KJV ORIGINAL
If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse establishes that a man who takes a second wife must continue to provide fully for his first wife's needs.
📚 Historical Context
This law was given during Israel's time in the wilderness around 1400 BC, addressing the practice of polygamy that existed in ancient Near Eastern cultures. It provided protection for women in a society where they were economically dependent on their husbands and could easily be neglected if a man took additional wives.
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