Matthew 19:7

7 They say to him, What then commanded Moses, to give a libel of forsaking, and to leave of. [They say to him, What then commanded Moses, to give a little book of forsaking, and to forsake.]

Matthew 19:7 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 19:7

They say unto him
That is the Pharisees, who object the law of Moses to him, hoping hereby to ensnare him, and expose him to the resentment of the people, should he reject that, as they supposed he would;

why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and
put her away?
referring to ( Deuteronomy 24:1 ) which they thought to be a contradiction, and what they knew not how to reconcile to the doctrine Christ had delivered, concerning the original institution of marriage, and the close union there is between a man and his wife, by virtue of it, and which is not to be dissolved by men. Concerning a writing of divorcement and the form, and manner of it, (See Gill on Matthew 5:31)

Matthew 19:7 In-Context

5 And he said, For this thing a man shall leave father and mother, and he shall draw to his wife [and he shall cleave, or draw, to his wife]; and they shall be twain in one flesh.

6 And so they be not now twain, but one flesh. Therefore man separate not that thing that God hath joined [together]. [Therefore they be not two, but one flesh. Therefore a man part not that thing that God enjoined, or knit together.]

7 They say to him, What then commanded Moses, to give a libel of forsaking, and to leave of. [They say to him, What then commanded Moses, to give a little book of forsaking, and to forsake.]

8 And he said to them, For Moses, for the hardness of your heart, suffered you to leave your wives [And he saith to them, For Moses, at the hardness of your heart, suffered you to forsake your wives]; but from the beginning it was not so.

9 And I say to you, that whoever leaveth his wife, but for fornication, and weddeth another, doeth lechery [doeth adultery]; and he that weddeth the forsaken wife, doeth lechery [doeth adultery].