KJV ORIGINAL
And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
If a fellow Hebrew man or woman is sold to you as a servant and works for you for six years, then in the seventh year you must set them free.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is establishing a limit on how long Hebrew people could serve as servants to each other - no more than six years before being set free.
📚 Historical Context
This law was part of Moses' instructions to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. In ancient times, people often became servants due to debt or poverty, and this was God's way of preventing permanent slavery among His people. The seventh year release was part of God's broader pattern of rest and restoration, similar to the Sabbath day and Sabbath year for the land.
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