KJV ORIGINAL
If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
If you buy a Hebrew servant, he must work for six years. In the seventh year, he goes free without having to pay anything.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse establishes that Hebrew servants could only be required to serve for six years maximum before being set free without payment.
📚 Historical Context
This law was part of God's civil regulations given to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt, where they had been enslaved for centuries. Hebrew servitude was typically due to poverty or debt, and this law prevented permanent bondage among God's people. The seven-year cycle reflected the sabbatical principle found throughout Hebrew law, emphasizing rest, renewal, and freedom.
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