And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.

EXODUS 21:7KJV
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Exodus 21:7 (KJV)

What does Exodus 21:7 mean?

Exodus 21:7 says that if a man sells his daughter as a maidservant, she does not leave her service in the same way that male servants do. This verse introduces a different set of rules for female servants compared to male servants in ancient Israel.

In this part of Exodus, God is giving Moses laws for the Israelites after they left Egypt. The context is about servitude and how people were treated under these laws. The verse highlights that daughters sold as maidservants (usually because of poverty or debt) were not to be released in the same manner as male servants, pointing to a different legal status and protections for women in these situations.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 21:7

  • "maidservant" (אָמָה, ’amah): This word means a female servant or slave. In this context, it often refers to a young woman sold into servitude, sometimes with the expectation she might become a wife or concubine of the master or his son.
  • "menservants" (עֶבֶד, ’eved): This word means a male servant or slave. The laws for releasing male servants after a set period (usually six years) are different from those for female servants, which is the distinction made in this verse.
  • "out" (יָצָא, yatsa’): This verb means "to go out" or "to be released." The verse stresses that the release or exit of a maidservant does not follow the same process as for male servants.

Why Exodus 21:7 matters

  • Exodus 21:7 clarifies that the law made a distinction between male and female servants, which affected their rights and treatment under Israelite law.
  • This verse sets up the following verses, which explain the protections and options for a maidservant, especially if she is not treated fairly or not taken as a wife.
  • Understanding this verse helps modern readers see the historical context of servitude in ancient Israel and how the law tried to address the vulnerabilities of women in these situations.

Where else these words appear

“maidservant” Hebrew H519 · used in 49 verses

  • Genesis 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
  • Deuteronomy 5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
  • 1 Samuel 25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

“sell” Hebrew H4376 · used in 74 verses

  • Genesis 25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
  • Leviticus 25:42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.
  • Nehemiah 5:8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.