EX 21:1-6 Hebrew Servant Law

Law

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

• If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. 

• If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him. 

• If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. But if the servant shall plainly say, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;’ then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.

Judgement

None specific.

Biblical Example

• Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying: 14  At the end of seven years, every man of you shall release his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years. You shall let him go free from you. But your fathers didn’t listen to me, and didn’t incline their ear. 15  You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor. You had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name; 16  but you turned and profaned my name, and every man caused his servant and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.’

Jeremiah 34:13-16 (WEB)

This biblical example is referring to King Zedekiah's reign over Judah. King Zedekiah and Judah were losing a war against Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar. King Zedekiah and Judah made a covenant to release any Judeans that were in servitude among themselves. However, they reneged on their covenant and forced their own people back to servitude; for this YHWH cursed them. King Zedekiah did evil in the eyes of YHWH.