Bible Strands
Exodus 21:8
If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God delivers this statute through Moses to the Israelites regarding the legal status of a female Hebrew servant designated by her master.
The words — רָעָה (ra'ah) literally means "she is bad" or "displeasing," describing the master's assessment of the servant. יְעָדָהּ (ye'adah) means "he designated her," indicating the master's prior intent to take her as a wife or concubine.
The thread — The law intersects with themes of designated marriage and broken commitments in Genesis 28:8, Exodus 8:29, and Deuteronomy 20:7. Genesis 28:8 records Isaac's disapproval of Canaanite women, Exodus 8:29 notes Pharaoh's deceit regarding the release of the Israelites, and Deuteronomy 20:7 addresses men pledged to women who have not yet married them.
Why it lands — The text mandates redemption for a designated servant who displeases her master and explicitly forbids selling her to foreigners. It requires readers to recognize that a master's broken commitment nullifies his ownership rights and imposes a duty of financial restitution.
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.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
Cross-references
- Genesis 28:8 And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,
- Exodus 8:29 “As soon as I leave you,” Moses said, “I will pray to the LORD, so that tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh and his officials and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceitfully again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the LORD.”
- Deuteronomy 20:7 Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.”
- Deuteronomy 21:11 if you see a beautiful woman among them, and you desire her and want to take her as your wife,
- Judges 9:19 if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.
- Judges 14:3 But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
- Malachi 2:11 Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
- 1 Samuel 8:6 But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 18:8 And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”
- Job 6:15 But my brothers are as faithless as wadis, as seasonal streams that overflow,