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 female servant you shall do likewise.
Parallel translations
- KJV Then thou shalt take an aul, 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.
- BSB then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way.
- NKJV 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 female servant you shall do likewise.
- NASB then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant permanently. You shall also do the same to your female slave.
- NLT In that case, take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door. After that, he will be your servant for life. And do the same for your female servants.
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
The willing servant's commitment was sealed by piercing his ear at the door, marking lifelong, voluntary service. A chosen, loving bond was given visible permanence.
Overview
The awl through the ear at the doorpost publicly and permanently sealed the servant's free choice to stay. It memorialized devotion freely given rather than coerced. Christians have long seen here a picture of the willing servant, and ultimately of Christ, of whom Psalm 40 says 'my ears you have opened' as he gladly did the Father's will.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Lev 25:39–42“‘If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a slave.
- 1 Sam 1:22But Hannah didn’t go up; for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and stay there forever.”
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 15:17 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.