19:7a
Why then: The Berean Standard Bible has translated the two Greek words Why then in the same order as they are in Greek. In some languages, it will be more natural to change the order. For example:
Then why (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
Why…did Moses order a man: In Greek, this question does not include the phrase a man. In other words, the verb order has no object. Some English versions, like the Berean Standard Bible, add the words a man because it is natural in English to have an object.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Why…did Moses command us (NET Bible)
-or-
Why…did Moses command one (English Standard Version)
Here the Pharisees referred to a portion of the law in Deuteronomy 24:1–4. They did not quote this passage. Instead they gave a sort of summary statement.
they asked: The pronoun they refers to the Pharisees who asked Jesus a question in 19:3. The Greek has the pronoun “him” as well, which refers to Jesus. In some languages, it will be natural to make this explicit.
The verb asked can also be translated as “said” since it introduces a question.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
the Pharisees said to him
-or-
the Pharisees asked Jesus
19:7b
to give his wife: Here the Greek does not add any words to the word give. But in many languages, it will be more natural to add a phrase like “his wife” as the Berean Standard Bible has done. For example:
give his wife (New International Version)
a certificate of divorce: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a certificate of divorce refers to a legal paper. This paper recorded the separation of the man and woman from their marriage. It also included the reason for the separation and the statement that the woman was free to remarry.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
a letter/paper of divorce
-or-
a writing that they are divorced
This phrase also occurs in 5:31b. You should translate it the same way in both places.
and send her away: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as send…away is the same verb that it translates as “divorce” in 19:8a. It can mean both “dismiss” and “release.” When the man gave his wife a divorce paper, he both ended the marriage and released the woman to marry again.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
and end the marriage
-or-
to divorce her (God’s Word)
Actually, the passage in Deuteronomy does not command the giving of a certificate of divorce. It does not command a man to send away his wife. But that is how the Pharisees describe it.
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