Exodus 21:2–11

Laws about Slaves

²“When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man ^ywithout paying anything. ^z3If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with ^aa wife, his wife is to leave with him. ⁴If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.

⁵“But if the slave declares: ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’ ^b6his master is to bring him to the judges ^cand then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master must pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.

⁷“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, ^dshe is not to leave as the male slaves do. ^e8If she is displeasing to her master, who chose her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners because he has acted treacherously toward her. ⁹Or if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her according to the customary treatment of daughters. ¹⁰If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife. ^f11And if he does not do these three things for her, she may leave free of charge, without any exchange of money. ^g