Malachi 2:16

the God of Israel who has given them His law. His relation to the people aggravates their guilt.

hateth putting away Lit. For he (Jehovah) hateth putting away (divorce), saith Jehovah, &c.

It is true that divorce was permitted by the Law of Moses, in certain cases (Deuteronomy 24:1-4); but that, as our Lord teaches, was only a concession to "the hardness of their hearts" (Matthew 19:8), and "from the beginning it was not so". The rendering of A.V. margin, which is also that of the LXX. and Targum, "if he hate her, put her away", makes the prophet call upon those whom he is rebuking to avail themselves of the provision of the Law, as the least of two evils: q.d. "better divorce her if you hate her, as the Law allows you to do, than retain her as your wife only to subject her to insult and cruelty". But apart from other objections, this interpretation loses sight of the fact that the motive of divorce in the two cases was entirely different, and that such advice, in the case here under consideration, is tantamount to saying, "If you wish to marry a heathen woman, get rid of your lawful wife first by divorcing her."

for one covereth … his garment Rather, and him that covereth his garment with violence (R.V.) (do I hate), saith the Lord of hosts. Two things, in relation to the subject in hand, Almighty God declares that He hates. He hates "putting away", for it is a violation of His primæval law, "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." And He hates ill-treatment by the husband of his wife, which stains and pollutes, as it were, the garment of protection which he is bound to spread over her. By "his garment" many commentators understand "his wife". But no such Hebrew use of the word has been adduced, and the Arabic use which is alleged is not conclusive.