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Exodus 12:44
But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.

Exodus 22:3
If the sun be risen upon him,there shall be bloodshed for him;for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

Genesis 27:28,36
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: …

and in the

Leviticus 25:40-43,45
But as an hired servant,and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee,and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: …

Deuteronomy 15:1,12-15,18
At the end ofevery seven years thou shalt make a release…

Deuteronomy 31:10
And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end ofevery seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

he is to serve you for six years.
The six-year period of service reflects a structured and limited term, emphasizing the temporary nature of this servitude. This regulation ensured that servitude did not become a permanent state, protecting the dignity and rights of the servant. The number six often symbolizes human labor and effort in biblical numerology, as seen in the six days of creation and the six days of work before the Sabbath rest.

But in the seventh year,
The seventh year is significant in biblical theology, often associated with rest and release. This concept is rooted in the creation narrative, where God rested on the seventh day, and is further developed in the Sabbath laws and the Year of Jubilee. The seventh year served as a reminder of God's provision and the importance of rest and freedom.

he shall go free without paying anything.
The release of the servant without payment underscores the principle of grace and redemption. This provision ensured that the servant was not burdened with further debt upon release, reflecting God's desire for His people to live in freedom. This practice foreshadows the ultimate redemption found in Jesus Christ, who offers freedom from the bondage of sin without cost to the believer. The concept of freedom without payment is echoed in the New Testament, where salvation is described as a free gift of God.

“If you buy a Hebrew servant…”

• The Law acknowledges situations where one Israelite might legitimately purchase the labor of another, usually because the servant had fallen into debt (2 Kings 4:1;Nehemiah 5:1–5).

• The transaction is regulated, not celebrated. God places boundaries on the arrangement to protect the vulnerable, unlike the harsh, perpetual slavery Israel experienced in Egypt (Exodus 1:13–14; 22:21).

• By legislating justice into an existing economic reality, the Lord reminds His people that ownership of persons in the absolute sense belongs to Him alone (Leviticus 25:42).

• “Hebrew” underscores kinship; buyer and servant are covenant brothers, not strangers (Leviticus 25:35–40).

• God forbids treating fellow Israelites as property to be exploited. They may hire out their labor, but their dignity remains intact (Exodus 23:9).

• This protective status points back to God’s heart for those in need, whether resident alien, orphan, or widow (Deuteronomy 24:17–18).

• The six-year limit echoes the six days of creation labor (Exodus 20:9–11) and builds rhythm into Israel’s social life, preventing perpetual bondage.

• Debt does not define a person forever. God embeds a finish line that anticipates restoration and fresh hope (Deuteronomy 15:12).

• During the term, masters must provide humane conditions (Leviticus 25:43;Exodus 21:26–27). Scripture never allows cruelty.

• The “seventh” mirrors the Sabbath principle: rest, release, and renewal (Leviticus 25:1–4).

• Every seventh year, fields lie fallow and debts cancel (Deuteronomy 15:1–2). Servants share in that freedom, experiencing a tangible picture of God’s redemptive calendar.

• The timing teaches Israel to trust God’s provision rather than endless human striving (Exodus 16:29-30).

• Freedom is not optional; it is commanded (Jeremiah 34:14).

• Release restores the servant to full participation in the covenant community (Leviticus 25:41-42).

• The exodus pattern repeats: God liberates captives and expects His people to imitate that grace (Micah 6:4;Matthew 18:23-35).

• Liberation carries no price tag for the servant; all debts are satisfied (Deuteronomy 15:13–15).

• Masters are even urged to send the freed servant away with generous provisions, reflecting God’s lavish kindness at Israel’s own deliverance (Exodus 12:35-36).

• The clause anticipates the gospel principle that true freedom is a gift, not wages earned (Isaiah 55:1;Romans 6:23).

Exodus 21:2 sets guardrails around debt-servitude so that no Israelite remains enslaved indefinitely. A fellow Hebrew may sell his labor for a season, but God limits the term to six years, mandates release in the seventh, and forbids any ransom payment at departure. These stipulations remind Israel of their own rescue from Egypt, model compassionate economics, and foreshadow the ultimate freedom God provides in Christ.

Six years shall he serve.--The Hebrew was not to be retained in slavery for a longer space than six years. If a jubilee year occurred before the end of the six years, then he regained his freedom earlier (Leviticus 25:39-41); but in no case could he be retained more than six years in the slave condition, except by his own consent, formally given (Exodus 21:5). This law was an enormous advance upon anything previously known in the slave legislation of the most civilised country, and stamps the Mosaic code at once as sympathising with the slave, and bent on ameliorating his lot. It has been thought strange by some that slavery was not now abrogated; but even Christianity, fifteen hundred years later, did not venture on so complete a social revolution. . . .