Exodus 21:5
But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just about a slave choosing to stay; the verse highlights a powerful, often overlooked, motivation: the deep love and commitment he has developed for his family, even if they aren't legally his. It shows how genuine affection can bind people together, creating a chosen family within the structures of servitude, making the prospect of freedom less appealing if it means separation.
This passage addresses a specific scenario within the laws governing Hebrew slavery, which stipulated release after six years. It presents a situation where a slave, who might have formed deep bonds with his master and family, or whose wife and children are also enslaved, chooses not to accept freedom that would separate him from them. The verses following will explain the ritual by which such a choice is made permanent.
Imagine having a ticket to freedom, but choosing to stay. What kind of love compels someone to do that?
This verse presents a powerful, albeit complex, scenario. The Hebrew servant who has completed six years of service has a legal right to freedom. Yet, Exodus 21:5 describes a servant who chooses not to leave. The reasons are twofold:
Freedom is a precious gift, but what if obedience born of love is even more valuable?
This passage offers a profound theological insight. While the law provides a framework for release, it also makes space for a different kind of commitment.
Understand the original words
ahavti · Hebrew Verb
A deep, committed affection that involves loyalty and self-sacrifice. It is the central command of the law (to love God and neighbor) and the primary characteristic of God’s nature.
This passage directly parallels Exodus 21:5, also mentioning the slave's affection for their master and household as the reason for choosing to remain in servitude permanently.
Jeremiah 34:11This prophecy speaks to the Israelites' failure to uphold the law of releasing slaves, highlighting the importance and eventual neglect of the principles of freedom and servitude outlined in Exodus.
1 Corinthians 7:21While addressing different contexts, Paul's advice to remain in one's God-called state, whether slave or free, echoes the idea that contentment and belonging can outweigh the pursuit of external status.
Philemon 1:15-16This New Testament letter touches on the complex relationship between masters and slaves, suggesting that a slave might be received back not just as a slave, but as a beloved brother, hinting at the deep bonds that could form.
pulpitExodus 21:5: "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:"
Verses 5, 6. - I love my master, etc. Affection might grow up between the slave and the master, if he were well treated. The Hebrew form of slavery was altogether of a mild kind. Masters are admonished to treat their slaves "not as bond-servants, but as hired servants or sojourners," and again "not to rule over them with rigour" (Leviticus 25:39, 40, 43). Even among the heath…
calvinExodus 21:1-6: "Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them."
- Now these are the judgments. Both passages contain the same appointment, viz., that as to the Hebrews slavery must end at the seventh year; for God would have the children of Abraham, although obliged to sell themselves, to differ from heathen and ordinary slaves. Their enfranchisement is, therefore, enjoined, but with an exception, which Moses expresses in the first passage but omits in the latter, i e., that if…
This isn't just about a slave choosing to stay; the verse highlights a powerful, often overlooked, motivation: the deep love and commitment he has developed for his family, even if they aren't legally his. It shows how genuine affection can bind people together, creating a chosen family within the structures of servitude, making the prospect of freedom less appealing if it means separation.
This passage addresses a specific scenario within the laws governing Hebrew slavery, which stipulated release after six years. It presents a situation where a slave, who might have formed deep bonds with his master and family, or whose wife and children are also enslaved, chooses not to accept freedom that would separate him from them. The verses following will explain the ritual by which such a choice is made permanent.
This passage addresses a specific scenario within the laws governing Hebrew slavery, which stipulated release after six years. It presents a situation where a slave, who might have formed deep bonds with his master and family, or whose wife and children are also enslaved, chooses not to accept freedom that would separate him from them. The verses following will explain the ritual by which such a choice is made permanent.
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"But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’" — This isn't just about a slave choosing to stay; the verse highlights a powerful, often overlooked, motivation: the deep love and commitment he has developed for his family, even if they aren't lega…
