Exodus - 21:10



10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Exodus 21:10.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
If he take him another wife ; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
And if he take another wife for him, he shall provide her a marriage, and raiment, neither shall he refuse the price of her chastity.
If he take himself another, her food, her clothing, and her conjugal rights he shall not diminish.
If he shall take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish.
If another woman he take for him, her food, her covering, and her habitation, he doth not withdraw;
And if he takes another woman, her food and clothing and her married rights are not to be less.
If he take him another wife, her food, her raiment, and her conjugal rights, shall he not diminish.
And if he takes another for him, he shall provide to the maiden a marriage, and clothing, and he shall not refuse the price of her chastity.
Si aliam acceperit sibi, alimentum illius, operimentum illius, et constitutionem illius non diminuet.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

If he take (i) him another [wife]; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
(i) For his son.

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

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