Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. New Living Translation If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him. English Standard Version If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. Berean Standard Bible If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him. King James Bible If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. New King James Version If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. New American Standard Bible If he comes alone, he shall leave alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall leave with him. NASB 1995 “If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. NASB 1977 “If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. Legacy Standard Bible If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. Amplified Bible If he came [to you] alone, he shall leave alone; if he came married, then his wife shall leave with him. Christian Standard Bible If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. Holman Christian Standard Bible If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. American Standard Version If he come in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he be married, then his wife shall go out with him. Contemporary English Version If he was single at the time you bought him, he alone must be set free. But if he was married at the time, both he and his wife must be given their freedom. English Revised Version If he come in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he be married, then his wife shall go out with him. GOD'S WORD® Translation If he comes to you by himself, he must leave by himself. If he comes as a married man, his wife may leave with him. Good News Translation If he was unmarried when he became your slave, he is not to take a wife with him when he leaves; but if he was married when he became your slave, he may take his wife with him. International Standard Version If he came in by himself, he is to go out by himself. If he was married, his wife is to go out with him. NET Bible If he came in by himself he will go out by himself; if he had a wife when he came in, then his wife will go out with him. New Heart English Bible If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him. Webster's Bible Translation If he came in by himself, he shall depart by himself: if he was married, then his wife shall depart with him. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleIf he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him. World English Bible If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionif he comes in by himself, he goes out by himself; if he [is] owner of a wife, then his wife has gone out with him; Young's Literal Translation if by himself he cometh in, by himself he goeth out; if he is owner of a wife, then his wife hath gone out with him; Smith's Literal Translation If he shall come in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he possessed a wife, and his wife shall go forth with him. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWith what raiment he came in, with the like let him go out: if having a wife, his wife also shall go out with him. Catholic Public Domain Version With whatever clothing he arrived, with the like let him depart. If he has a wife, his wife also shall depart, at the same time. New American Bible If he comes into service alone, he shall leave alone; if he comes with a wife, his wife shall leave with him. New Revised Standard Version If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIf he came in single, he shall go out single; if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And if he alone will come in, he alone will go forth, and if he is a husband of a wife, his wife will go out with him. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917If he come in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he be married, then his wife shall go out with him. Brenton Septuagint Translation If he should have come in alone, he shall also go forth alone; and if his wife should have gone in together with him, his wife also shall go out. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Laws for Servants…2If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything. 3If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him. 4If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.… Cross References Leviticus 25:39-41 If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor. / Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. / Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers. Deuteronomy 15:12-15 If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free. / And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. / You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. ... Jeremiah 34:14 Every seventh year, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who has sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must let him go free. But your fathers did not listen or incline their ear. 1 Corinthians 7:21-23 Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity. / For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. / You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Galatians 4:1-7 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything. / He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father. / So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. ... Ephesians 6:5-9 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. / And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. / Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men, ... Colossians 3:22-25 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord. / Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men, / because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ... 1 Timothy 6:1-2 All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited. / Those who have believing masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and encourage these principles. Philemon 1:15-16 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good— / no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord. Genesis 15:13-14 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. / But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions. Genesis 29:18-20 Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” / Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” / So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her. Genesis 31:41 Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times! 2 Kings 4:1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!” Nehemiah 5:5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” Isaiah 58:6 Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? Treasury of Scripture If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. by himself. Jump to Previous Alone Depart Free Husband Married Owner Single WifeJump to Next Alone Depart Free Husband Married Owner Single WifeExodus 21 1. Laws for men servants5. For the servant whose ear is bored 7. For women servants 12. For manslaughter 16. For kidnappers 17. For cursers of parents 18. For smiters 22. For a hurt by chance 28. For an ox that gores 33. For him who is an occasion of harm If he arrived alone, This phrase refers to the Hebrew servant who enters into servitude. In the context of ancient Israel, servitude was often a means of paying off debt or poverty. The law provided that a Hebrew servant would serve for six years and be released in the seventh year (Exodus 21:2). The emphasis on arriving alone underscores the personal nature of the servitude agreement. It highlights the principle of individual responsibility and the preservation of personal rights and status upon entering and exiting servitude. This reflects the broader biblical theme of justice and fairness in social and economic relationships. he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him. Persons / Places / Events 1. Hebrew ServantThe subject of the law in Exodus 21:3, referring to a Hebrew man who has sold himself into servitude, typically due to debt or poverty. 2. Wife The wife of the Hebrew servant, who is mentioned in the context of the servant's release. 3. Moses The leader of the Israelites who received and communicated God's laws, including those in Exodus 21, to the people. 4. Mount Sinai The place where Moses received the laws from God, including the laws concerning servants. 5. Israelites The people to whom these laws were given, forming the context of the covenant community. Teaching Points Understanding Servitude in Ancient IsraelThe servitude described in Exodus 21 was not akin to modern understandings of slavery but was often a means of survival and debt repayment. The Sanctity of Marriage The law acknowledges the bond of marriage, ensuring that a servant's marital status is respected and preserved upon his release. God's Justice and Compassion These laws reflect God's concern for justice and compassion, ensuring that even those in servitude are treated with dignity and fairness. The Principle of Freedom The release of servants after a period of service points to a broader biblical theme of freedom and redemption, ultimately fulfilled in Christ. Application to Modern Life While the cultural context has changed, the principles of justice, compassion, and respect for family relationships remain relevant today. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Exodus 21Who was Zipporah in the Bible? What is the Bible's stance on oral sex? Who was Jael and what did she do? The Old Testament allows slavery (Exodus 21:2-11); why would a moral God condone it?(3) His wife shall go out with him.--The privilege of the married Hebrew slave was to attach also to his wife, if he was married when he became a slave. It further, no doubt, attached to his children.Verse 3. - If he came in by himself, etc.. The first clause of this verse is further explained in the next; the second secured to the wife who went into slavery with her husband a participation in his privilege of release at the end of the sixth year. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Ifאִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not he arrived alone, יָבֹ֖א (yā·ḇō) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go he is to leave alone; יֵצֵ֑א (yê·ṣê) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim if אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not he ה֔וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are arrived with a wife, אִשָּׁה֙ (’iš·šāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female [she] אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ (’iš·tōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female is to leave וְיָצְאָ֥ה (wə·yā·ṣə·’āh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim with him. עִמּֽוֹ׃ (‘im·mōw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 5973: With, equally with Links Exodus 21:3 NIVExodus 21:3 NLT Exodus 21:3 ESV Exodus 21:3 NASB Exodus 21:3 KJV Exodus 21:3 BibleApps.com Exodus 21:3 Biblia Paralela Exodus 21:3 Chinese Bible Exodus 21:3 French Bible Exodus 21:3 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 21:3 If he comes in by himself he (Exo. 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