That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.
Every person should set their Hebrew servants free, both men and women. No one should keep a fellow Jew as their servant.
This verse is commanding that all Hebrew people who had become servants to other Hebrews should be released from their service.
📚 Historical Context
During the reign of King Zedekiah in Judah, as Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, the people were reminded of God's law in the Old Testament that required freeing Hebrew slaves every seven years to uphold covenant obligations. This verse specifically addresses a royal proclamation where the king and leaders agreed to release their fellow Jews from servitude as an act of obedience amid national crisis. However, this commitment was short-lived, revealing the people's tendency to break promises when pressure eased.
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