Exodus
Exodus 21:5–6
5But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’ 6then his master is to bring him before the judges.a And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life.
Footnotes
- a 21:6 Or before God
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.
Exodus 21:5
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| But if | וְאִם־ | wə·’im- | Conjunction | H518 if |
| the servant | הָעֶ֔בֶד | hā·‘e·ḇeḏ | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H5650 slave, servant |
| declares | אָמֹ֤ר | ’ā·mōr | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute | H559 utter, say |
| I love | אָהַ֙בְתִּי֙ | ’ā·haḇ·tî | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | H157 love |
| my master | אֲדֹנִ֔י | ’ă·ḏō·nî | Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular | H113 lord |
| and my wife | אִשְׁתִּ֖י | ’iš·tî | Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular | H802 woman, wife, female |
| and children | בָּנָ֑י | bā·nāy | Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular | H1121 son |
| I do not | לֹ֥א | lō | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| want to go | אֵצֵ֖א | ’ê·ṣê | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | H3318 go or come out |
| free | חָפְשִֽׁי׃ | ḥā·p̄ə·šî | Adjective - masculine singular | H2670 free |
Exodus 21:6
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| then his master | אֲדֹנָיו֙ | ’ă·ḏō·nāw | Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular | H113 lord |
| is to bring him | וְהִגִּישׁ֤וֹ | wə·hig·gî·šōw | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular | H5066 draw near, approach |
| before | אֶל־ | ’el- | Preposition | H413 motion to |
| the judges | הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים | hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm | Article; Noun - masculine plural | H430 God |
| And he shall take him | וְהִגִּישׁוֹ֙ | wə·hig·gî·šōw | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular | H5066 draw near, approach |
| to | אֶל־ | ’el- | Preposition | H413 motion to |
| the door | הַדֶּ֔לֶת | had·de·leṯ | Article; Noun - feminine singular | H1817 door |
| or | א֖וֹ | ’ōw | Conjunction | H176 or |
| doorpost | הַמְּזוּזָ֑ה | ham·mə·zū·zāh | Article; Noun - feminine singular | H4201 door-post, gate-post |
| and pierce | וְרָצַ֨ע | wə·rā·ṣa‘ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | H7527 bore, pierce |
| his ear | אָזְנוֹ֙ | ’ā·zə·nōw | Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular | H241 ear |
| with an awl | בַּמַּרְצֵ֔עַ | bam·mar·ṣê·a‘ | Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular | H4836 boring-instrument, awl |
| Then he shall serve his master | וַעֲבָד֖וֹ | wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏōw | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular | H5647 work, serve |
| for life | לְעֹלָֽם׃ס | lə·‘ō·lām | Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular | H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
Exodus 21:5 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 · Deuteronomy 15:16–17
Exodus 21:6 Deuteronomy 15:17 · Leviticus 25:40 · Deuteronomy 19:17–18 · 1 Samuel 28:2
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.