Exodus 21 - New International Version (NIV)

21 “These are the laws(A) you are to set before them:

Hebrew Servants(B)(C)

2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant,(D) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,(E) without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’(F) 6 then his master must take him before the judges.[a](G) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce(H) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.(I)

7 “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 8 If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,[b] he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. 9 If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10 If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.(J) 11 If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Personal Injuries

12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.(K) 13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place(L) I will designate. 14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,(M) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.(N)

15 “Anyone who attacks[c] their father or mother is to be put to death.

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,(O) whether the victim has been sold(P) or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.(Q)

18 “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist[d] and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, 19 the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

20 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.(R)

22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely[e] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands(S) and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,(T) 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,(U) hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

26 “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27 And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

28 “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death,(V) and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29 If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up(W) and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. 30 However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.(X) 31 This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels[f](Y) of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

33 “If anyone uncovers a pit(Z) or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

35 “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. 36 However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up,(AA) the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:6 Or before God
  2. Exodus 21:8 Or master so that he does not choose her
  3. Exodus 21:15 Or kills
  4. Exodus 21:18 Or with a tool
  5. Exodus 21:22 Or she has a miscarriage
  6. Exodus 21:32 That is, about 12 ounces or about 345 grams

Cross references

  1. Exodus 21:1 : Ex 24:3; 34:32; Dt 4:14; 6:1
  2. Exodus 21:2 : 21:2-6pp — Dt 15:12-18
  3. Exodus 21:2 : 21:2-11Ref — Lev 25:39-55
  4. Exodus 21:2 : Ex 22:3
  5. Exodus 21:2 : ver 7; Jer 34:8, 14
  6. Exodus 21:5 : Dt 15:16
  7. Exodus 21:6 : Ex 22:8-9; Dt 17:9; 19:17; 25:1
  8. Exodus 21:6 : Ps 40:6
  9. Exodus 21:6 : Job 39:9; 41:4
  10. Exodus 21:10 : 1Co 7:3-5
  11. Exodus 21:12 : ver 15, 17; S Ge 4:14, 23; Ex 31:15; Lev 20:9, 10; 24:16; 27:29; Nu 1:51; 35:16, 30-31; Dt 13:5; 19:11; 22:22; 27:16; Job 31:11; Pr 20:20; S Mt 26:52
  12. Exodus 21:13 : Nu 35:10-34; Dt 4:42; 19:2-13; Jos 20:9
  13. Exodus 21:14 : Ge 4:8; Nu 35:20; 2Sa 3:27; 20:10; Heb 10:26
  14. Exodus 21:14 : Dt 19:11-12; 1Ki 2:28-34
  15. Exodus 21:16 : Ex 22:4; Dt 24:7
  16. Exodus 21:16 : Ge 37:28
  17. Exodus 21:17 : S ver 12; S Dt 5:16; Mt 15:4*; Mk 7:10*
  18. Exodus 21:21 : Lev 25:44-46
  19. Exodus 21:22 : ver 30
  20. Exodus 21:23 : Lev 24:19; Dt 19:21
  21. Exodus 21:24 : S ver 23; Mt 5:38*
  22. Exodus 21:28 : ver 32; Ge 9:5
  23. Exodus 21:29 : ver 36
  24. Exodus 21:30 : ver 22
  25. Exodus 21:32 : Ge 37:28; Zec 11:12-13; Mt 26:15; 27:3, 9
  26. Exodus 21:33 : Lk 14:5
  27. Exodus 21:36 : ver 29

You Might Also Like:

Exodus 21 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

21 `And these [are] the judgments which thou dost set before them: 2 `When thou buyest a Hebrew servant -- six years he doth serve, and in the seventh he goeth out as a freeman for nought; 3 if by himself he cometh in, by himself he goeth out; if he [is] owner of a wife, then his wife hath gone out ...
Read More

Exodus 21 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

21 These be the dooms, which thou shalt set forth to them. (These be the laws, which thou shalt set forth to them.) 2 If thou buyest an Hebrew servant, he shall serve thee six years; in the seventh year he shall go out free, without price; (If thou buyest a Hebrew slave, he shall serve thee for six ...
Read More

Exodus 21 - World English Bible (WEB)

21 “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them: 2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him...
Read More

Exodus 21 - The Voice (VOICE)

After God gives Israel the Ten Directives, He gives them other instructions that derive from the first ten. They do not cover every situation but provide guidance for how God’s people should live.21 Eternal One (to Moses): These are other rules and guiding principles that you must present to the Isr...
Read More

Exodus 21 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Parashat MishpatimOrdinances for the Covenant21 “Now these are the ordinances which you will set before them. 2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve for six years, and in the seventh he is to go free, without payment. 3 If he comes in by himself, he is to go out by himself. If he was marrie...
Read More

Exodus 21 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Law concerning Slaves21 “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them. 2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go ...
Read More

Exodus 21 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Law concerning Slaves21 “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them. 2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go ...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Law concerning Slaves21 These are the ordinances that you shall set before them: 2 When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years, but in the seventh he shall go out a free person, without debt. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wi...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Law concerning Slaves21 “These are the ordinances that you shall set before them:(A)2 “When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, but in the seventh he shall go out a free person, without debt.(B)3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his w...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Fair Treatment of Slaves21 “These are the regulations you must present to Israel. 2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom. 3 If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single....
Read More

Exodus 21 - New Life Version (NLV)

Laws about Servants21 “Now these are the Laws which you are to give them. 2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he will work for six years. In the seventh year he will go free, paying nothing. 3 If he comes alone, he will leave by himself. If he is married, then his wife will leave with him. 4 If his ow...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Law Concerning Servants(A)21 “Now these are the [a]judgments which you shall (B)set before them: 2 (C)If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married,...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

21 ‘These are the laws you are to set before them: Hebrew servants2 ‘If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with ...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New International Version (NIV)

21 “These are the laws(A) you are to set before them: Hebrew Servants(B)(C)2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant,(D) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,(E) without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she ...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Other Laws21 “Here are the laws you must explain to the people of Israel. Set Your Hebrew Servants Free2 “Suppose you buy a Hebrew servant. He must serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, you must set him free. He does not have to pay anything. 3 If he does not have a wife when he comes, ...
Read More

Exodus 21 - New English Translation (NET)

The Ordinances21 [a] “These are the ordinances that you will set before them: Hebrew Servants2 [b] “If you buy[c] a Hebrew servant,[d] he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he will go out free[e] without paying anything.[f] 3 If he came in[g] by himself[h] he will go out by hims...
Read More