Exodus 21:10

10 "What if he marries another woman? He must still give the first one her food and clothes and make love to her.

Exodus 21:10 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:10

If he take him another wife
The father takes another wife for his son, or the son takes another wife to himself after he has betrothed and married his father's maidservant:

her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish;
neither deny it her in whole, nor lessen it in part, but give her her full due of each. What is meant by the two former words is easy, and admits of no difficulty, the latter is differently interpreted. Some take it to signify no other than an "habitation" F21, that as he was to provide food and raiment for her, so an house to dwell, in; but the generality of interpreters, Jewish and Christian, understand it as we do, of the conjugal duty, the use of the marriage bed, or what the apostle calls due benevolence, ( 1 Corinthians 7:3 ) . The word is thought to have the signification of a fixed time for it; and the Misnic doctors F23 are very particular in assigning the set times of it for different persons; and in those countries where there were, and where there still are, plurality of wives, each had, and have their turns, see ( Genesis 30:15 Genesis 30:16 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (htne) "habitationem ejus", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; so some in Aben Ezra. Vid. Pfeiffer. "dubia vexata", cent. 1. loc. 97.
F23 Misn. Cetubot, c. 5. sect. 6.

Exodus 21:10 In-Context

8 "But what if the master who has chosen her does not like her? Then he must let the man buy her back. He has no right to sell her to strangers. He has broken his promise to her.
9 "What if he chooses her to get married to his son? Then he must grant her the rights of a daughter.
10 "What if he marries another woman? He must still give the first one her food and clothes and make love to her.
11 If he does not provide her with those three things, she can go free. She does not have to pay anything.
12 "You can be sure that if anyone hits and kills someone else, he will be put to death.
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