Does God really hate divorce? A comparative analysis of ancient texts of Mal 2:14–16

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dc.contributor.author Lumanze, Obedben Mmesomachukwu
dc.date.accessioned 2025-02-05T11:19:02Z
dc.date.available 2025-02-05T11:19:02Z
dc.date.issued 2024-11-20
dc.description.abstract Historically, Malachi 2:16 has served as a veto against divorce, especially among African evangelicals. While marriage is ideally a lifelong commitment, this interpretation often overlooks the context of the passage. Many are unaware of its grammatical ambiguities and varying ancient translations. This study examines Malachi 2:14–16 to understand the prophet's views on marriage as a covenant. The findings reveal that the Hebrew word “šallaḥ”, commonly translated as "divorce," actually refers to the improper "putting away" of legally married wives without adhering to established guidelines. The study concludes that Malachi's argument refers back to the creation narrative, offering a framework for ethical thinking. While marriage is sacred and should be upheld, those facing divorce should not be seen as irredeemable sinners. en_US
dc.description.department Old Testament Studies en_US
dc.description.sdg SDG-05:Gender equality en_US
dc.description.sdg SDG-10:Reduces inequalities en_US
dc.description.uri https://ote-journal.otwsa-otssa.org.za/index.php/journal en_US
dc.identifier.citation Lumanze, O.M. 2024, 'Does God really hate divorce? A comparative analysis of ancient texts of Mal 2:14–16', Old Testament Essays, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 1–27, doi: 10.17159/2312-3621/2024/v37n2a2. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 2312-3621 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.17159/2312-3621/2024/v37n2a2
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/100539
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Old Testament Society of South Africa en_US
dc.rights © 2024 Old Testament Essays is the official journal of the OTSSA. Powered by Open Journal Systems. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. en_US
dc.subject Malachi 2:14–16 en_US
dc.subject Divorce en_US
dc.subject Marriage en_US
dc.subject Infidelity en_US
dc.subject SDG-05: Gender equality en_US
dc.subject SDG-10: Reduced inequalities en_US
dc.title Does God really hate divorce? A comparative analysis of ancient texts of Mal 2:14–16 en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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