORD our God, in that we have taken strange wives of the people of the land. Now there is hope yet in Israel concerning this: for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law. Get thee up therefore, for the matter belongeth unto thee. We will be with thee; be of good comfort, and do it." read more.
Then rose Ezra, and took an oath of the rulers, priests, and Levites, and all of Israel, that they should do according to this word: and they sware. And Ezra stood up before the house of God, and went in to the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And when he came thither, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been in captivity. And they caused a proclamation be made throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children which had been in captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem: And that whosoever came not within three days, according to the device of the rulers and Elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and be put out from the congregation of the captive. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem in three days, that is on the twentieth day of the ninth month: and all the people sat in the street before of the house of God, and trembled because of this matter, and for the rain. And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, "Ye have transgressed, that have taken strange wives, to make the trespass of Israel yet more: confess now therefore unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives." Then answered all the congregation and said with a loud voice, "Let it be done as thou hast said. But the people are many, and it is a rainy weather; and the people are too faint to tarry without in the street - neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have offended in this transgression. Let us appoint our rulers therefore in all the congregation, that all they which have taken strange wives in our cities, may come at the time appointed - and the elders of every city and their judges with them - till the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this offense." Then were appointed Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah over this matter: And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites helped them. And the children of the captivity did even so. And Ezra the priest, and the ancient heads through the house of their fathers, and all that were now rehearsed by name, separated themselves; and sat them down on the first day of the tenth month to examine this matter. And on the first day of the first month they made an end of all the men that had taken strange wives.

Thus cleansed I them from all such as were outlandish, and appointed the courses of the priests and Levites, every one to his office,

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

It is said, Whosoever put away his wife let him give her a testimonial also of the divorcement. But I say unto you, Whosoever put away his wife, except it be for fornication, causeth her to break matrimony. And whosoever marryeth her that is divorced breaketh wedlock.

And he said unto them, "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock to her-ward. And if a woman forsake her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

Then said they to him, "Why did Moses command to give unto her a testimonial of divorcement, and to put her away?" He said unto them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: But from the beginning it was not so.

And the Pharisees came and asked him a question, whether it were lawful for a man to put away his wife, to prove him. And he answered and said unto them, "What did Moses bid you do?" And they said, "Moses suffered to write a testimonial of her divorcement, and to put her away." read more.
And Jesus answered, and said unto them, "For the hardness of your hearts he wrote this precept unto you. But at the first creation, God made them man and woman, saying,

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

But I say unto you, Whosoever put away his wife, except it be for fornication, causeth her to break matrimony. And whosoever marryeth her that is divorced breaketh wedlock.

Then came unto him the Pharisees to tempt him, and said to him, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for all manner of causes?"

It is said, Whosoever put away his wife let him give her a testimonial also of the divorcement.

For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.

Wherefore now are they not twain, but one flesh. Let not man therefore put asunder, that which God hath coupled together."

forsaketh the husband of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

And if a woman forsake her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

Thus sayeth the LORD: Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, that I sent unto her? Or who is the usurer, to whom I sold you? Behold, for your own offenses are ye sold: and because of your transgression, is your mother forsaken.

Namely, that after I had well seen the adultery of the shrinking harlot Israel, I put her away, and gave her a bill of divorcement. For all this, her unfaithful sister Judah was not ashamed, but went back and played the whore also.

"If a man sell his daughter to be a servant: she shall not go out as the menservants do.

If he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free and pay no money.

Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded. Be not ashamed, for thou shalt not come to confusion. Yea, thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the dishonour of thy widowhood.

For the LORD shall call thee, being as a desolate sorrowful woman, and as a young wife that hath broken her wedlock, sayeth thy God.

Thus sayeth the LORD: Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, that I sent unto her? Or who is the usurer, to whom I sold you? Behold, for your own offenses are ye sold: and because of your transgression, is your mother forsaken.

Namely, that after I had well seen the adultery of the shrinking harlot Israel, I put her away, and gave her a bill of divorcement. For all this, her unfaithful sister Judah was not ashamed, but went back and played the whore also.

Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded. Be not ashamed, for thou shalt not come to confusion. Yea, thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the dishonour of thy widowhood.

And yet ye say, 'Wherefore?' Even because that whereas the LORD made a covenant betwixt thee and the wife of thy youth, thou hast despised her: Yet is she thine own companion and married wife.

the women of my people have ye shot out from their good houses, and taken away my excellent gifts from their children.

Unto the married command not I, but the Lord: that the wife separate not herself from the man. If she separate herself, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled unto her husband again. And let not the husband put away his wife from him.

Then let the elders of that city take that man and chastise him, and merce him in a hundred sicles of silver and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a maid in Israel. And she shall be his wife, and he may not put her away all his days.

and put her raiment that she was taken in from her, and let her remain in thine house and beweep her father and her mother a month long and after that go in unto her and marry her and let her be thy wife. And if thou have no favour unto her, then let her go whither she lusteth: for thou mayest not sell her for money nor make chevisance of her, because thou hast humbled her.

and the second husband hate her and write her a letter of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house, or if the second man die which took her to wife; her first man which sent her away may not take her again to be his wife, inasmuch as she is defiled. For that is abomination in the sight of the LORD: that thou defile not the land with sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit.

When a man hath taken a wife and married her, if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath spied some uncleanness in her: Then let him write her a bill of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house. If, when she is departed out of his house, she go and be another man's wife, and the second husband hate her and write her a letter of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house, or if the second man die which took her to wife; read more.
her first man which sent her away may not take her again to be his wife, inasmuch as she is defiled. For that is abomination in the sight of the LORD: that thou defile not the land with sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit.

When a man hath taken a wife and married her, if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath spied some uncleanness in her: Then let him write her a bill of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house.

If, when she is departed out of his house, she go and be another man's wife,

but no widow nor divorced nor polluted whore. But he shall take a maiden of his own people to wife,

And yet ye say, 'Wherefore?' Even because that whereas the LORD made a covenant betwixt thee and the wife of thy youth, thou hast despised her: Yet is she thine own companion and married wife. So did not the one, and yet had he an excellent spirit. What did then the one? He sought the seed promised of God. Therefore look well to your spirit, and let no man despise the wife of his youth. If thou hatest her, put her away, sayeth the LORD God of Israel and give her a clothing for the scorn, sayeth the LORD of Hosts. Look well then to your spirit, and despise her not.

Then said his disciples to him, "If the matter be so between man and wife, then is it not good to marry."

He said unto them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: But from the beginning it was not so.

The vow of a widow and of her that is divorced, and all that they have bound their souls withal, shall stand in effect with them.

And on the seventh day, when the king was merry of the wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas - the seven chamberlains that did service in the presence of king Ahasuerus - to fetch the queen Vashti with the crown regal, that he might show the people and princes her fairness: for she was beautiful. But the queen Vashti would not come at the king's word by his chamberlains. Then was the king very wroth, and his indignation kindled in him. read more.
And the king spake to the wise men that had understanding in the ordinances of the land - for the king's matters must be handled before all such as have knowledge of the law and judgment, and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of the Persians and Medes, which saw the king's face, and sat above in the kingdom. "What law," sayeth the king, "should be executed upon the queen Vashti, because she did not according to the word of the king by his chamberlains?" Then said Memucan before the king and the princes, "The queen Vashti hath not only done evil against the king but also against all the princes and all the people in all the lands of king Ahasuerus: for this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands before their eyes, and shall say, 'The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to come before him, but she would not.' And so shall the princesses in Persia and Media say likewise unto all the king's princes, when they hear of this deed of the queen, thus shall there arise dispitefulness and wrath enough. If it please the king, let there go a commandment from him, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and Medians - and not to be transgressed - that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king give the kingdom unto another that is better than she. And when this commandment of the king, which shall be made, is published throughout all his empire - which is great - all women shall hold their husbands in honor; both among great and small." This pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. Then were there letters sent forth into all the king's lands, into every land according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should be lord in his own house. And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people.

Whosoever forsaketh his wife, and marrieth another, breaketh matrimony. And every man which marrieth her that is divorced from her husband committeth adultery also.

Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.

for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law.

It is said, Whosoever put away his wife let him give her a testimonial also of the divorcement.

When a man hath taken a wife and married her, if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath spied some uncleanness in her: Then let him write her a bill of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house.

Whosoever forsaketh his wife, and marrieth another, breaketh matrimony. And every man which marrieth her that is divorced from her husband committeth adultery also.

Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.

for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law.

It is said, Whosoever put away his wife let him give her a testimonial also of the divorcement.

When a man hath taken a wife and married her, if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath spied some uncleanness in her: Then let him write her a bill of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house.