marriage on Nostr: Also a reasonable explanation. I think it's likely that both are correct. Fornication ...

Also a reasonable explanation. I think it's likely that both are correct. Fornication is unchastity between single persons and also irrelevant to the discussion of law because it is punishable by death under the Law of Moses.

It's also possible that the Romans weren't allowing the Jews to carry out capital punishment so they were choosing to end the betrothal with "divorce" instead of death.

There's another view that says fornication is an example that demonstrates that is okay to call off an engagement for any reason before the wedding.