Question 1

What specific reasons does the servant give for choosing not to leave?

Accepted Answer

Verse 16 gives two linked reasons, both introduced with “because.” First, the servant says he will not go out because he loves the master and the master’s household. That points to relational attachment, not just economic calculation. Second, he says he is “well with” the master, meaning his condition in that home is good—he is treated in a way that makes staying desirable. The passage presents the decision as stated by the servant (“he tells you…”) and as grounded in both affection and experienced well-being, not in coercion.

Question 2

How does the passage describe the servant’s decision—voluntary, forced, or something else?

Accepted Answer

The scenario begins with the servant speaking for himself: “I will not go out from you” (v. 16). The text connects that refusal to love and to being well-treated, which reads as a voluntary preference. Then the master performs a required procedure (v. 17), which formalizes what the servant has already insisted on. Nothing in these verses describes threats, sale, or capture; the emphasis is on a normal release that can be declined by the servant, and then publicly confirmed.

Question 3

What actions are required once the servant insists on staying, and where do they take place?

Accepted Answer

Verse 17 requires the master to take an awl and thrust it through the servant’s ear “to the door.” The location matters in the description: the door is part of the procedure, tying the act to the household itself and making it a visible, witnessed event rather than a private agreement. The result is a defined, ongoing status: “he shall be your servant forever.” The same procedure applies to a female servant as well, showing the rule is not limited to males.

Question 4

In context, what are the possible meanings of “forever” in verse 17, and what does the text itself make certain?

Accepted Answer

The text itself is certain that the new arrangement lasts beyond the normal six-year term and is meant to be enduring: after the ear-piercing, the servant is described as serving “forever” (v. 17). What is less explicit is how that “forever” cashes out in practice—whether it means lifelong service in the plain sense, or “permanently” within Israel’s broader legal life that might include other release horizons. The passage does not clarify the endpoint; it stresses the lasting character of the chosen commitment.

Question 5

What does verse 18 add to the unit that verses 16–17 do not cover?

Accepted Answer

Verses 16–17 focus on the servant’s choice and the formal sign that seals it. Verse 18 shifts attention to the master’s attitude about releasing a servant. It says release should not “seem hard,” and it gives a financial rationale: six years of service have been worth “double” the wages of a hired worker. That comparison frames the servant’s labor as already providing substantial return, so releasing the person is not portrayed as an unfair economic sacrifice. The verse closes by tying obedience in this matter to Yahweh’s blessing in all the master’s work.

Question 6

How does the text compare a servant’s six years of service to the work of a hired laborer, and what point is it making?

Accepted Answer

Verse 18 compares the value of six years of service to “double the hire of a hireling.” The exact math is not explained, but the point is clear: the master has benefited significantly from the servant’s labor—more than what the master would have paid a typical wage-worker for equivalent time. By emphasizing that the servant’s work has been a strong economic gain, the text supports the claim that releasing the servant should not be viewed as a painful loss. The comparison functions as a perspective-shaping argument, not a detailed wage formula.

Question 7

What details show that this instruction is meant to be a general household rule rather than a rare exception for one type of person?

Accepted Answer

Several features make it general. The servant’s speech is presented as a repeatable case (“if he tells you…”), suggesting a scenario that could occur in many homes (v. 16). The master’s action is described as a set procedure with specific tools and location (awl, ear, door), implying an established practice (v. 17). The instruction explicitly extends to a female servant (“to your maid-servant you shall do likewise”), showing the same rule applies across genders within the household economy. Verse 18 then addresses the master in general terms about release and work, reinforcing that this belongs to broader community expectations.

Deuteronomy 15:16-18

Scripture