Romans 7:2

2 A married woman, for example, is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if he dies, then she is free from the law that bound her to him.

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 Certainly you will understand what I am about to say, my friends, because all of you know about law. The law rules over people only as long as they live.

2 A married woman, for example, is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if he dies, then she is free from the law that bound her to him.

3 So then, if she lives with another man while her husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is legally a free woman and does not commit adultery if she marries another man.

4 That is how it is with you, my friends. As far as the Law is concerned, you also have died because you are part of the body of Christ; and now you belong to him who was raised from death in order that we might be useful in the service of God.

5 For when we lived according to our human nature, the sinful desires stirred up by the Law were at work in our bodies, and all we did ended in death.