^15:16However, if the servant³² says to you, “I do not want to leave³³ you,” because he loves you and your household, since he is well off with you, ^15:17you shall take an awl and pierce a hole through his ear to the door.³⁴ Then he will become your servant permanently (this applies to your female servant as well).

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Footnotes

32 Heb “he”; the referent (the indentured servant introduced in v. 12) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
33 Heb “go out from.” The imperfect verbal form indicates the desire of the subject here.
34 When the bondslave’s ear was drilled through to the door, the door in question was that of the master’s house. In effect, the bondslave is declaring his undying and lifelong loyalty to his creditor. The scar (or even hole) in the earlobe would testify to the community that the slave had surrendered independence and personal rights. This may be what Paul had in mind when he said “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:17).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But if your slave says to you, ‘I don’t want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and is well off with you, take an awl and pierce through his ear into the door, and he will become your slave for life. Also treat your female slave the same way.

NLTNew Living Translation

“But suppose your servant says, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you. In that case, take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door. After that, he will be your servant for life. And do the same for your female servants.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And then if it will happen that he says to you, ‘I do not want to go out from you,’ because he loves you and your family, because it is good for him to be with you; then you shall take an awl, and you shall thrust it through his earlobe and into the door, and he shall be to you a slave forever; and you shall also do likewise for your slave woman.

KJV 1900King James Version

And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

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