And if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you,
Parallel translations
- WEB It shall be, if he tells you, “I will not go out from you,” because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you;
- KJV 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;
- BSB But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you,
- NASB But it shall come about, if he says to you, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is doing well with you,
- NLT “But suppose your servant says, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A servant who loved his master and was content might choose to stay permanently. Love could transform service from obligation into willing devotion.
Overview
The law allowed a servant who found life good in his master's house, out of love, to refuse release and remain. This honored genuine affection and well-being rather than forcing freedom. It offers a beautiful picture of voluntary, love-driven servanthood, the kind of glad bond-service believers gladly offer to Christ, their good Master.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Exod 21:5–6But if the servant shall plainly say, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;’
- Ps 40:8I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart.”
- Ps 40:6Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire. You have opened my ears. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 15:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.