When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This law, while regulating existing slavery, subtly emphasizes God's ultimate plan for freedom. By mandating release after six years, it echoes the creation week, pointing toward a future "Sabbath" of liberation that transcends any earthly bondage.
When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage begins a series of laws detailing how Israelites should treat one another, specifically focusing on situations where one Israelite might become indebted or fall into poverty. These laws, given after the dramatic Exodus from Egypt, aim to establish justice and compassion within the community, recognizing that Israelites could become slaves either by selling themselves or being sold due to debt, crime, or family poverty, but they were not to be treated like foreign slaves and had specific rights to freedom.
Did God invent slavery with these laws? Not at all! But He stepped into a messy world and brought justice.
It's crucial to understand that the Mosaic Law didn't create slavery; it regulated an existing practice. The ancient Near East was filled with systems of servitude, often brutal and without hope.
God, in His infinite wisdom, didn't abolish slavery outright (a social revolution far beyond what even later societies could manage). Instead, He brought His liberating principles into the situation. These laws, starting with Exodus 21:2, were a radical improvement over the norms of the time. They introduced mercy, defined limits, and offered a path to freedom, even for those enslaved due to poverty or crime.
Six years of work, then freedom for free. What's the divine rhythm behind this seven-year cycle?
The six-year term of service followed by release in the seventh year is a powerful echo of the Sabbath principle. Just as the seventh day of the week was a day of rest, the seventh year offered a respite from servitude.
This wasn't arbitrary. It provided a guaranteed opportunity for an Israelite to regain their livelihood and dignity. It acted as a pressure release valve against crushing debt or poverty, ensuring that servitude wasn't a life sentence. The ultimate goal was to restore individuals and families to a place of freedom and self-sufficiency within the community.
Understand the original words
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ebed · Hebrew Noun
In this context, it refers to a person who has voluntarily or through economic hardship entered into a state of service to another, yet retains a status protected by covenant law. Unlike later systems of chattel slavery, the Hebrew law provided specific protections and mandatory release terms for these individuals.
shevi'it · Hebrew Adjective
The number seven holds profound significance in the Bible, representing completeness, perfection, and the divine order established by God in creation, often linked to rest or liberation.
chofshi · Hebrew Adjective
A state of being released from obligations, servitude, or debt. In a biblical context, it ultimately points toward the spiritual liberty believers have in Christ, who frees humanity from the bondage of sin.
This passage directly expands on Exodus 21:2, detailing the generous provision a master must give an Israelite servant upon their release after six years of service, emphasizing the compassionate spirit of the law.
Leviticus 25:39This verse explains a primary reason an Israelite might become a servant in the first place – extreme poverty – and reiterates the limited servitude, contrasting it with the perpetual slavery of foreigners.
Jeremiah 34:13This prophetic passage highlights the violation of this very law by the Israelites, showing how they neglected God's commands for liberation, leading to judgment.
Matthew 20:28Jesus speaks of his own service as a ransom, paralleling the concept of release and freedom, but on a spiritual level, where Christ's sacrifice frees us from bondage to sin.
1 Corinthians 7:21Paul addresses a similar situation where a slave is called to faith, counseling them to remain as they are if possible, but to seek freedom if they can get it, reflecting the value placed on liberty even within difficult social structures.
pulpitExodus 21:2: "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing."
Verse 2. ? If thou buy an Hebrew servant. Slavery, it is clear, was an existing institution. The law of Moses did not make it, but found it, and by not forbidding, allowed it. The Divine legislator was content under the circumstances to introduce mitigations and alleviations into the slave condition. Hebrews commonly became slaves through poverty (Leviticus 25:35, 39), bu…
bensonExodus 21:2: "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing."
Exodus 21:2 . If thou buy a Hebrew servant — Either sold by himself or his parents through poverty, or by the judges for his crimes, yet even such a one was to continue in slavery but seven years at the most. See the texts referred to in the margin.
This law, while regulating existing slavery, subtly emphasizes God's ultimate plan for freedom. By mandating release after six years, it echoes the creation week, pointing toward a future "Sabbath" of liberation that transcends any earthly bondage.
This passage begins a series of laws detailing how Israelites should treat one another, specifically focusing on situations where one Israelite might become indebted or fall into poverty. These laws, given after the dramatic Exodus from Egypt, aim to establish justice and compassion within the community, recognizing that Israelites could become slaves either by selling themselves or being sold due to debt, crime, or family poverty, but they were not to be treated like foreign slaves and had specific rights to freedom.
This passage begins a series of laws detailing how Israelites should treat one another, specifically focusing on situations where one Israelite might become indebted or fall into poverty. These laws, given after the dramatic Exodus from Egypt, aim to establish justice and compassion within the community, recognizing that Israelites could become slaves either by selling themselves or being sold due to debt, crime, or family poverty, but they were not to be treated like foreign slaves and had specific rights to freedom.
"When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing." — This law, while regulating existing slavery, subtly emphasizes God's ultimate plan for freedom. By mandating release after six years, it echoes the creation week, pointing toward a future "Sabbath" o…
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Last reviewed October 2026