Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 15:12–18

12If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is soldb to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free.

13And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. 14You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. 15Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.

16But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you, 17then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way.

18Do not regard it as a hardship to set your servant free, because his six years of service were worth twice the wages of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.

Footnotes

  • b 15:12 Or sells himself

Read all of Deuteronomy 15

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Deuteronomy 15:12

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Ifכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
a fellowאָחִ֣יךָ’ā·ḥî·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH251 brother
Hebrewהָֽעִבְרִ֗יhā·‘iḇ·rîArticle; Noun - proper - masculine singularH5680 Hebrew
a man orא֚וֹ’ōwConjunctionH176 or
a womanהָֽעִבְרִיָּ֔הhā·‘iḇ·rî·yāhArticle; Noun - proper - feminine singularH5680 Hebrew
is soldיִמָּכֵ֨רyim·mā·ḵêrVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH4376 sell
to youלְךָ֜lə·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singular
and serves youוַעֲבָֽדְךָ֖wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏə·ḵāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH5647 work, serve
sixשֵׁ֣שׁšêšNumber - feminine singular constructH8337 six
yearsשָׁנִ֑יםšā·nîmNoun - feminine pluralH8141 year
then in the seventhהַשְּׁבִיעִ֔תhaš·šə·ḇî·‘iṯArticle; Number - ordinal feminine singularH7637 seventh
yearוּבַשָּׁנָה֙ū·ḇaš·šā·nāhConjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH8141 year
you must set himתְּשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּtə·šal·lə·ḥen·nūVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH7971 send
freeחָפְשִׁ֖יḥā·p̄ə·šîAdjective - masculine singularH2670 free

Deuteronomy 15:13

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And whenוְכִֽי־wə·ḵî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
you release himתְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּṯə·šal·lə·ḥen·nūVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH7971 send
do notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
send him awayתְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּṯə·šal·lə·ḥen·nūVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH7971 send
empty-handedרֵיקָֽם׃rê·qāmAdverbH7387 emptily, vainly

Deuteronomy 15:14

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
You are to furnish him liberallyהַעֲנֵ֤יקha·‘ă·nêqVerb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteH6059 serve as necklace
from your flockמִצֹּ֣אנְךָ֔miṣ·ṣō·nə·ḵāPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
your threshing floorוּמִֽגָּרְנְךָ֖ū·mig·gā·rə·nə·ḵāConjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1637 threshing-floor
and your winepressוּמִיִּקְבֶ֑ךָū·mî·yiq·ḇe·ḵāConjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3342 wine-vat
You shall giveתִּתֶּן־tit·ten-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
to himלֽוֹ׃lōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
asאֲשֶׁ֧ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
the LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
your Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ’ĕ·lō·he·ḵāNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH430 God
has blessed youבֵּרַכְךָ֛bê·raḵ·ḵāVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH1288 kneel, bless

Deuteronomy 15:15

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Rememberוְזָכַרְתָּ֗wə·zā·ḵar·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH2142 remember
thatכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
you wereהָיִ֙יתָ֙hā·yî·ṯāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
slavesעֶ֤בֶד‘e·ḇeḏNoun - masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
in the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץbə·’e·reṣPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH776 earth, land
of Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
and the LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
your Godאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ’ĕ·lō·he·ḵāNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH430 God
redeemed youוַֽיִּפְדְּךָ֖way·yip̄·də·ḵāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH6299 ransom
that is whyעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
Iאָנֹכִ֧י’ā·nō·ḵîPronoun - first person common singularH595 I
am givingמְצַוְּךָ֛mə·ṣaw·wə·ḵāVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
youאֶת־’eṯ-Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
thisהַזֶּ֖הhaz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
commandהַדָּבָ֥רhad·dā·ḇārArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1697 speech, word
todayהַיּֽוֹם׃hay·yō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day

Deuteronomy 15:16

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But ifכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
your servant saysיֹאמַ֣רyō·marVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
to youאֵלֶ֔יךָ’ê·le·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH413 motion to
I do notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
want to leaveאֵצֵ֖א’ê·ṣêVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH3318 go or come out
youמֵעִמָּ֑ךְmê·‘im·māḵPreposition-m; second person masculine singularH5973 with
becauseכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
he lovesאֲהֵֽבְךָ֙’ă·hê·ḇə·ḵāVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH157 love
youוְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-Conjunctive waw; Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
and your householdבֵּיתֶ֔ךָbê·ṯe·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1004 house
andכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
is well offט֥וֹבṭō·wḇVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH2895 pleasing, good
with youעִמָּֽךְ׃‘im·māḵPreposition; second person masculine singularH5973 with

Deuteronomy 15:17

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
then takeוְלָקַחְתָּ֣wə·lā·qaḥ·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH3947 take
an awlהַמַּרְצֵ֗עַham·mar·ṣê·a‘Article; Noun - masculine singularH4836 boring-instrument, awl
and pierceוְנָתַתָּ֤הwə·nā·ṯat·tāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
through his earבְאָזְנוֹ֙ḇə·’ā·zə·nōwPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH241 ear
into the doorוּבַדֶּ֔לֶתū·ḇad·de·leṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH1817 door
and he will becomeוְהָיָ֥הwə·hā·yāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
yourלְךָ֖lə·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singular
servantעֶ֣בֶד‘e·ḇeḏNoun - masculine singular constructH5650 slave, servant
for lifeעוֹלָ֑ם‘ō·w·lāmNoun - masculine singularH5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
Andוְאַ֥ףwə·’ap̄ConjunctionH637 also, yea
treatתַּעֲשֶׂה־ta·‘ă·śeh-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
your maidservantלַאֲמָתְךָ֖la·’ă·mā·ṯə·ḵāPreposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH519 maid, handmaid
the same wayכֵּֽן׃kênAdverbH3651 right, veritable, honest

Deuteronomy 15:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
regard itבְעֵינֶ֗ךָḇə·‘ê·ne·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singularH5869 eye
as a hardshipיִקְשֶׁ֣הyiq·šehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7185 be hard, severe, fierce
to setבְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֙bə·šal·lê·ḥă·ḵāPreposition-b; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singularH7971 send
freeחָפְשִׁי֙ḥā·p̄ə·šîAdjective - masculine singularH2670 free
becauseכִּ֗יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
his sixשֵׁ֣שׁšêšNumber - feminine singular constructH8337 six
yearsשָׁנִ֑יםšā·nîmNoun - feminine pluralH8141 year
of serviceעֲבָֽדְךָ֖‘ă·ḇā·ḏə·ḵāVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH5647 work, serve
were worth twiceמִשְׁנֶה֙miš·nehNoun - masculine singularH4932 double, copy, second
the wagesשְׂכַ֣רśə·ḵarNoun - masculine singular constructH7939 hire, wages
of a hired handשָׂכִ֔ירśā·ḵîrAdjective - masculine singularH7916 hired
And the LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
your Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ’ĕ·lō·he·ḵāNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH430 God
will bless youוּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ū·ḇê·raḵ·ḵāConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singularH1288 kneel, bless
in allבְּכֹ֖לbə·ḵōlPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH3605 the whole, all
you doתַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃פta·‘ă·śehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Deuteronomy 15:12 Jeremiah 34:14 · Leviticus 25:39–41 · Exodus 21:2–6 · John 8:35–36 · Deuteronomy 15:1

Deuteronomy 15:13 Proverbs 3:27–28 · Malachi 3:5 · Jeremiah 22:13

Deuteronomy 15:15 Deuteronomy 16:12

Deuteronomy 15:16 Exodus 21:5–6 · Psalm 40:8

Deuteronomy 15:18 Isaiah 21:16 · Isaiah 16:14

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.