Exodus 21

Hebrew Servants

1 “These are the ordinances that you are to set before them: ¹

2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.

3 If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him.

4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

5 But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’

6 then his master is to bring him before the judges. ^[a] And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life.

7 And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do.

8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, ^[b] he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.

9 And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.

10 If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife.

11 If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to go without monetary payment.

Personal Injury Laws

12 Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.

13 If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

14 But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

15 Whoever strikes his father or mother must surely be put to death.

16 Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.

17 Anyone who curses ^[c] his father or mother must surely be put to death. ^[d]

18 If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed,

19 then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed.

20 If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.

21 However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, since the servant is his property.

22 If men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, ^[e] but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands and as the court allows.

23 But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life—

24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, ^[f] hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe.

26 If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye.

27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.

28 If an ox ^[g] gores a man or woman to death, the ox must surely be stoned, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox shall not be held responsible.

29 But if the ox has a habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned and its owner must also be put to death.

30 If payment is demanded of him instead, he may redeem his life by paying the full amount demanded of him.

31 If the ox gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule.

32 If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver ^[h] to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned.

33 If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.

35 If a man’s ox injures his neighbor’s ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and divide the proceeds; they also must divide the dead animal.

36 But if it was known that the ox had a habit of goring, yet its owner failed to restrain it, he shall pay full compensation, ox for ox, and the dead animal will be his.

Exodus 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

Laws respecting servants. (1-11) Judicial laws. (12-21) Judicial laws. (22-36)

Verses 1-11 The laws in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they differ from our times and customs, nor are they binding on us, yet they explain the moral law, and the rules of natural justice. The servant, in the state of servitude, was an emblem of that state of bondage to sin, Satan, and the law, which man is brought into by robbing God of his glory, by the transgression of his precepts. Likewise in being made free, he was an emblem of that liberty wherewith Christ, the Son of God, makes free from bondage his people, who are free indeed; and made so freely, without money and without price, of free grace.

Verses 12-21 God, who by his providence gives and maintains life, by his law protects it. A wilful murderer shall be taken even from God's altar. But God provided cities of refuge to protect those whose unhappiness it was, and not their fault, to cause the death of another; for such as by accident, when a man is doing a lawful act, without intent of hurt, happens to kill another. Let children hear the sentence of God's word upon the ungrateful and disobedient; and remember that God will certainly requite it, if they have ever cursed their parents, even in their hearts, or have lifted up their hands against them, except they repent, and flee for refuge to the Saviour. And let parents hence learn to be very careful in training up their children, setting them a good example, especially in the government of their passions, and in praying for them; taking heed not to provoke them to wrath. Through poverty the Israelites sometimes sold themselves or their children; magistrates sold some persons for their crimes, and creditors were in some cases allowed to sell their debtors who could not pay. But "man-stealing," the object of which is to force another into slavery, is ranked in the New Testament with the greatest crimes. Care is here taken, that satisfaction be made for hurt done to a person, though death do not follow. The gospel teaches masters to forbear, and to moderate threatenings, ( Ephesians 6:9 ) , considering with Job, What shall I do, when God riseth up? ( Job 31:13 Job 31:14 ) .

Verses 22-36 The cases here mentioned give rules of justice then, and still in use, for deciding similar matters. We are taught by these laws, that we must be very careful to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly. If we have done wrong, we must be very willing to make it good, and be desirous that nobody may lose by us.

Cross References

• 1. (Deuteronomy 15:12–18)

Footnotes

• [a]. Or before God
• [b]. Or so that he does not designate her for himself
• [c]. Or dishonors or reviles
• [d]. Cited in Matthew 15:4 and Mark 7:10
• [e]. Literally and her children come out
• [f]. Cited in Matthew 5:38
• [g]. Or a bull; also in verses 29–36
• [h]. 30 shekels is approximately 12 ounces or 342 grams of silver.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 21

In this, and the two following chapters, are delivered various laws and precepts, partly of a moral, and partly of a religious, but chiefly of a civil nature, respecting the commonwealth of Israel, and its political good. This chapter treats of servants, and laws relating to them; to menservants, how long they shall serve, and what is to be done to those who are desirous of staying with their masters after their time is up, Ex 21:1-6, to maidservants, and especially betrothed ones, either to a father or a son, Ex 21:7-11, likewise it contains laws concerning the slaughter of men, whether with design or unawares, Ex 21:12-14, and concerning the ill usage of parents, Ex 21:15,17, and man stealing, Ex 21:16 and of mischief that comes by men's quarrelling and fighting, Ex 21:18,19 and by smiting a man or maidservant, Ex 21:20,21,26,27, to a woman with child, that is, by means of men's striving and contending with each other, Ex 21:22-25 and of damages that come by oxen, or to them, Ex 21:28-36.