Exodus 21:8
+ 21:8. Ex 21:8 (Ex 21:7-11) (#7.434): The man who buys a Hebrew female servant shall marry her (to designate her for himself) R. Reason: The Rabbis elaborate: The Torah ·Teaching· is concerned with the well-being of Jewish daughters who have been sold as maidservants and provides them with an opportunity to be freed from slavery. Her master is urged to marry his maidservant or give her as a wife to his son. In this way, the girl’s slavery may prove to be beneficial for her, showing her the guiding hand Adonai If she does not please her master, who has married her to himself, + 21:8. Ex 21:8 (Ex 21:7-11) (#5.360): To redeem a Hebrew female servant R. Note: The Rabbis’ add context; after a person sold his daughter as a slave, his situation may have improved and he can now afford to redeem her. Torah ·Teaching· encourages him to do so and her master is commanded to allow for her redemption T. Consider: Being a slave or a servant is a role and position in the house of the Master, the servant makes themselves valuable and honorable or commonplace by their own actions. Consider who God calls His servants. Abraham is called God’s servant and friend (Ps 105:6, 42); Joseph is a servant whom God exalts (Gen 39:2-6, 39:21, 41:39-44); Moses is God’s servant (Num 12:7-8, Josh 1:2, Mal 4:4); Samuel is God’s servant (1 Sam 3:9-10); King David is God’s servant (2 Sam 3:18, 2 Sam 7:8, 1 King 11:38, 1 Chr 17:24); national Israel is God’s servant (Ps 136:22, Is 41:8); the Servant Messiah is exalted to be King (Is 49:5-6) then he shall let her be redeemed. + 21:8. Ex 21:8 (Ex 21:7-11) (#5.361): T. Not to sell a Hebrew female servant to foreigner / R. The master must not sell his maidservant (more notes in Ex 21:8 OU360) He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.
One Unity Resource Bible
In The King James Version
In Context
7“If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do.
9If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her in the mishpat ·manner· of a daughter.
Cross References
Genesis 28:8Esau [Hairy] saw that the daughters of Canaan [Humbled] didn’t please Isaac [Laughter], his father.
Deuteronomy 20:7What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go and teshuvah ·completely return· to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.”
Deuteronomy 21:14+ 21:14. Deut 21:14 (Deut 21:10-14) (#7.472): T. Not to sell a beautiful woman taken captive in war / R. Not to sell her into slavery, the beautiful woman taken as a captive in war It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she desires; + 21:14. Deut 21:14 (Deut 21:10-14) (#7.473): T. Not to make a slave out of a beautiful woman taken captive in war / R. Not to enslave a beautiful woman taken captive in war after having sexual relations with her but you shall not sell her at all for money. You shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her.
Matthew Henry on Exodus 21:2-12
Judicial Laws. ( b. c. 1491.) 1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say,… Read the whole commentary →