· Translation: KJV

Exodus 21:10If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights.

The setting

Mount Sinai, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, ~1446 BC. Moses establishing minimum standards for marriage responsibilities...

The emotion here: protective anger toward those who would neglect family obligations

The original word

onah (עונה) — marital intimacy and emotional connection, not just physical

Why it matters

This is the world's first recorded law guaranteeing women's marital rights

Read with care

What most readers miss in Exodus 21:10

Even in polygamous cultures, God protected women's basic needs

Common misconceptionPeople think this endorses polygamy, but it actually limits a man's ability to take multiple wives by making the financial and emotional cost prohibitive.

Bible Genome reading

Exodus 21:10 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerGod
Eraexodus
Primary emotionresting
Literary typelaw
MarkCommand

Emotional genome

Comfort power50%
Quotability40%
Memorability40%
Crisis relevance50%
Standalone40%
Themes:provisionmarriage

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Exodus 21

Exodus 21:10 comes from the book of Exodus, written during the exodus period. The setting is wilderness. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is resting, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the law genre of biblical literature. Key themes include provision, marriage. Notable phrases: not diminish; food, clothing, marital rights. This verse contains a command.

Your reflection

What does Exodus 21:10 mean to you, today?

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