Introduction to Deuteronomy 24:4
Deuteronomy 24:4 is part of a legal passage dealing with divorce and remarriage within Israelite society. The verse prohibits a man from remarrying his former wife after she has married another man and subsequently been divorced or widowed. This law is framed as a divine prohibition, emphasizing moral and theological principles.
Grammatically, this verse provides significant insights into Biblical Hebrew syntax and verb forms, particularly the use of יוּכַ֣ל (yukhal, “he will be able”) in the imperfect form, as well as the passive הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה (huttammāʾāh, “she has been defiled”). These elements shape the legal force of the prohibition, and their syntactic arrangement clarifies the scope of the restriction.
לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל בַּעְלָ֣הּ הָרִאשֹׁ֣ון אֲשֶֽׁר־֠שִׁלְּחָהּ לָשׁ֨וּב לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ לִהְיֹ֧ות לֹ֣ו לְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַחֲרֵי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה כִּֽי־תֹועֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תַחֲטִיא֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָֽה׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
1. לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל (lōʾ yukhal) – “He will not be able”: This is an imperfect verb in the Hofʿal (passive of Hifʿil) form, third-person masculine singular. The negation לֹא signals a strong prohibition.
2. שִׁלְּחָהּ (shilleḥāh) – “He sent her away”: A Piʿel perfect verb, third-person masculine singular, with a suffixed pronoun indicating the object (“her”).
3. לָשׁ֨וּב לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ (lāshūv ləqaḥtāh) – “To return to take her”: The first infinitive לָשׁ֨וּב (from שׁוּב) expresses the action of returning, while לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ (from לָקַח) indicates taking her back as a wife.
4. הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה (huttammāʾāh) – “She has been defiled”: A Hofʿal (passive) perfect verb, third-person feminine singular, indicating an external action affecting the subject.
5. תֹועֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא (toʿēvāh hīʾ) – “It is an abomination”: The noun תֹועֵבָה (“abomination”) governs the verb הִ֖וא (“it is”), making a strong declarative statement.
Explanation of Grammatical Function
The Use of יוּכַ֣ל in Prohibitive Syntax
The verb יוּכַ֣ל (yukhal, “he will be able”) is a Hofʿal imperfect, third-person masculine singular, which normally denotes ability or permission. However, here it is negated by לֹא, forming a strong prohibition. This structure is common in Biblical Hebrew legal texts, where the negation of יוּכַל explicitly forbids an action by removing the possibility of its occurrence.
This formulation contrasts with simple prohibitions using אַל + yiqtol (e.g., אַל־תִּקַּח “do not take”), which express direct prohibitions. Instead, the construction לֹא יוּכַל (lōʾ yukhal) suggests an inherent impossibility or divine prohibition.
The Perfect שִׁלְּחָהּ in a Relative Clause
The verb שִׁלְּחָהּ (shilleḥāh, “he sent her away”) appears in the Piʿel perfect, third-person masculine singular, with a third-person feminine singular suffix. It describes a past action that defines the subject, הָרִאשֹׁ֣ון (hārishōn, “the first [husband]”). This use of a perfect verb in a relative clause (אֲשֶׁר־שִׁלְּחָהּ) establishes a completed action that has ongoing legal consequences.
Infinitive Construction לָשׁ֨וּב לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ
The combination of לָשׁ֨וּב (lāshūv, “to return”) and לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ (ləqaḥtāh, “to take her”) illustrates a sequential infinitive structure, where the first infinitive (לָשׁ֨וּב) functions adverbially, modifying the second (לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ). This structure emphasizes the intention behind the action—he cannot “return in order to take her.”
The Passive הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה and Theological Implications
The verb הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה (huttammāʾāh, “she has been defiled”) is a Hofʿal perfect, third-person feminine singular, denoting a passive state of ritual impurity. This grammatical choice highlights that the woman’s impurity is not self-inflicted but imposed upon her by external circumstances. This concept of ritual defilement (טָמֵא) is crucial in biblical purity laws, where individuals become unclean through circumstances beyond their control.
The Prohibition and Its Linguistic Significance
The linguistic construction of Deuteronomy 24:4 demonstrates the legal precision of Biblical Hebrew syntax. The use of לֹא יוּכַל (lōʾ yukhal) signals a strong legal prohibition rather than a simple command. The relative clause structure (אֲשֶׁר שִׁלְּחָהּ) defines the subject and establishes legal context, while the infinitive sequence (לָשׁ֨וּב לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ) clarifies the prohibited action. Finally, the passive הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה (huttammāʾāh) conveys a theological dimension, marking the woman’s status as ritually impure.
This verse serves as an excellent example of how Biblical Hebrew uses verb forms and syntax to express legal and moral imperatives with precision. The structure underscores the absolute nature of the prohibition, shaping ancient Israelite marriage law while reinforcing the theological principle of holiness before YHWH.
