Sometimes Saying, “I’m sorry” is Not Enough! (Exodus 21; Exodus 22)

Sometimes Saying, “I’m sorry” is Not Enough! (Exodus 21; Exodus 22)

Scripture reading: Exodus 21-22





The following verses served not only Israel but have been the foundation of democratic law and government down through the centuries. You will find here the basis of your sense of justice and fairness. Yet, tragically, I fear the principles recorded here have been forgotten and discarded by leaders, politicians, and citizens of the 21st century.



Slavery and indentured servitude (Exodus 21:1-11) have been practiced since ancient times and continue in some form to this day. Those who object to the inclusion of this topic in the Bible must realize it was a commonly accepted practice and had to be addressed righteously. Understanding poverty might reduce a man to slavery; the LORD instituted prudent principles that forbade injustice. Here we have guidelines to impart dignity to even the lowest household servant. Unfortunately, there is an epidemic of human trafficking and “sex slaves” today, perpetuating the shameful abuses God’s Law prohibits.

Slavery and Individual Sovereignty (Exodus 21:1-6)

Should a Hebrew man become impoverished and reduced to slavery to pay his debt, he would serve his master no more than six years. Upon the seventh year, he was to be freed from his indebtedness and servitude (Exodus 21:1-2). Should a married man be reduced to servitude, he, his wife, and his children would be released in the seventh year.

However, should a man take a wife during his servitude, he alone would be at liberty in the seventh year (Exodus 21:3-4). Although freed from obligation, should the man love his master and not want to depart alone, he was permitted to choose to continue voluntarily as a slave (Exodus 21:5). Such a man would have his ear bored through (Exodus 21:6) and would serve either till the death of his master, or be set free with his family in the year of jubilee (which would occur every 50 years).

The Desperate Role of Daughters (Exodus 21:7-11)

Poverty might sometimes force a father to part with his daughter and sell her to another as a household servant (Exodus 21:7). Because this system was fraught with abuses, the Law provided guidelines to preserve the dignity and reputation of Hebrew daughters. For example, a poor man who desired a better life for his daughter sometimes permitted a wealthy man to purchase her and take her to his wife when she came of age. When she came of age, if the man or his son refused to marry her, they would send her away with a dowry enough to provide her food and clothing and with no further obligation to the benefactor (Exodus 21:8-11).









Justice and Fair Compensation for Loss (Exodus 21:18-36)





Exodus 22

Theft and Endangerment of One’s Livelihood were not Tolerated.

The theft of ox or sheep was a serious offense (Exodus 22:1-4) in an agricultural society where a man’s livelihood and his family’s well-being depended on farming and husbandry. Damage to a man’s vineyard or crops required fair compensation for the loss (Exodus 22:5-6).







Exodus 22:14-15 states the obligation a borrower assumed when using another man’s property. For the sake of illustration, if a farmer borrowed another man’s ox to plow his field, and the ox was injured or died, the borrower became a debtor and was under obligation to “make it good” (Exodus 22:14). In other words, one must choose to either repay or replace the ox.  An exception to the law of repayment or replacement was when the owner of an ox plowed another man’s field “for his hire” (Exodus 22:15). Because he was hired to plow a field, the employer (owner of the field) was not under obligation to replace the ox.



Exodus 22 concluded with various laws that addressed moral and societal issues (Exodus 22:16-23:19), including rape (Exodus 22:16-17), witchcraft (Exodus 22:18), bestiality (Exodus 22:19), and idolatry (Exodus 22:20).  The matter of borrowing, and indebtedness were addressed as well as charging excessive interest that imposed unnecessary hardships on the poor were condemned (Exodus 22:25-27).



The Law and its application to daily life necessitate honesty and integrity. Indeed, the need for spiritual principles and values is as great today as they were when they were given. Certainly, if we want the next generation to have integrity, they must be taught to be responsible. Justice and fairness demand that when one’s actions cause injury or loss, there is an obligation to make the injured party whole.

After all, sometimes saying, “I’m sorry,” is not enough! 

Questions to consider:

1) To pay a debt, a man might be forced to become an indentured servant (slave). What was the maximum number of years a man might be enslaved? (Exodus 21:2)

2) What would become of a man’s wife and children should he marry while enslaved? (Exodus 21:4)

3) What physical sign identified a man as a willing, voluntary servant? (Exodus 21:5-6)

4) The penalty for intentional murder was death (Exodus 21:12). What was the consequence of manslaughter (unintentional killing of another)? (Exodus 21:13)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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