¹ At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

² And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release.

³ Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;

⁴ Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:

⁵ Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.

⁶ For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

⁷ If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

⁸ But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

⁹ Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

¹⁰ Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

¹¹ For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

¹² And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

¹³ And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:

¹⁴ Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

¹⁵ And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.

¹⁶ And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;

¹⁷ Then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

¹⁸ It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

¹⁹ All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

²⁰ Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household.

²¹ And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.

²² Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.

²³ Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.

---

¹ At the end ^H7093 of every seven ^H7651 years ^H8141 thou shalt make ^H6213 a release. ^H8059

² And this is the manner ^H1697 of the release: ^H8059 Every creditor ^{H1167 H4874 H3027} that lendeth ^H5383 ought unto his neighbour ^H7453 shall release ^H8058 it; he shall not exact ^H5065 it of his neighbour, ^H7453 or of his brother; ^H251 because it is called ^H7121 the LORD'S ^H3068 release. ^H8059

³ Of a foreigner ^H5237 thou mayest exact ^H5065 it again: but that which is thine with thy brother ^H251 thine hand ^H3027 shall release; ^H8058

⁴ Save ^H657 when there shall be no poor ^H34 among you; for the LORD ^H3068 shall greatly ^H1288 bless ^H1288 thee in the land ^H776 which the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 giveth ^H5414 thee for an inheritance ^H5159 to possess ^H3423 it:

⁵ Only if thou carefully ^H8085 hearken ^H8085 unto the voice ^H6963 of the LORD ^H3068 thy God, ^H430 to observe ^H8104 to do ^H6213 all these commandments ^H4687 which I command ^H6680 thee this day. ^H3117

⁶ For the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 blesseth ^H1288 thee, as he promised ^H1696 thee: and thou shalt lend ^H5670 unto many ^H7227 nations, ^H1471 but thou shalt not borrow; ^H5670 and thou shalt reign ^H4910 over many ^H7227 nations, ^H1471 but they shall not reign ^H4910 over thee.

⁷ If there be among you a poor man ^H34 of one ^H259 of thy brethren ^H251 within any ^H259 of thy gates ^H8179 in thy land ^H776 which the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 giveth ^H5414 thee, thou shalt not harden ^H553 thine heart, ^H3824 nor shut ^H7092 thine hand ^H3027 from thy poor ^H34 brother: ^H251

⁸ But thou shalt open ^H6605 thine hand ^H3027 wide ^H6605 unto him, and shalt surely ^H5670 lend ^H5670 him sufficient ^H1767 for his need, ^H4270 in that which he wanteth. ^H2637

⁹ Beware ^H8104 that there be not a thought ^H1697 in thy wicked ^H1100 heart, ^H3824 saying, ^H559 The seventh ^H7651 year, ^H8141 the year ^H8141 of release, ^H8059 is at hand; ^H7126 and thine eye ^H5869 be evil ^H7489 against thy poor ^H34 brother, ^H251 and thou givest ^H5414 him nought; and he cry ^H7121 unto the LORD ^H3068 against thee, and it be sin ^H2399 unto thee.

¹⁰ Thou shalt surely ^H5414 give ^H5414 him, and thine heart ^H3824 shall not be grieved ^H3415 when thou givest ^H5414 unto him: because ^H1558 that for this thing ^H1697 the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 shall bless ^H1288 thee in all thy works, ^H4639 and in all that thou puttest ^H4916 thine hand ^H3027 unto.

¹¹ For the poor ^H34 shall never cease ^H2308 out of ^H7130 the land: ^H776 therefore I command ^H6680 thee, saying, ^H559 Thou shalt open ^H6605 thine hand ^H3027 wide ^H6605 unto thy brother, ^H251 to thy poor, ^H6041 and to thy needy, ^H34 in thy land. ^H776

¹² And if thy brother, ^H251 an Hebrew man, ^H5680 or an Hebrew woman, ^H5680 be sold ^H4376 unto thee, and serve ^H5647 thee six ^H8337 years; ^H8141 then in the seventh ^H7637 year ^H8141 thou shalt let him go ^H7971 free ^H2670 from thee.

¹³ And when thou sendest ^H7971 him out free ^H2670 from thee, thou shalt not let him go away ^H7971 empty: ^H7387

¹⁴ Thou shalt furnish ^H6059 him liberally ^H6059 out of thy flock, ^H6629 and out of thy floor, ^H1637 and out of thy winepress: ^H3342 of that wherewith the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 hath blessed ^H1288 thee thou shalt give ^H5414 unto him.

¹⁵ And thou shalt remember ^H2142 that thou wast a bondman ^H5650 in the land ^H776 of Egypt, ^H4714 and the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 redeemed ^H6299 thee: therefore I command ^H6680 thee this thing ^H1697 to day. ^H3117

¹⁶ And it shall be, if he say ^H559 unto thee, I will not go away ^H3318 from thee; because he loveth ^H157 thee and thine house, ^H1004 because he is well ^H2895 with thee;

¹⁷ Then thou shalt take ^H3947 an aul, ^H4836 and thrust ^H5414 it through his ear ^H241 unto the door, ^H1817 and he shall be thy servant ^H5650 for ever. ^H5769 And also unto thy maidservant ^H519 thou shalt do ^H6213 likewise.

¹⁸ It shall not seem hard ^H7185 unto thee, ^H5869 when thou sendest him away ^H7971 free ^H2670 from thee; for he hath been worth ^H7939 a double ^H4932 hired servant ^H7916 to thee, in serving ^H5647 thee six ^H8337 years: ^H8141 and the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 shall bless ^H1288 thee in all that thou doest. ^H6213

¹⁹ All the firstling ^H1060 males ^H2145 that come ^H3205 of thy herd ^H1241 and of thy flock ^H6629 thou shalt sanctify ^H6942 unto the LORD ^H3068 thy God: ^H430 thou shalt do no work ^H5647 with the firstling ^H1060 of thy bullock, ^H7794 nor shear ^H1494 the firstling ^H1060 of thy sheep. ^H6629

²⁰ Thou shalt eat ^H398 it before ^H6440 the LORD ^H3068 thy God ^H430 year ^H8141 by year ^H8141 in the place ^H4725 which the LORD ^H3068 shall choose, ^H977 thou and thy household. ^H1004

²¹ And if there be any blemish ^H3971 therein, as if it be lame, ^H6455 or blind, ^H5787 or have any ill ^H7451 blemish, ^H3971 thou shalt not sacrifice ^H2076 it unto the LORD ^H3068 thy God. ^H430

²² Thou shalt eat ^H398 it within thy gates: ^H8179 the unclean ^H2931 and the clean ^H2889 person shall eat it alike, ^H3162 as the roebuck, ^H6643 and as the hart. ^H354

²³ Only thou shalt not eat ^H398 the blood ^H1818 thereof; thou shalt pour ^H8210 it upon the ground ^H776 as water. ^H4325

---

¹ At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

² And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he hath lent unto his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Jehovah's release hath been proclaimed.

³ Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it: but whatsoever of thine is with thy brother thy hand shall release.

⁴ Howbeit there shall be no poor with thee; (for Jehovah will surely bless thee in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it;)

⁵ if only thou diligently hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command thee this day.

⁶ For Jehovah thy God will bless thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee.

⁷ If there be with thee a poor man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates in thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother;

⁸ but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need `in that' which he wanteth.

⁹ Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto Jehovah against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

¹⁰ Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.

¹¹ For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy brother, to thy needy, and to thy poor, in thy land.

¹² If thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

¹³ And when thou lettest him go free from thee, thou shalt not let him go empty:

¹⁴ thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy winepress; as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

¹⁵ And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to-day.

¹⁶ And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go out from thee; because he loveth thee and thy house, because he is well with thee;

¹⁷ then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise.

¹⁸ It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou lettest him go free from thee; for to the double of the hire of a hireling hath he served thee six years: and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest.

¹⁹ All the firstling males that are born of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto Jehovah thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy herd, nor shear the firstling of thy flock.

²⁰ Thou shalt eat it before Jehovah thy God year by year in the place which Jehovah shall choose, thou and thy household.

²¹ And if it have any blemish, `as if it be' lame or blind, any ill blemish whatsoever, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto Jehovah thy God.

²² Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean `shall eat it' alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart.

²³ Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it out upon the ground as water.

---

¹ `At the end of seven years thou dost make a release,

² and this `is' the matter of the release: Every owner of a loan `is' to release his hand which he doth lift up against his neighbour, he doth not exact of his neighbour and of his brother, but hath proclaimed a release to Jehovah;

³ of the stranger thou mayest exact, and that which is thine with thy brother doth thy hand release;

⁴ only when there is no needy one with thee, for Jehovah doth greatly bless thee in the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- an inheritance to possess it.

⁵ `Only, if thou dost diligently hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all this command which I am commanding thee to-day,

⁶ for Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee as He hath spoken to thee; and thou hast lent `to' many nations, and thou hast not borrowed; and thou hast ruled over many nations, and over thee they do not rule.

⁷ `When there is with thee any needy one of one of thy brethren, in one of thy cities, in thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, thou dost not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother;

⁸ for thou dost certainly open thy hand to him, and dost certainly lend him sufficient for his lack which he lacketh.

⁹ `Take heed to thee lest there be a word in thy heart -- worthless, saying, Near `is' the seventh year, the year of release; and thine eye is evil against thy needy brother, and thou dost not give to him, and he hath called concerning thee unto Jehovah, and it hath been in thee sin;

¹⁰ thou dost certainly give to him, and thy heart is not sad in thy giving to him, for because of this thing doth Jehovah thy God bless thee in all thy works, and in every putting forth of thy hand;

¹¹ because the needy one doth not cease out of the land, therefore I am commanding thee, saying, Thou dost certainly open thy hand to thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy one, in thy land.

¹² `When thy brother is sold to thee, a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, and he hath served thee six years -- then in the seventh year thou dost send him away free from thee.

¹³ And when thou dost send him away free from thee, thou dost not send him away empty;

¹⁴ thou dost certainly encircle him out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy wine-vat; `of' that which Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou dost give to him,

¹⁵ and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God doth ransom thee; therefore I am commanding thee this thing to-day.

¹⁶ `And it hath been, when he saith unto thee, I go not out from thee -- because he hath loved thee, and thy house, because `it is' good for him with thee --

¹⁷ then thou hast taken the awl, and hast put `it' through his ear, and through the door, and he hath been to thee a servant age-during; and also to thy handmaid thou dost do so.

¹⁸ `It is not hard in thine eyes, in thy sending him away free from thee; for the double of the hire of an hireling he hath served thee six years, and Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee in all that thou dost.

¹⁹ `Every firstling that is born in thy herd and in thy flock -- the male thou dost sanctify to Jehovah thy God; thou dost not work with the firstling of thine ox, nor shear the firstling of thy flock;

²⁰ before Jehovah thy God thou dost eat it year by year, in the place which Jehovah doth choose, thou and thy house.

²¹ `And when there is in it a blemish, lame, or blind, any evil blemish, thou dost not sacrifice it to Jehovah thy God;

²² within thy gates thou dost eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as the roe, and as the hart.

²³ Only, its blood thou dost not eat; on the earth thou dost pour it as water.

---

¹ At the end of seven years thou shalt make a release,

² and this is the manner of the release: Every creditor shall relax his hand from the loan which he hath lent unto his neighbour; he shall not demand it of his neighbour, or of his brother; for a release to Jehovah hath been proclaimed.

³ Of the foreigner thou mayest demand it; but what is thine with thy brother thy hand shall release;

⁴ save when there shall be no one in need among you; for Jehovah will greatly bless thee in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it,

⁵ if thou only diligently hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to take heed to do all this commandment which I command thee this day.

⁶ For Jehovah thy God will bless thee, as he promised thee; and thou shalt lend on pledge to many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee.

⁷ If there be amongst you a poor man, any one of thy brethren in one of thy gates, in thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy brother in need;

⁸ but thou shalt open thy hand bountifully unto him, and shalt certainly lend him on pledge what is sufficient for his need, [in that] which he lacketh.

⁹ Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry against thee to Jehovah, and it be sin in thee.

¹⁰ Thou shalt bountifully give unto him, and thy heart shall not be evil-disposed when thou givest unto him; because for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the business of thy hand.

¹¹ For the needy shall never cease from within the land; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thy hand bountifully unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy, in thy land.

¹² If thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, have been sold unto thee, he shall serve thee six years, and in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

¹³ And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty;

¹⁴ thou shalt certainly furnish him from thy sheep, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of what Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee with shalt thou give unto him.

¹⁵ And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and that Jehovah thy God redeemed thee; therefore I command thee this thing to-day.

¹⁶ And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee, -- because he loveth thee and thy house, because he is well with thee, --

¹⁷ then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear and into the door; and he shall be thy bondman for ever. And also unto thy handmaid thou shalt do likewise.

¹⁸ Let it not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for double the worth of a hired servant hath he been to thee, [in] serving thee six years; and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest.

¹⁹ Every firstling that is born among thy kine and among thy sheep that is a male, thou shalt hallow to Jehovah thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy kine, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

²⁰ Thou shalt eat it before Jehovah thy God, year by year, in the place which Jehovah will choose, thou and thy household.

²¹ But if there be a defect therein, [if it be] lame, or blind, [or have] any evil defect, thou shalt not sacrifice it to Jehovah thy God.

²² In thy gates shalt thou eat it; the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle and as the hart.

²³ Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof: thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.

---

¹ At the end of every seven years you shall make a release.

² This is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Yahweh's release has been proclaimed.

³ Of a foreigner you may exact it: but whatever of your is with your brother your hand shall release.

⁴ However there shall be no poor with you; (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it;)

⁵ if only you diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you this day.

⁶ For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you: and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.

⁷ If there be with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother;

⁸ but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need [in that] which he wants.

⁹ Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you.

¹⁰ You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to.

¹¹ For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.

¹² If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold to you, and serve you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.

¹³ When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty:

¹⁴ you shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; as Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.

¹⁵ You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing today.

¹⁶ It shall be, if he tell you, I will not go out from you; because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you;

¹⁷ then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your maid-servant you shall do likewise.

¹⁸ It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for to the double of the hire of a hireling has he served you six years: and Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do.

¹⁹ All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock you shall sanctify to Yahweh your God: you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.

²⁰ You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household.

²¹ If it have any blemish, [as if it be] lame or blind, any ill blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God.

²² You shall eat it within your gates: the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart.

²³ Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground as water.

---

¹ At the end of every seven years there is to be a general forgiveness of debt.

² This is how it is to be done: every creditor is to give up his right to whatever he has let his neighbour have; he is not to make his neighbour, his countryman, give it back; because a general forgiveness has been ordered by the Lord.

³ A man of another nation may be forced to make payment of his debt, but if your brother has anything of yours, let it go;

⁴ But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will certainly give you his blessing in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage;

⁵ If only you give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, and take care to keep all these orders which I give you today.

⁶ For the Lord your God will give you his blessing as he has said: you will let other nations have the use of your money, but you will not make use of theirs; you will be rulers over a number of nations, but they will not be your rulers.

⁷ If in any of your towns in the land which the Lord your God is giving you, there is a poor man, one of your countrymen, do not let your heart be hard or your hand shut to him;

⁸ But let your hand be open to give him the use of whatever he is in need of.

⁹ And see that there is no evil thought in your heart, moving you to say to yourself, The seventh year, the year of forgiveness is near; and so looking coldly on your poor countryman you give him nothing; and he will make an outcry to the Lord against you, and it will be judged as sin in you.

¹⁰ But it is right for you to give to him, without grief of heart: for because of this, the blessing of the Lord your God will be on all your work and on everything to which you put your hand.

¹¹ For there will never be a time when there are no poor in the land; and so I give orders to you, Let your hand be open to your countrymen, to those who are poor and in need in your land.

¹² If one of your countrymen, a Hebrew man or woman, becomes your servant for a price and does work for you six years, in the seventh year let him go free.

¹³ And when you make him free, do not let him go away with nothing in his hands:

¹⁴ But give him freely from your flock and from your grain and your wine: in the measure of the wealth which the Lord your God has given you, you are to give to him.

¹⁵ And keep in mind that you yourself were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God made you free: so I give you this order today.

¹⁶ But if he says to you, I have no desire to go away from you; because you and your family are dear to him and he is happy with you;

¹⁷ Then take a sharp-pointed instrument, driving it through his ear into the door, and he will be your servant for ever. And you may do the same for your servant-girl.

¹⁸ Let it not seem hard to you that you have to send him away free; for he has been working for you for six years, which is twice the regular time for a servant: and the blessing of the Lord your God will be on you in everything you do.

¹⁹ All the first males to come to birth in your herd and your flock are to be holy to the Lord your God: the first birth of your ox is not to be used for work, the wool of your first lamb is not to be cut.

²⁰ But year by year you and all your house are to take a meal of it before the Lord, in the place of his selection.

²¹ But if it has any mark on it, if it is blind or has damaged legs, or if there is anything wrong with it, it may not be offered to the Lord your God.

²² It may be used for food in your houses: the unclean and the clean may take of it, as of the gazelle and the roe.

²³ Only do not take its blood for food, but let it be drained out on the earth like water.