Bible/Exodus/21

Exodus 21:2

21:1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

KJV

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“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything.

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

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

21:3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. by himself: Heb. with his body

What does Exodus 21:2 mean?

Exodus 21:2 is a verse in the book of Exodus, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include קָנָה (qânâh), עִבְרִי (ʻIbrîy), עֶבֶד (ʻebed). It connects to 14 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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If
thou
buyקָנָהqânâh/kaw-naw'/H7069to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to own
an
HebrewעִבְרִיʻIbrîy/ib-ree'/H5680an Eberite (i.e. Hebrew) or descendant of Eber
servant,עֶבֶדʻebed/eh'-bed/H5650a servant
sixשֵׁשׁshêsh/shaysh/H8337six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth
yearsשָׁנֶהshâneh/shaw-neh'/H8141a year (as a revolution of time)
he
shall
serve:עָבַדʻâbad/aw-bad'/H5647to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.
and
in
the
seventhשְׁבִיעִיshᵉbîyʻîy/sheb-ee-ee'/H7637seventh
he
shall
go
outיָצָאyâtsâʼ/yaw-tsaw'/H3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
freeחׇפְשִׁיchophshîy/khof-shee'/H2670exempt (from bondage, tax or care)
for
nothing.חִנָּםchinnâm/khin-nawm'/H2600gratis, i.e. devoid of cost, reason or advantage

Commentary on Exodus 21:2

HENRY_FULL · Exodus 21:2
uction" The laws recorded in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they are not accommodated to our constitution, especially in point of servitude, nor are the penalties annexed binding on us, yet they are of great use for the explanation of the moral law, and the rules of natural justice. Here are several enlargements, I. Upon the fifth commandment, which concerns particular relations. 1. The duty of masters towards their servants, their men-servants ( ver. 2-6 ), and the maidservants, ver. 7-11 . 2. The punishment of disobedient children that strike their parents ( ver. 15 ), or curse them, ver. 17 . II. Upon the sixth commandment, which forbids all violence offered to the person of a man. Here is, 1. Concerning murder, ver. 12-14 . 2. Man-stealing, ver. 16 . 3. Assault and battery, ver. 18, 19 . 4. Correcting a servant, ver. 20, 21 . 5. Hurting a woman with child, ver. 22, 23 . 6. The law of retaliation, ver. 24, 25 . 7. Maiming a servant, ver. 26, 27 . 8. An ox goring, ver. 28-32 . 9. Damage by opening a pit, ver. 33, 34 . 10. Cattle fighting, ver. 35, 36 . Judicial Laws. ( b. c. 149

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 27:28

Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

Genesis 27:36

And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Jacob: that is, A supplanter

Exodus 12:44

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

Exodus 22:3

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.

Deuteronomy 15:1

At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

Deuteronomy 15:12

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 15:18

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.

Deuteronomy 31:10

And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

2 Kings 4:1

Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

Nehemiah 5:1

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

Nehemiah 5:8

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

Jeremiah 34:8

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;

Matthew 18:25

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

1 Corinthians 6:20

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Exodus 21:2.

Jeremiah 34:14

At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear. hath been: or, hath sold himself

Isaiah 20:3

And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

Jeremiah 25:11

And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Jeremiah 28:17

So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

Jeremiah 34:9

That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.

Frequently asked questions

What does Exodus 21:2 say?

Exodus 21:2 (King James Version) reads: "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing."

Is Exodus 21:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Exodus 21:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Exodus.

Reflect

As you read Exodus 21:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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