כְּרִיתוּת (ke.ri.tut)
ke.ri.tut
divorce
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun keritut denotes the formal act of divorce or dismissal in biblical Hebrew. It appears sparingly, occurring only four times across the Old Testament, with notable instances in Deuteronomy 24:3 and Jeremiah 3:1. In these contexts, it refers to the legal certificate that finalizes the separation, marking the end of the marital bond.
Its root carries a sense of cutting or severing, which aligns with its use as a definitive break in relationship. While often translated simply as "divorce," the term emphasizes the procedural and legal nature of the dismissal rather than just the emotional state. This precision is crucial in passages discussing marriage laws, where the validity of a subsequent union depends on this formal act.
Translators typically render keritut as "divorce" or "bill of divorcement," reflecting its role as the instrument of separation. The word’s limited usage highlights the seriousness with which ancient Israelite law treated the dissolution of marriage, ensuring that such actions were documented and legally recognized rather than informal or arbitrary.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word keritut refers to the formal legal act of divorce, specifically the written certificate that finalizes a separation. It appears only four times in the Old Testament, highlighting how seriously ancient Israel treated the dissolution of marriage. This term emphasizes the procedural nature of ending a union, ensuring it was documented and recognized rather than informal.
In Deuteronomy 24:3, this word describes the second husband writing out the certificate if he hates his wife or dies. This legal safeguard protected the woman, allowing her to remarry without being accused of adultery. It shows that even in broken relationships, God’s law provided structure and care for the vulnerable.
Jeremiah 3:8 uses this term metaphorically to describe God putting away Israel like a divorced wife. While the imagery is stark, it underscores the seriousness of covenant faithfulness. For believers today, this reminds us that our relationship with God is built on enduring loyalty and grace, not just legal technicalities.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- divorce2×
- divorce<s>/ her1×
- [the] divorce of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְּרִיתֻת֙2×
- כְּרִיתֻתֶ֖י/הָ1×
- כְּרִית֤וּת1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 24:3
If the latter husband hates her, and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house; or if the latter husband dies, who took her to be his wife;
This verse uses keritut to describe the second husband's action of writing a certificate, highlighting the legal procedure that allowed a divorced woman to remarry without penalty.
-
Jeremiah 3:8
I saw when, for this very cause, that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, had no fear, but she also went and played the prostitute.
Here, God uses the term metaphorically to describe His decision to put away backsliding Israel, emphasizing the gravity of breaking a covenant relationship.
-
Deuteronomy 24:1
When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be, if she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a certificate of divorce, put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
Although the specific noun keritut appears in verse 3, this opening verse establishes the legal context for the certificate that finalizes the separation mentioned later.