Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were
married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or
daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
By this law God taught, (1.) The Hebrew servants generosity, and a noble love of liberty, for they were the Lord's freemen; a mark of disgrace must be put upon him who refused liberty when he might have it, though he refused it upon considerations otherwise laudable enough. Thus Christians, being bought with a price, and called unto liberty, must not be the servants of men, nor of the lusts of men, 1Co 7:23. There is a free and princely spirit that much helps to uphold a Christian, Ps 51:12. He likewise taught, (2.) The Hebrew masters not to trample upon their poor servants, knowing, not only that they had been by birth upon a level with them, but that, in a few years, they would be so again. Thus Christian masters must look with respect on believing servants, Philemon 1:16.
This law will be further useful to us, To explain the obligation which the great Redeemer laid upon himself to prosecute the work of our salvation, for he says (Ps 40:6), My ears hast thou opened, which seems to allude to this law. He loved his Father, and his captive spouse, and the children that were given him, and would not go out free from his undertaking, but engaged to serve in it for ever, Isa 42:1,4. Much more reason have we thus to engage ourselves to serve God for ever; we have all the reason in the world to love our Master and his work, and to have our ears bored to his door-posts, as those who desire not to go out free from his service.
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and
my children; I will not go out free:
6 then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring
him to the door, or unto the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.
7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not
go out as the menservants do.