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The phrase "God hates divorce" has often been quoted as an argument that divorce is sinful. And, yes, divorce can be sinful. It is wrong to divorce a faithful legal spouse.
But the word in Malachi 2:16 that is translated as "divorce" (in some versions) is not divorce as God defines it in Deuteronomy 24:1-2 and Jeremiah 3:8. The word in Malachi is the same word that is found in the last part of Deuteronomy 24:2, which is the LAST part of the divorce process. The word means sending away or putting the woman out of the house. Since one can do this sending away, or putting out, without completing the divorce process, it stands to reason that this word does not refer to divorce.
The corresponding Greek word is apoluo - it has the exact same meaning. Have you ever wondered WHY scholars do not, way down in the definition, add that this Hebrew word means, or is used of, divorce while they do so when defining apoluo? The reason is that the word came to be "used of divorce" (Thayer) but only by people who either did not know the word of God (His command regarding divorce, Mark 10:3) or who had no respect for it. See Strongs below and then Vines:
>"H7971
חלשׁ
shầ‚lach
shaw-lakh'
A primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications): - X any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out)."
Vines says shalach means: "to send, stretch forth, get rid of."
It was, and is, putting away, that does not free the woman to marry, that God hates. Of course, breaking promises and covenants is something He hates. However, divorce is not only the Law He gave for the benefit of the woman, but He made it clear that divorce can benefit all when He revealed to us that He used it Himself. His divorce ended the marriage he had with Israel and freed Israel to marry another. That Jesus married Israel (Rom. 7:1, 4) speaks loudly that marrying a divorcee, even a woman who has been unfaithful to her husband, is not sinful.
For further study visit the following link:
https://www.totalhealth.bz/divorce-and-remarriage-who-may-marry.htm
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