A divorce may be [revoked] twice, whereupon the marriage must either be resumed in fairness or dissolved in a goodly manner. And it is not lawful for you to take back anything of what you have ever given to your wives unless both [partners] have cause to fear that they may not be able to keep within the bounds set by God: hence, if you have cause to fear that the two may not be able to keep within the bounds set by God, there shall be no sin upon either of them for what the wife may give up [to her husband] in order to free herself. These are the bounds set by God; do not, then, transgress them: for they who transgress the bounds set by God - it is they, they who are evildoers! 229 And if he has divorced her [for the third time], then she is not lawful to him afterward until [after] she marries a husband other than him. And if the latter husband divorces her [or dies], there is no blame upon the woman and her former husband for returning to each other if they think that they can keep [within] the limits of Allah. These are the limits of Allah, which He makes clear to a people who know. 230 When you have divorced women and they have reached the end of their waiting period, either keep them in kindness or let them go with kindness. But you shall not keep them, being harmful, in order to transgress. Whoever does this wrongs himself. Do not take the verses of Allah in mockery. Remember the favor of Allah upon you, and what He sent down to you from the Book and Wisdom to exhort you. Fear Allah and know that He has knowledge of everything. 231