“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text subtly highlights that selling a daughter into servitude wasn't for general labor, but often as a concubine, a role with potential marriage rights. This means the law is less about standard employment terms and more about regulating her potential marital status and protecting her from exploitation within that specific domestic context.
“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The preceding verses outlined the rules for Hebrew male slaves, who gained freedom after six years. Now, the text shifts to the specific, and somewhat different, regulations for Hebrew female slaves. These rules address the reality that fathers might sell their daughters into servitude, often with the understanding that they might become concubines or wives.
Imagine a time when extreme poverty could lead a parent to sell their own child. While shocking to us, the law here addresses a difficult reality.
This law in Exodus 21:7 wasn't a free-for-all for selling children. It was a concession to dire poverty, a way to provide for a family when all else failed. The commentaries highlight that this was a practice allowed only out of extreme necessity, not as a common or desirable option. The emphasis was on a Hebrew selling a Hebrew child, suggesting it was a last resort for survival among their own people.
The verse states a daughter sold into servitude 'shall not go out as the male slaves do.' Why the distinction?
The key difference lies in the intended role. Male Hebrew slaves, according to verse 2, typically gained freedom after six years. However, female slaves sold into this specific type of servitude were often intended for a different purpose: as concubines or potential wives. Because of this unique and vulnerable position, the law provided greater protections and a different path for their future, ensuring they weren't simply discarded or treated like chattel.
Even within the harsh reality of ancient servitude, God’s law interceded to prevent the worst abuses and protect human dignity.
This law, and the ones that follow in Exodus 21, are practical steps to mitigate the inevitable wrongs of servitude, especially for women in vulnerable positions. While the practice itself might seem barbaric by modern standards, God's law didn't ignore it; instead, it stepped in to regulate it. It aimed to ensure that even a female slave, often bought with the intention of becoming a concubine, was treated with a measure of respect, had rights to maintenance, and wasn't simply cast aside without recourse. The goal was to prevent 'infamy and injury' and uphold a basic level of dignity.
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This passage parallels Exodus 21:7 by outlining the conditions under which a Hebrew man or woman could be sold into servitude, providing context for why such a sale might occur and the protections that were to be in place.
Leviticus 25:39-43These verses describe the laws regarding Hebrew slaves, including their eventual release and the prohibition against treating them harshly or selling them to foreigners, which adds depth to the protections mentioned for female slaves in Exodus 21:7.
Matthew 19:4-6Jesus' teaching here on the permanence of marriage directly contrasts with the patriarchal customs of the time, including the sale of daughters, highlighting God's original design for relationships and the sanctity He intended, even within the concessions made in the Law.
1 Corinthians 7:21-24Paul's instruction to remain in the condition one was called, whether slave or free, speaks to the idea of finding contentment and serving God within one's current circumstances, offering a spiritual perspective on the social realities described in Exodus.
gillExodus 21:7: "And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do."
And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant,.... That is, if an Israelite, as the Targum of Jonathan, sells his little daughter, as the same Targum, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra, one that is under age, that is not arrived to the age of twelve years and a day, and this through poverty; he not being able to support himself and his family, puts his daughter out to service, or rather…
pulpitExodus 21:7: "And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do."
Verse 7. - If a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant. Among ancient nations the father' s rights over his children were generally regarded as including the right to sell them for slaves. In civilised nations the right was seldom exercised; but what restrained men was rather a sentiment of pride than any doubt of such sales being proper. Many barbarous nations, like the Thracians…
The text subtly highlights that selling a daughter into servitude wasn't for general labor, but often as a concubine, a role with potential marriage rights. This means the law is less about standard employment terms and more about regulating her potential marital status and protecting her from exploitation within that specific domestic context.
The preceding verses outlined the rules for Hebrew male slaves, who gained freedom after six years. Now, the text shifts to the specific, and somewhat different, regulations for Hebrew female slaves. These rules address the reality that fathers might sell their daughters into servitude, often with the understanding that they might become concubines or wives.
The preceding verses outlined the rules for Hebrew male slaves, who gained freedom after six years. Now, the text shifts to the specific, and somewhat different, regulations for Hebrew female slaves. These rules address the reality that fathers might sell their daughters into servitude, often with the understanding that they might become concubines or wives.
"“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do." — The text subtly highlights that selling a daughter into servitude wasn't for general labor, but often as a concubine, a role with potential marriage rights. This means the law is less about standard…
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Last reviewed October 2026