Romans 7:2

2 For the woman who is subject to a husband is obligated to the law so long as the husband lives; but if the husband dies, she is free from the law of the husband.

Romans 7:2 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 7:2

For the woman which hath an husband
The former general rule is here illustrated by a particular instance and example in the law of marriage; a woman that is married to a man,

is bound by the law to her husband;
to live with him, in subjection and obedience to him,

so long as he liveth;
except in the cases of adultery, ( Matthew 19:9 ) , and desertion, ( 1 Corinthians 7:15 ) , by which the bond of marriage is loosed, and for which a divorce or separation may be made, which are equal to death:

but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her
husband;
the bond of marriage is dissolved, the law of it is abolished, and she is at entire liberty to marry whom she will, ( 1 Corinthians 7:39 ) .

Romans 7:2 In-Context

1 Know ye not, brethren (for I speak to those that know the law), that the law has dominion over a man only as long as he lives?

2 For the woman who is subject to a husband is obligated to the law so long as the husband lives; but if the husband dies, she is free from the law of the husband.

3 So then if, while her husband lives, she belongs to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress if she belongs to another man.

4 Likewise ye also, my brethren, are become dead to the law in the body of the Christ that ye should belong to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

5 For while we were in the flesh, the affections of the sins which were by the law worked in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.