Malachi declared that God hates divorce because it is a betrayal of the covenant between a husband and wife, which reflects God’s covenant with His people. Divorce, especially in the context addressed in Malachi, involved treachery, unfaithfulness, and the breaking of sacred trust.
God, speaking through Malachi, rebuked the men of Judah for dealing unfaithfully with their wives:
“The Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant.”
(Malachi 2:14)
The marriage relationship was not merely a personal or legal agreement. It was a covenant before God, and breaking it was considered treachery. God created marriage with a divine purpose:
“But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring.”
(Malachi 2:15)
God designed marriage to be a unified, faithful relationship that would produce children raised in righteousness. Divorce disrupted that purpose and undermined the spiritual foundation of the family and society.
Then comes the clear statement:
“For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence… Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”
(Malachi 2:16)
Divorce is described as an act of violence, symbolically staining the garment, representing shame and harm done to the relationship and the family. The Lord was not condemning all divorced people but was addressing the sin of heartless, selfish abandonment, particularly when Israelite men were casting off their wives to marry pagan women (Malachi 2:11).
God’s hatred of divorce reflects His love for faithfulness, commitment, and covenant integrity. It also shows His desire to protect the vulnerable, such as women who were being discarded without just cause.
This passage calls God’s people to honor marriage as a sacred covenant and to guard their hearts against the kind of treachery that leads to its destruction.
