Deuteronomy 15:17

Contemporary English Version (Anglicised) 2012

Take the slave to the door of your house and push a sharp metal rod through one ear lobe and into the door. Such slaves will belong to you for life, whether they are men or women.

Cross References

Exodus 21:5

But suppose the slave loves his wife and children so much that he won't leave without them.

Exodus 21:6

Then he must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship, while his owner punches a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life.

Deuteronomy 15:16

But one of your slaves may say, “I love you and your family, and I would be better off staying with you, so please don't make me leave.”

Deuteronomy 15:18

Don't complain when you have to set a slave free. After all, you got six years of service at half the cost of hiring someone to do the work.

1 Samuel 1:22

But Hannah stayed at home, because she had told Elkanah, “Samuel and I won't go until he's old enough for me to stop nursing him. Then I'll give him to the LORD, and he can stay there at Shiloh for the rest of his life.”