Romans 7:2

2 For the married woman is bound by law to [her] husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released 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 Or do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law is master of a person for as long a time [as] he lives?

2 For the married woman is bound by law to [her] husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of the husband.

3 Therefore as a result, if she belongs to another man [while] her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress [if she] belongs to another man.

4 So then, my brothers, you also were brought to death with respect to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

5 For when we were in the flesh, sinful desires were working through the law in our members, to bear fruit for death.