“If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.”
Paying no money for his liberty. Cross references: : Lev. 25:39 ; Deut. 15:12 ; Jer. 34:14
“If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.”
Till her time of servitude was expired which might be the seventh year or the fiftieth.
“Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.”
Where the judges sat. Hebrew, gods . That is, to the year of Jubilee, which was every fiftieth year.
“And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.”
Constrained either by poverty, or else to the intent that the master should marry her.
“If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. please: Heb. be evil in the eyes of, etc”
By giving another money to buy her of him. Or, deflowered her.
“And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.”
That is, he shall give his dowry.
“And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.”
Neither marry her himself, nor give another money to buy her, nor bestow her upon his son.
“And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.”
Though a man be killed at unawares, yet it is God’s providence that it should so be.
“But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.”
Deut. 12:3 The holiness of the place ought not to defend the murderer.
“And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. curseth: or, revileth”
Lev. 22:9 ; Prov. 20:20 ; Matt. 15:4 ; Mark 7:10
“If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. the loss: Heb. his ceasing”
By the civil Justice. Or, losing of his time.
“Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.”
By the civil magistrate, but before God he is a murderer.
“If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.”
Of the mother or child. Or, arbiters.
“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,”
The execution of this law only belonged to the magistrate, Matt. 5:38 . Lev. 24:20 ; Deut. 19:21 ; Matt. 5:38
“And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.”
So God revengeth cruelty in the most least things.
“If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.”
If the beast be punished, much more shall the murderer. Gen. 9:5
“If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.”
By the next of the kindred of him that is so slain.
“The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.”
This law forbiddeth not only not to hurt, but to beware lest any be hurt.