World English Bible
- “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them:
- “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.
- “If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do.
- If she doesn’t please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.
- If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her as a daughter.
- If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights.
- If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money.
- “One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,
- but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.
- If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
- “Anyone who attacks his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.
- “Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
- “Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
- “If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he doesn’t die, but is confined to bed;
- if he rises again and walks around with his staff, then he who struck him shall be cleared; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for his healing until he is thoroughly healed.
- “If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished.
- Notwithstanding, if his servant gets up after a day or two, he shall not be punished, for the servant is his property.
- “If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman’s husband demands and the judges allow.
- But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life,
- eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
- burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.
- “If a man strikes his servant’s eye, or his maid’s eye, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.
- If he strikes out his male servant’s tooth, or his female servant’s tooth, he shall let the servant go free for his tooth’s sake.
- “If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall not be held responsible.
- But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and this has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and its owner shall also be put to death.
- If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed.
- Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him.
- If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.
- “If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn’t cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,
- the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.
- “If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal.
- Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.
In our journey through Exodus, we have witnessed God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery, His covenantal faithfulness, and His self-revelation at Sinai. Now, in Exodus 21, we encounter laws given to guide the Israelites in living out their newfound identity as God’s covenant community. At first glance, some of these commands may strike modern Western readers as harsh or perplexing. Yet we must remember that these laws were revolutionary in their ancient Near Eastern context, promoting justice, dignity, and societal harmony among God’s redeemed people.
This chapter begins what scholars call “the Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 21–23), directly following the Ten Commandments. These statutes interpret and apply the moral principles voiced in the Decalogue to specific societal situations.
For today’s audience, “slavery” automatically carries a painful historical baggage and moral confusion. However, it’s important to realize the Hebrew term translated as “slave” (’ebed עֶבֶד) often refers more accurately to “bond-servants,” people working to repay debt or alleviate poverty (Leviticus 25:39-43). Unlike the brutal, race-based chattel slavery that the Western world historically knows, Israelite servanthood was temporary, regulated, and designed to protect the dignity of the individual. Every seventh year, Israelite servants were to be set free (Exodus 21:2).
Interestingly, the detail about piercing the servant’s ear (Exodus 21:6) signifies a voluntary, lifelong commitment of love and devotion—a meaningful reminder that serving the Lord is not bondage, but joyful, willing submission. The apostle Paul echoes similar imagery when referring to himself as a “bond-servant” (in Greek, doulos δοῦλος) of Christ (Romans 1:1), highlighting our voluntary commitment to life under divine Lordship.
Hymn Suggestion: “Make Me a Captive, Lord,” by George Matheson—this hymn beautifully captures the paradox of freedom through voluntary surrender to Christ.
In these verses, God prescribes serious consequences for actions harming others, underscoring human life’s sacred nature. The famous principle “an eye for an eye” (lex talionis) in verse 24 is often misunderstood. Far from encouraging revenge or cruelty, this law sets clear limits on appropriate punishment, ensuring proportionality and preventing tribal vengeance from escalating. The goal was fairness, equity, and societal stability. Historically, Christian interpreters such as Augustine and Calvin emphasized this principle as a foundational judicial restraint aiming at fairness—not revenge.
Furthermore, the detail in verse 20–21 addressing the rights of injured servants illustrates an unprecedented legal concern for the inherent dignity even of those who occupied society’s lowest rungs. God consistently asserts the worth of every individual made in His image (Genesis 1:26–27).
Cross-references: Compare Leviticus 24:19-20, Matthew 5:38-42 (‘turning the other cheek’). Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, challenges His followers to radical mercy, going beyond mere legal boundaries to demonstrate transformative grace.
The laws regarding animals and restitution (vv. 28-36) illustrate another key principle: individual responsibility within a community. Negligence and deliberate disregard for the well-being of neighbors invited serious consequences. Here, personal accountability underpins the communal flourishing of Israelite society. Historical archaeological discoveries, including ancient Near Eastern legal codes such as the famous Code of Hammurabi, suggest these biblical laws share a common cultural awareness while also illustrating unique divine priorities: the protection of the weak, the promotion of personal accountability, and communal harmony.
While some laws in Exodus 21 may initially feel distant or culturally strange to our 21st-century perspective, grasping their purpose reveals God’s incredible care in establishing just relationships within His community. Ultimately, these laws point us toward Christ, who fulfills and transforms the law through His own voluntary servanthood, justice, mercy, and sacrifice on the cross.
May we, too, become voluntary “servants” of Christ—binding ourselves to Him in love—for true freedom only comes when we surrender ourselves fully to His Lordship.
“Servant Song” by Richard Gillard (Brother, sister, let me serve you)
This modern hymn beautifully reflects our calling to mutual care, responsibility within community, voluntary servanthood, and reflecting Christ’s humility in our interactions.
Heavenly Father,
Grant us wisdom and understanding as we meditate on Your Word. Thank You
for caring deeply about justice, human dignity, and the value of each
person. Help us willingly commit our lives to serve You out of love and
gratitude, reflecting Christ, who served us without reservation. May we
pursue fairness, compassion, and integrity in our dealings with others,
reflecting Your perfect character in all we do.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.