Lexical Summary kerithuth: Divorce, cutting off Original Word: כְּרִיתוּת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance divorce From karath; a cutting (of the matrimonial bond), i.e. Divorce -- divorce(-ment). see HEBREW karath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom karath Definition divorcement NASB Translation divorce (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs כְּרִיתוּת noun feminine divorcement; — ׳כ Isaiah 50:1; כְּרִיתֻת Deuteronomy 24:1,3; plural suffix כְּרִיתֻתֶיהָ Jeremiah 3:8; ׳סֵפֶר כ writing (i.e. deed) of divorcement, Deuteronomy 24:1,3; Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8. Topical Lexicon Definition and Essence כְּרִיתוּת denotes the formal “certificate of divorce,” a written document that legally severed a marriage covenant in ancient Israel. It stands as a physical witness that the covenant had been dissolved and the woman released from her husband’s authority. Canonical Occurrences • Deuteronomy 24:1 – The certificate is introduced as a regulated safeguard for a dismissed wife: “he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her, and sends her away from his house”. Legal Framework under Moses The Law curbed arbitrary repudiation by requiring a written record and witnesses. The certificate verified that the woman was free to marry again (Deuteronomy 24:2) and protected her from accusation of adultery. The Mosaic regulation did not endorse divorce as ideal; it conceded to “the hardness of heart” (compare Matthew 19:8) while limiting further injustice. Pastoral Implications in the Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah adapt the term to portray covenant unfaithfulness. By asking for the nonexistent document (Isaiah 50:1), the LORD affirms that His covenant love remained; exile resulted from sin, not divine abandonment. Conversely, Jeremiah 3:8 depicts a certificate actually issued, dramatizing the gravity of persistent idolatry. Both uses show that human marriage mirrors the larger covenant between God and His people. Connection to Covenant Fidelity כְּרִיתוּת highlights the seriousness with which Scripture treats covenant vows. Just as a written decree made the end of a marriage undeniable, the prophets employ the image to underline that apostasy has real, objective consequences. Yet the very passages that mention it also announce hope: the LORD stands ready to restore the repentant (Isaiah 54:5–7; Jeremiah 3:14). Christ’s Teaching and Apostolic Reflection Jesus cites Deuteronomy 24 (Matthew 5:31–32; 19:3–9), elevating marriage to its creational intent and limiting divorce to exceptional circumstances. Paul likewise treats marital separation gravely while making pastoral allowance in cases of abandonment (1 Corinthians 7:10–15). Thus the New Testament moves from regulating certificates of divorce to calling believers to covenantal faithfulness empowered by the Spirit. Contemporary Ministry Considerations 1. Marriage counseling must uphold the sanctity of the covenant, recognizing that divorce, though sometimes permitted, grieves God’s heart (Malachi 2:16). Forms and Transliterations כְּרִית֤וּת כְּרִיתֻת֙ כְּרִיתֻתֶ֖יהָ כריתות כריתת כריתתיה kə·rî·ṯu·ṯe·hā kə·rî·ṯuṯ kə·rî·ṯūṯ keriTut kərîṯuṯ kərîṯūṯ kərîṯuṯehā kerituTeihaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 24:1 HEB: לָ֜הּ סֵ֤פֶר כְּרִיתֻת֙ וְנָתַ֣ן בְּיָדָ֔הּ NAS: her a certificate of divorce and puts KJV: her a bill of divorcement, and give INT: writes her a certificate of divorce and puts her hand Deuteronomy 24:3 Isaiah 50:1 Jeremiah 3:8 4 Occurrences |
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