Exodus 21:1-10

1 Now these are the rights which thou shalt set before them.

2 If thou should buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he was married, then his wife shall go out with him.

4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.

5 And if the slave shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free.

6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him forever.

7 And if a man should sell his daughter to be a maidslave, she shall not go out as the menslaves do.

8 If she pleases not her master, who therefore took her not unto himself to wife, then it is permitted that she be ransomed; and he may not sell her unto a strange nation when he rejects her.

9 And if he has betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

10 If he takes another wife, her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, he shall not diminish.

Exodus 21:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

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.