Hebrew servants – If a Hebrew servant is bought, he is to serve six years. In the seventh year he is free to leave at no cost. If it is only him when he becomes a servant, then only he can leave. However, if he has a wife and becomes a servant, then he and his wife are allowed to leave. If he is given a wife by the master during the time that he is a servant and they have children, the wife and the children shall remain and only he is allowed to leave. If the servant decides to stay because of his love for his master, wife and children, then the master shall take him to the judges and bring him to the door or doorpost. Google sources state that the door could refer to the gates of the city where the judges are or the door(post) of the master’s house. The master shall pierce his ear with an awl (a small pointed tool used for piercing holes, especially in leather and wood). Based on the definition, this piercing sounds painful. Because of love, a Hebrew servant could be willing to endure this painful piercing and yet it doesn’t even begin to compare to the “piercings” that Jesus endured on our behalf because of His love for us when He was nailed to the cross. After the ear piercing, the servant shall serve the master forever.

Female Slave – If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she shall not be treated in the same manner as a male slave. If she doesn’t please her master to whom she is betrothed (committed to marry), then he should let her be redeemed (bought back from slavery). He does not have the right to sell her to foreign people, since he dealt with her deceitfully. If she was betrothed to the master’s son, he should treat her as a daughter. If he takes on another wife, he can’t mistreat her by diminishing her food, clothing and marriage rights. If he doesn’t provide these three things for her, then she can go out completely free with no exchange of money.

The Law Concerning Violence

Against mankind (generally) – Verses 12 – 14 He who strikes a man and kills him, the striker should be put to death. However, if it was done unintentionally, but God allowed it to happen, God would appoint a place of refuge for the striker. If the act was premeditated against his neighbor, killing him by treachery, then he shall be taken from God’s altar so that he may die. (God did not allow senseless murders.)

Verse 16 – He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his possession, he should be put to death. (God does not approve of human trafficking either.)

Verses 18 -19 – If men fight with one another and one strikes the other with a stone or his fist, and he doesn’t die, but is confined to his bed, if he rises again and walks outside with his staff, then the one who struck him shall be acquitted. He has to reimburse the man for his loss of time and provide for him to be thoroughly healed (pay all medical expenses).

Against parents – Verse 15 – Whoever strikes his father or mother should be put to death. Verse 17 – Whoever curses his father or mother shall surely die. Exodus 20:12 basically says to honor your parents so that your days may be long on earth. I used to think that it was really nice of God to give us a long life for honoring our parents. Then when I read verses 15 and 17 in Exodus 21, I saw that if you dishonored your parents, you would be killed. So, in honoring them, you get to live; thus, a long life. Wow! God is serious about respecting and honoring our parents.

Against servants – Verses 20 and 21 – If a man beats his male or female servant to death with a rod, he shall surely be punished. If the servant stays alive for a day or two afterwards, he shall not be punished since the servant is his property. Verses 26 and 27 – If a man strikes a male or female servant in the eye and destroys it, he shall let the servant go free for the sake of the eye. The same goes for a tooth if he knocks it out. The servant goes free for the sake of the tooth.

Against a pregnant woman – Verses 22 – 25 If men fight and hurt a woman with child causing her to give birth early, but there isn’t any harm, he shall surely be punished accordingly as her husband imposes on him. He shall pay as determined by the judges. However, if there is harm, then it’s life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (God values life in the womb.)