Read · Listen · Study

Exodus 21 · Berean Standard Bible

Playback speed

¹“These are the ordinances that you are to set before them: ²If 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. ³If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him. ⁴If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. ⁵But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’ ⁶then his master is to bring him before the judges. And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life. ⁷And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do. ⁸If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her. ⁹And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter. ¹⁰If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife. ¹¹If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to go without monetary payment. ¹²Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. ¹³If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. ¹⁴But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death. ¹⁵Whoever strikes his father or mother must surely be put to death. ¹⁶Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession. ¹⁷Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death. ¹⁸If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed, ¹⁹then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed. ²⁰If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished. ²¹However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, since the servant is his property. ²²If men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands and as the court allows. ²³But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life— ²⁴eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe. ²⁶If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. ²⁷And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth. ²⁸If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox must surely be stoned, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox shall not be held responsible. ²⁹But if the ox has a habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned and its owner must also be put to death. ³⁰If payment is demanded of him instead, he may redeem his life by paying the full amount demanded of him. ³¹If the ox gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule. ³²If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned. ³³If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his. ³⁵If a man’s ox injures his neighbor’s ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and divide the proceeds; they also must divide the dead animal. ³⁶But if it was known that the ox had a habit of goring, yet its owner failed to restrain it, he shall pay full compensation, ox for ox, and the dead animal will be his.

Berean Standard Bible · public domain. More versions and languages in the Reading Plan.

Exodus

Exodus 21

The Covenant Judgments: Justice, Mercy, and Responsibility in Community

✦

Objective

To reveal the foundational laws God gave Israel that establish justice within the covenant community, balancing mercy and accountability, and reflecting God’s holy character in daily life.

Overview

Exodus 21 unfolds a series of judgments given to Moses for the people of Israel, addressing servant rights, personal injury, and property responsibility. These laws form the bedrock of covenant justice, emphasizing protection for the vulnerable, the sanctity of life, and equitable restitution. The chapter reveals God’s concern for social order rooted in His holiness, demanding fairness and compassion among His people.

Detailed Analysis

Event Description

The chapter begins with instructions about Hebrew servants: their term of service is six years, with freedom granted in the seventh. The law safeguards family unity—if the servant came married, his wife leaves with him; if the master gave him a wife who bore children, the wife and children remain with the master. A servant may choose lifelong service out of love, marked by a symbolic ear-piercing before the judges. Special provisions protect daughters sold as maidservants, ensuring they are not mistreated or sold abroad, and guaranteeing their rights if betrothed or if the master takes another wife.

Central Themes

Justice tempered with mercy

protection of family bonds

voluntary commitment and covenant loyalty

safeguarding vulnerable members within the household.

Cultural & Historical Context

In ancient Near Eastern society, servitude was common, but Israel’s laws limit servitude duration and protect familial integrity, contrasting with harsher practices elsewhere. The ear-piercing ceremony symbolizes a solemn, voluntary bond, reflecting Israel’s emphasis on covenant fidelity. The protection of maidservants reflects concern for women’s dignity within a patriarchal culture.

Key Verse

Exodus 21:6

Vivid Artistic Descriptions

Laws Concerning Hebrew Servants and Family Rights

A humble household scene at twilight, a servant kneeling before the doorpost as the master gently pierces his ear with a small awl, symbolizing lifelong devotion. Nearby, a wife and children stand quietly, their faces a mixture of hope and uncertainty, framed by the warm glow of the home’s hearth, embodying covenant loyalty and family bonds.

Sanctity of Life and Punishments for Violence

A somber court scene beneath a towering olive tree, elders seated in judgment. A man stands accused, his head bowed, while a grieving family looks on. The sun casts long shadows, emphasizing the weight of life and death decisions, and the community’s solemn commitment to uphold divine justice.

Laws on Personal Injury and Restitution

A village healer tending to a wounded man lying on a simple mat, neighbors gathered with concern. Nearby, a man counts silver coins, preparing restitution. The scene balances mercy and justice, highlighting the care for the injured and the measured recompense demanded by the law.

Liability for Animals and Property Damage

An ox with lowered head charging forward, a startled villager leaping aside. In the background, a deep pit uncovered beside a dusty path, with a fallen donkey inside. The owner stands remorseful, offering silver coins to the injured party, illustrating responsibility and the cost of negligence.

Song

Exodus 21 Song

Verse 1

In the house where bonds are made, Freedom’s gift and love displayed. Servants’ years and hearts revealed, Covenant’s seal, forever sealed.

Verse 2

Life is sacred, death is grave, Honor parents, lives to save. Strife and harm bring judgment’s weight, Yet refuge waits to temper fate.

Chorus

Justice flows from heaven’s throne, Mercy’s hand, the law’s own tone. Life and love in balance stand, Held within God’s righteous hand.

Bridge

Injuries heal, and debts are paid, Restitution’s price displayed. Animals and pits beware, Stewardship calls us to care.

Final Chorus

Justice flows from heaven’s throne, Mercy’s hand, the law’s own tone. Life and love in balance stand, Held within God’s righteous hand.

Practical Application

Personal Life

Recognize the value of commitment and loyalty in relationships, reflecting covenant faithfulness.

Honor and respect family members, especially parents, as a sacred duty.

Accept responsibility for actions and seek to make restitution when harm is caused.

Community & Society

Promote justice that balances fairness with mercy, protecting the vulnerable among us.

Establish clear boundaries and accountability within social and legal systems.

Encourage stewardship and care for property and community resources.

Global Perspective

Advocate for laws and policies that uphold human dignity and protect life universally.

Support systems that provide refuge and mercy for those harmed unintentionally.

Foster global awareness of responsible stewardship of the environment and resources.

Conclusion

Exodus 21 reveals God’s holy justice woven with mercy, establishing a community where life is sacred, relationships honored, and responsibility embraced. These covenant judgments guide Israel—and us—toward a society reflecting God’s character: just, compassionate, and accountable. In these laws, the echo of divine righteousness calls us to live with integrity and love within our families, communities, and the world.