Exodus 21:11

Study note

Setting — God delivers this statute to Israel through Moses, immediately following the command that a husband must not diminish his first wife’s food, clothing, or marital rights if he takes another spouse.

The words — The term חִנָּם (chi.Nam) literally means “without paying,” specifying that the woman’s departure requires no financial settlement from her husband.

The thread — The principle of debt-free release recurs in the covenant law where Hebrew servants depart in the seventh year (Deuteronomy 15:12-15) and in the prophetic call for Judah to break its bonds without ransom (Isaiah 52:3).

Why it lands — The text establishes that failure to uphold basic provisions triggers an immediate, unconditional right of departure. It requires a reader to recognize that covenant obligations carry enforceable consequences rather than optional goodwill.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.