If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
Exodus 21:3 belongs to the instruction, statutes, judgments and commandments that God Himself gave to Israel through Moses to be communicated to the people. Unlike the Decalogue spoken by God in public, it was delivered privately to Moses for him to communicate to the people, because the minds of Israel, blinded and debased by slavery, were not prepared to fully appreciate the far-reaching principles of the ten precepts. It is one of the additional precepts and specific directions that illustrate, explain, apply and enforce the obligations of the Ten Commandments, addressing duties between people and guarding the sacredness of the Decalogue by making its requirements clear and more fully understood.
In plain terms it limits Hebrew servitude to six years and protects the servant's freedom and person: a servant who entered service alone is to leave alone, and one who entered married is to leave with his wife. In another account the statutes are described as limiting bondage to seven years to protect servants from abuse. At the end of that term the servant was to receive freedom, with the choice to remain with the master.
These laws show God's care for His people, including the poor and the lowly and oppressed, as well as His impartiality and the high standards of His requirements, encouraging liberty and generosity. They were given to regulate dealings with one another and to protect against injustice and abuse. They are to be strictly obeyed and carefully studied and read, especially Exodus 21, 22 and 23, and if they were carefully read and obeyed, the evil conditions now seen in the world would not exist.
Exodus 21:3 belongs to the instruction, statutes, judgments and commandments that God Himself gave to Israel through Moses to be communicated to the people. Unlike the Decalogue spoken by God in public, it was delivered privately to Moses for him to communicate to the people, because the minds of Israel, blinded and debased by slavery, were not prepared to fully appreciate the far-reaching principles of the ten precepts. It is one of the additional precepts and specific directions that illustrate, explain, apply and enforce the obligations of the Ten Commandments, addressing duties between people and guarding the sacredness of the Decalogue by making its requirements clear and more fully understood.
In plain terms it limits Hebrew servitude to six years and protects the servant's freedom and person: a servant who entered service alone is to leave alone, and one who entered married is to leave with his wife. In another account the statutes are described as limiting bondage to seven years to protect servants from abuse. At the end of that term the servant was to receive freedom, with the choice to remain with the master.
These laws show God's care for His people, including the poor and the lowly and oppressed, as well as His impartiality and the high standards of His requirements, encouraging liberty and generosity. They were given to regulate dealings with one another and to protect against injustice and abuse. They are to be strictly obeyed and carefully studied and read, especially Exodus 21, 22 and 23, and if they were carefully read and obeyed, the evil conditions now seen in the world would not exist.