The Meaning of Exodus 21:2 Explained

Exodus 21:2

KJV: If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

YLT: When thou buyest a Hebrew servant -- six years he doth serve, and in the seventh he goeth out as a freeman for nought;

Darby: If thou buy a Hebrew bondman, six years shall he serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

ASV: If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If thou buy  an Hebrew  servant,  six  years  he shall serve:  and in the seventh  he shall go out  free  for nothing. 

What does Exodus 21:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Exodus 21

1  Laws for men servants
5  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

What do the individual words in Exodus 21:2 mean?

If you buy a servant Hebrew six years he shall serve and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing
כִּ֤י תִקְנֶה֙ עֶ֣בֶד עִבְרִ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑ד וּבַ֨שְּׁבִעִ֔ת יֵצֵ֥א לַֽחָפְשִׁ֖י חִנָּֽם

תִקְנֶה֙  you  buy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָנָה 
Sense: to get, acquire, create, buy, possess.
עֶ֣בֶד  a  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
עִבְרִ֔י  Hebrew 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עִבְרִי  
Sense: a designation of the patriarchs and the Israelites adj.
שֵׁ֥שׁ  six 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: שֵׁשׁ  
Sense: six.
שָׁנִ֖ים  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
יַעֲבֹ֑ד  he  shall  serve 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
וּבַ֨שְּׁבִעִ֔ת  and  in  the  seventh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שְׁבִיעִי  
Sense: seventh.
יֵצֵ֥א  he  shall  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
לַֽחָפְשִׁ֖י  free 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָפְשִׁי  
Sense: free.
חִנָּֽם  and  pay  nothing 
Parse: Adverb
Root: חִנָּם  
Sense: freely, for nothing, without cause.