Exodus 21:2

If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

If thou buy {H7069} an Hebrew {H5680} servant {H5650}, six {H8337} years {H8141} he shall serve {H5647}: and in the seventh {H7637} he shall go out {H3318} free {H2670} for nothing {H2600}.

"If you purchase a Hebrew slave, he is to work six years; but in the seventh, he is to be given his freedom without having to pay anything.

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.

If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

Commentary

Exodus 21:2 is part of the "Book of the Covenant" (chapters 20:22-23:33), which provides detailed laws and statutes for the Israelite nation following the Ten Commandments. This specific verse addresses the rules concerning indentured servitude among Hebrews, reflecting God's concern for justice and mercy even in ancient social structures.

Context

Coming immediately after the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, chapter 21 begins a section outlining specific civil and social laws for Israel. These laws cover various aspects of life, including the treatment of servants, personal injury, property rights, and justice in the courts. The laws regarding servants highlight a key difference between Israelite society and surrounding cultures, emphasizing limits on servitude and the eventual release of the servant.

Key Themes

  • Limited Servitude: The law establishes a maximum term of six years for a Hebrew to serve another Hebrew, preventing perpetual bondage.
  • Freedom and Release: The seventh year is mandated as a year of release, where the servant goes free "for nothing," without needing to pay for their freedom. This aligns with the concept of the Sabbath year for the land.
  • Justice and Mercy: This statute demonstrates God's concern for the poor and indebted, ensuring they are not permanently enslaved due to their circumstances.
  • Cycles of Rest and Release: The pattern of six years of work followed by a year of release echoes the creation pattern of six days of work and one day of rest, and the agricultural cycle of six years of sowing and a seventh year of rest for the land.

Linguistic Insights

The term translated "Hebrew servant" (עֶבֶד עִבְרִי, 'eved 'ivri) specifically refers to an Israelite who has sold themselves into service, usually due to poverty or debt. The phrase "go out free for nothing" (יֵצֵא לַחֳפְשִׁי חִנָּם, yetse lakhofshi chinnam) strongly emphasizes that the release is unconditional and without cost to the servant, highlighting divine grace within the legal system.

Related Scriptures

This law is echoed and expanded upon in other parts of the Pentateuch, particularly in Deuteronomy 15:12-18, which adds details about providing generously for the servant upon their release. The principle of release in the seventh year also relates to the concept of the Sabbath year for the land in Leviticus 25 and the Jubilee year.

Reflection

Exodus 21:2 reveals God's heart for fairness and the dignity of the individual, even within an ancient system of servitude. It sets a precedent for regular cycles of rest and release, preventing exploitation and offering hope to those in difficult circumstances. While the specific social context differs greatly today, the underlying principles of limiting debt's power, ensuring periods of rest, and valuing human freedom resonate deeply. It reminds us that true freedom ultimately comes as a gift, not earned through service, a principle powerfully echoed in the New Testament regarding spiritual freedom in Christ.

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Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 15:12 (6 votes)

    ¶ [And] if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

  • Deuteronomy 15:15 (6 votes)

    And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.

  • Exodus 12:44 (4 votes)

    But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.

  • Deuteronomy 15:18 (4 votes)

    It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant [to thee], in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

  • Exodus 22:3 (3 votes)

    If the sun be risen upon him, [there shall be] blood [shed] for him; [for] he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

  • Jeremiah 34:8 (3 votes)

    ¶ [This is] the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which [were] at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;

  • Jeremiah 34:17 (3 votes)

    Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.