God doesn’t hate divorce
Bravo to the Bible translations that have fixed the problem!
I read a compassionate Medium story about domestic abuse, that made some great points. A lot of people are empathetic towards those who suffer abuse by their marriage partners, yet find themselves justifying their position around the widespread misunderstanding that God hates divorce. This isn’t necessary — God doesn’t hate divorce.
The following is based on my comment on the story I read, which refers to the image for this story:
God is sad when relationships aren’t loving, but divorce isn’t a sin God hates. Abuse of any kind is what God hates.
There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.Proverbs 6:16–19
The examples this passage mentions are some of the very behaviors that abusive marriage partners utilize in an attempt to lord it over their partners. Lording it over others is not a godly thing to do, either in marriage or in faith communities.
‘Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.’ 1 Peter 5: 2–3
God divorced Israel, and God never sins. Divorce is God’s provision for those whose marriage covenant has been broken because their marriage partner broke their vows. We see this in God’s provision to slave wives who weren’t loved or provided for by their husbands, in Exodus 21:10–11, to go free.
Malachi 2:16 didn’t say God hates divorce for over 2,100 years before the King James Version translation was altered in 1611, and the true translation was sidelined to the side notes. It was mistranslated for only 385 years, until the first corrections were made back to Malachi’s original wording in 1996, including NIV in 2011.
“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.
So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
Malachi 2:16 NIV (2011)
That’s quite a different message, than the mantra that abused marriage partners are bullied with, and quite a different burden of responsibility. God is not holding abused marriage partners responsible for the abuse perpetrated against them, and God is not commanding them to stay in their abusive marriages. What a relief!
The Lord, the God of Israel is warning abusive husbands, in this instance to be on their guard and not to be unfaithful. He tells them that if they hate their wife and divorce her (evidently without valid grounds, otherwise the divorce would be permissible) they are responsible for treating violently the one they should be protecting. It is perhaps no wonder that some men in the 1600s thought God’s word needed a little tweaking…
Malachi 2:16 is speaking of treacherous husbands who divorce without a valid reason. God hates treachery, and abuse — God doesn’t hate divorce.
Read more about divorce in:
Sharon Roberts-Radic is grateful for life, freedom, mercy, and Jesus.
