Exodus 21:1-11

Common English Bible

Instructions about slaves

21 These are the case laws that you should set before them:

² When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he will serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he will go free without any payment. ³ If he came in single, he will leave single. If he came in married, then his wife will leave with him. ⁴ If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master. He will leave single. ⁵ However, if the slave clearly states, “I love my master, my wife, and my children, and I don’t want to go free,” ⁶ then his master will bring him before God. He will bring him to the door or the doorpost. There his master will pierce his ear with a pointed tool, and he will serve him as his slave for life.

⁷ When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shouldn’t be set free in the same way as male slaves are set free. ⁸ If she doesn’t please her master who chose her for himself, then her master must let her be bought back by her family. He has no right to sell her to a foreign people since he has treated her unfairly. ⁹ If he assigns her to his son, he must give her the rights of a daughter. ¹⁰ If he takes another woman for himself, he may not reduce her food, clothing, or marital rights. ¹¹ If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she will go free without any payment, for no money.