CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Exodus 21
Chapter 21 of 40
Chapter Overview
What happens in Exodus 21
God gives Moses detailed laws about how to treat servants, handle violence, and settle disputes. These laws showed that every person had value and that justice must be fair.
Scripture
Exodus 21
Laws About Servants
Study note
These laws regulated the practice of servitude in ancient Israel. A Hebrew servant was to be freed after six years. If a servant chose to stay with his master out of love for his family, his ear would be pierced as a sign of lifelong service. Female servants had additional protections to prevent them from being mistreated or abandoned. These laws were more humane than anything found in other ancient cultures of that time.
1 "Here are the specific laws you must teach the people:" Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
2 "If you purchase a Hebrew man as a servant, he works for six years. When the seventh year arrives, he walks free — no payment required." 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 was single when he started, he leaves single. If he came with a wife, his wife leaves with him." 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 provided him with a wife and she gave birth to children, the wife and children remain with the master. The servant goes free by himself." 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 "But if the servant openly declares, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children — I choose not to leave,'" And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
6 "then his master must take him before the judges. The master will bring him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with a sharp tool. After that, the servant belongs to his master permanently." Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.
7 "If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she does not gain her freedom the same way male servants do." And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
8 "If the master selected her for himself but is unhappy with her, he must let her be bought back by her family. He cannot sell her to outsiders, because he has broken his promise to her." If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
9 "If he arranges for her to marry his son instead, he must give her the full rights of a daughter." And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
10 "If that master then takes a second wife, he must not give the first wife less food, less clothing, or fewer marital rights." If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
11 "If he fails to provide these three things, she may walk away free — owing nothing." And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
Laws About Personal Injuries
Study note
God established laws to deal with violence. Murder was punishable by death, but accidental killing allowed the person to flee to a place of safety. Striking or cursing a parent was also a capital offense, as was kidnapping. The famous law of 'eye for eye, tooth for tooth' was meant to limit revenge, ensuring the punishment fit the crime rather than escalating beyond it. Servants who were permanently injured by their masters were to be set free.
12 "If someone hits another person and that person dies, the attacker must be put to death." He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
13 "But the death might have been an accident. It was not planned. God allowed it to happen. Then the person can flee to a safe place I choose." And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
14 "But if someone plots and kills on purpose, you must pull them away. Even from my altar. Put them to death." But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
15 "Anyone who hits their own father or mother must be put to death." And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
16 "Anyone who kidnaps another person must be put to death. This is true whether the victim has been sold or is still held." And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
17 "Anyone who speaks with hateful scorn against their father or mother must be put to death." And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
18 "Two men get into a fight. One hits the other with a rock or his fist. The hurt man does not die but has to stay in bed." And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
19 "If the hurt person gets well enough to walk around outside with a walking stick, the one who hit him will not be punished. But he must pay the hurt man for his lost work time and cover the cost of getting him fully well again." If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
20 "If someone beats their male or female servant with a rod and the servant dies on the spot, the owner must face punishment." And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
21 "But if the servant lives for a day or two after the beating, the owner will not be punished. The servant was the owner's property." Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.
22 "Men are fighting. One of them hits a pregnant woman by mistake. Her baby comes early, but no lasting harm is done. The man at fault must pay a fine. The woman's husband sets the amount. The judges must approve it." If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23 "But if lasting harm does occur, the penalty is life for life," And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
24 "an eye given for an eye taken, a tooth given for a tooth taken, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot," Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 "a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise." Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26 "If someone hits a male or female servant in the eye and ruins it, the servant must be set free to make up for the lost eye." And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.
27 "If someone knocks out a servant's tooth, the servant must be set free as compensation for the lost tooth." And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.
Laws About Property and Animals
Study note
These laws dealt with situations involving dangerous animals. If an ox killed someone, the ox was to be put to death. If the owner knew the ox was dangerous and did nothing, the owner could also be put to death or required to pay a ransom. These laws established the principle of responsibility for what you own.
28 "If a bull gores someone to death, the bull must be stoned and its meat cannot be eaten. But the bull's owner is not held responsible." If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
29 "But what if the bull had attacked people before, and the owner was warned but did not keep it penned up? If that bull kills a man or woman, the bull must be stoned. The owner must also be put to death." But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
30 "A payment might be offered instead of death. The owner may pay the amount that is asked. This will save his own life." If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
31 "This same rule applies if the bull gores someone's son or daughter." Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
32 "If the bull gores a male or female servant, the bull's owner must pay thirty pieces of silver to the servant's master. The bull must still be stoned to death." If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 "If someone uncovers a pit or digs a new one and does not cover it, and someone's ox or donkey falls in," And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;
34 "the person who owns the pit is responsible. They must pay the owner of the animal the full value, and then they may keep the dead animal." The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.
35 "If one person's bull injures another person's bull and it dies, they should sell the surviving bull and divide the money equally between them. They also split the dead animal." And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.
36 "But if the bull was known to be dangerous and the owner failed to keep it confined, the owner must replace the dead bull with a live one. The dead animal then goes to the bull's owner." Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
Key Themes
Themes in Exodus 21
Justice and fair treatment of all peopleProtection for the vulnerableAccountability for harm caused to othersThe value of human life in God's eyes
Apply This Today
Living Exodus 21
These laws may seem ancient, but their core principle is timeless: every person has value and deserves fair treatment. In the ancient Near East, servants had no legal protections — masters held absolute power over their lives. God's laws here were revolutionary, placing real limits on that power and requiring compensation for harm. These laws show that God cares deeply about justice. He has always called His people to treat every person with dignity, even in a world that often fails to do so.
Go Deeper
Study Exodus in Covenant Path
Read every chapter with study aids, bookmarks, and daily reading plans — free in the app.