But if, literally “and if,” now uses the word ʾim for the fifth time for an alternative to verse 4. Plainly says is literally “saying he says,” a Hebrew form that strengthens the force of the verb. So Good News Translation and others have “if the slave declares.” Durham has “says earnestly.” I love my master uses the common word for love that can apply to wife and children, and so Contemporary English Version has “But suppose the slave loves his wife and children so much.” Revised English Bible and New American Bible prefer to use “I am devoted to.” If a language has a number of words for love, the idea of “devotion” or “attachment” should be used in this context.

I will not go out free is not a demand but a choice. Since he has no claim over his wife and children, it may be better to say “I do not wish to go free” (New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “I do not wish to be released” (Translator’s Old Testament). This is still an incomplete sentence that continues with the next verse.

An alternative translation model is the following:

• But if the slave declares, “I am devoted to you, my wife [or, woman], and my children. I don’t want you to set me free,” ….

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Then translates the usual conjunction waw, and here it introduces the main clause of a conditional sentence. The usual form of these casuistic laws is “If … and if … then….” His master shall bring him is literally “his master shall cause him to step up, or approach.”

To God is “to the ʾelohim,” which New International Version translates as “before the judges” (so also King James Version and New American Standard Bible). New Revised Standard Version now has a footnote here showing that “to the judges” is a possible translation. As explained earlier (see at 20.3), the Hebrew word for God is plural in form, so the context must sometimes determine whether the intended meaning is God, gods, angels, or judges. (See also the discussion at 22.8-9.) Most translations still have God, allowing for the interpretation of Good News Translation, “the place of worship.” One may also translate “the local sanctuary” (Moffatt) or “the place to worship God.”

And he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost repeats the same verb, but it is not clear whether it is the door of the sanctuary or of the owner’s house. Most translations preserve the ambiguity, but Good News Translation interprets it to mean the sanctuary: “There he shall make him stand against the door or the doorpost”; Contemporary English Version has “Then he must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship.” This is also made clear in New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Durham. For doorpost, see the comment at 12.7. The door was the movable covering of the doorway, usually set in sockets to swing open and closed.

And his master shall bore his ear through simply means he “shall pierce his ear” (New Revised Standard Version), or “put a hole through his ear” (Good News Translation). The verb is used only here in the Old Testament, but the context clarifies the meaning. With an awl means a tool for making a hole. The word for awl is derived from the same word for piercing, or making a hole. It is used in the parallel verse in Deut 15.17, where the awl is to go through the ear and “into the door.” The text here, however, does not mention this. It appears that his standing against the door or the doorpost of the place of worship was to provide a flat hard area for his owner to place the slave’s ear against. In this way the owner could punch a clear hole through the ear as in the Deuteronomy passage. Contemporary English Version provides a good model describing how an awl “punches a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod.” And he shall serve him for life means that “he will be his slave” (Good News Translation) for the rest of his life. It is likely that a ring or tag of some kind was inserted in the ear as a sign that he was now a permanent slave.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• … then his owner shall take him to the place to worship God. There he will make him stand against [or, beside] either the door or the doorpost, while he punches a hole through one of the slave’s ears with an awl [or, a sharp piece of metal].

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

This is the first of four possible situations, or “cases,” in which the slave girl of verse 7 may find herself. They are introduced with the conjunction ʾim (If) in contrast to the ki in verse 7. If she does not please her master is literally “If evil [or, displeasing] in the eyes of her lord.” This does not indicate why she might be displeasing. Durham has “If she is unsatisfactory.”

Who has designated her for himself, literally “who for him assigned her,” means “who has selected her for himself” (New International Version). Contemporary English Version has “who bought her to be his wife”; but Translator’s Old Testament‘s use of “concubine” instead of “wife” is more correct. In ancient Israel it was quite acceptable for a married man to take a concubine, especially if his wife was unable to bear him a son. But she was always considered to be of lower status than the first wife, even though she was sometimes referred to as a second “wife.” (See verse 10.) In a number of languages this will be expressed as “minor [or, small] wife.” For himself is one word in the Hebrew that may also be read as “not,” as the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates. New English Bible‘s attempt to follow that reading has been rejected by Revised English Bible, and most scholars prefer to read for himself. Another model for these first two clauses is “If the man who bought her to be his concubine [or, minor wife] is not pleased with her.”

Then he shall let her be redeemed is literally “and he will cause her to be ransomed.” This means that “he must let her be bought back” (New Jerusalem Bible), and Good News Translation interprets it as “then she is to be sold back to her father.” In languages that do not use the passive voice, this clause may be expressed as “then he must let her father buy her back.” He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people is literally “he will not rule [or, be empowered] to sell her to a strange people.” Good News Translation puts it simply: “her master cannot sell her to foreigners.” Foreign people or “strangers” (New English Bible) here certainly refers to non-Israelites, but it may also refer to other people outside the biological families of both the woman and her master. However, “foreigners” is the more likely interpretation.

Since he has dealt faithlessly with her is literally “in his treating her faithlessly.” New Revised Standard Version has improved over Revised Standard Version: “since he has dealt unfairly with her,” meaning that it is unfair of him to change his mind about her. New International Version has “because he has broken faith with her,” and Good News Translation has “because he has treated her unfairly.” Contemporary English Version has “this would break the contract he made with her,” but such a contract would probably have been made with her father.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• If the man who has bought her to be his concubine is not pleased with her, then he must let her father buy her back. He must not sell her to foreigners. This would break the contract he made when she became his concubine [or, when he bought her].

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

When translated the Hebrew word ki, which may also be rendered as “If” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and others). In the casuistic form of law, this word usually introduces the main clause that describes the situation, or “case,” and the weaker term ʾim, which also means “if” or “when,” introduces the subordinate clauses or the various situations that are possible under the same law. Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version usually translate ki as When, and ʾim as “If.” (See verses 3, 4, and 5, which begin with ʾim.) For some translators Revised Standard Version‘s model will be more natural style, but others will follow Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version, where “if” is used for both situations.

Some cultures may have their own linguistic form for stating this type of case law, and translators are encouraged to follow the form that is most natural in their language for all of these laws that follow. The important thing, of course, is first of all to understand clearly the exact situation, or “case,” that each law describes and the exact penalty or punishment that is then prescribed.

When you buy a Hebrew slave describes the situation of either purchasing a slave by paying money (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible), or acquiring one as payment of a debt. (See the introductory comments above.) You is singular, referring to any Israelite who may own a slave. The word for slave refers to a male, and in this context it is necessary to retain the male identity. In languages where pronouns do not indicate the sex of an individual, and there is no specific word for “male slave,” one may translate the first sentence as “When [or, If] you buy a Hebrew male slave.” The term Hebrew slave should not be changed to “Israelite slave,” since the word Hebrew sometimes referred to a larger group than just the descendants of Jacob (see the comment at 3.18). It was also a term by which non-Israelites often referred to a lower class of people.

He shall serve six years means that he will be bound to his owner for only six years. The word for serve is the same word from which slave is derived, and in some languages he shall serve will be expressed as “He shall serve [or, work] as a slave.” And in the seventh is a literal rendering; “year” is understood. This probably means at the beginning of the seventh year, and it will be helpful to make this explicit and say “But at the beginning of the seventh year you shall….” He shall go out free means that he will leave the household and authority of his master. Good News Translation has “he is to be set free,” and Contemporary English Version has “you must set him free,” Free, for nothing means “freed without compensation.” New Revised Standard Version understands this to mean “a free person, without debt,” but others, including Good News Translation, keep the broader meaning, “without having to pay anything.” Durham adds “without payment to you,” and Translator’s Old Testament adds “without paying for his freedom.” Another way to express this final sentence is “you are to set him free, and he doesn’t have to pay anything to you.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• When you buy a Hebrew male slave, he shall work for you as a slave for six years. At the beginning of the seventh year, you must set him free, and he will not have to pay anything to you.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

If is the word ʾim, which usually introduces one of several possible situations to which the law applies. (See the comment at verse 2.) If he comes in single means, as Good News Translation translates, “If he was unmarried when he became your slave.” One may also say “If he does not yet have a wife when he becomes your slave.” Comes in is literally “he enters,” meaning “when he became your slave” (Good News Translation). Go out is literally “he exits.” So he shall go out single means “he is not to take a wife with him when he leaves” (Good News Translation).

If he comes in married uses the word ʾim again. Literally the Hebrew says “if he is an owner [or, husband] of a woman.” This means that if he brought a wife with him, then his wife shall go out with him, or “he may take his wife with him” (Good News Translation) when he leaves. Translator’s Old Testament has “his wife shall be released with him.” Contemporary English Version has “both he and his wife must be given their freedom.” One may also express this as “you must free both him and his wife.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

If is the third use of the word ʾim, mentioned at verse 2. His master means “his owner,” or “lord” (ʾadon). Gives him a wife, literally “gives to him a woman,” refers to a situation where the master assigns one of his slave girls to marry the unmarried slave. Some languages will express this as “gives him a woman slave for him to take as his wife.” And she bears him sons or daughters means that children are born to the slave by that wife. The text specifies both sons and daughters.

The wife and her children (Good News Translation: “the woman and her children”) uses the feminine her, relating the children to the mother rather than to the father. Shall be her master’s is literally “she will be to her master [ʾadon],” but it means that “the woman and her children belong to the master” (Good News Translation). New American Bible has “shall remain the master’s property.” Translator’s Old Testament adds “shall still belong to her master.” And he shall go out alone refers to the male slave, the father of the children. Under this law, therefore, the father who became a freed slave had no claim to either his wife or his children if their mother was already a slave of the master. The final sentence may be also expressed as “Only the man himself has the right to be freed.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .