⁶ then his master must take him before the judges.^[a](A) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce^(B) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.^(C)

¹⁷ then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant.

¹² Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious^(A) to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.^(B)”