Deuteronomy 15:12 Meaning: Including Women in the Release
If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.
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.
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.
`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.
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Deuteronomy 15:12 commands that Hebrew women be freed along with men after six years, showing God's special care for the vulnerable.
Context
This verse comes in a chapter devoted to the year of release, the seventh year when debts were cancelled and slaves set free. Deuteronomy 15 opens with instructions about lending to the poor and canceling debts. Then from verse 12, the text turns to indentured servants, Israelites who had sold themselves because of poverty. Unlike the earlier law in Exodus 21, which only mentioned male servants in the release rule and dealt separately with women, Deuteronomy explicitly includes women. The verses that follow (13, 15) command the master to send the freed servant away with generous gifts from his flock, threshing floor, and winepress, and to remember that Israel was once a slave in Egypt. That memory of redemption is the foundation for the command.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words give this verse its weight. First, ach (brother) appears as the term for the servant. It is a kinship word, not a business label. Even when someone has sold themselves into servitude, they remain a brother or sister. The relationship is not cancelled. Second, the verb yimmaher (is sold) comes from the Niphal stem, meaning the person sells themselves. This is not kidnapping or chattel slavery. It is a desperate act of survival, and the law meets that desperation with a limit and a promise. Third, chophshi (free) describes the state the servant enters in the seventh year. It means released from bondage, with no strings attached. But the word also carries the sense of liberty as God’s design for His people. The command to let go free is rooted in who God is and what He has done.
How Christians Read This Verse
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that Exodus 21:2, 6 did not mention a bondwoman in the release law, while Deuteronomy explicitly includes her. Keil and Delitzsch say this is a repetition to clarify that the law applies to women as well. Matthew Henry emphasizes the command to send them out with generous provisions, linking it to God’s redemption of Israel from Egypt. Jewish commentators cited by Gill discuss who could be sold and under what circumstances, showing that this was understood as a protective measure. Across traditions, readers have seen here a divine concern that women in vulnerable positions not be overlooked or permanently bound.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume this verse endorses the kind of race-based chattel slavery that existed in the Americas. That is a misunderstanding. The servitude described here was indentured, entered into voluntarily because of debt or poverty, with a fixed term of six years. In ancient Israel, an Israelite could not be owned permanently like property. The inclusion of women in the release law shows that equal dignity and freedom apply to both genders, even in hard circumstances.
Living This Out
This week, think about the people around you who are financially trapped or overlooked, especially women who may carry extra burdens alone. The law demanded not just release but generosity at the moment of release (verse 13). You might not have a servant to set free, but you can ask: Is there someone I can help take a step toward freedom? That could mean forgiving a debt, offering practical support, or simply treating a struggling person with the dignity of a brother or sister. The memory of your own redemption makes the command personal.
Main takeaway: God commands release for both men and women, reflecting His equal concern for the dignity of every person.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
This verse says that even women who were servants had to be set free after six years. God wanted everyone to be treated fairly. Boys and girls are both important to God.
For ages 9, 12
In the ancient world, women were often more vulnerable and had fewer rights. This law made sure that women who had to sell themselves as servants were not forgotten when it was time for release. God made a rule to protect them and give them a fresh start. That shows us God’s heart for people who are easy to overlook.
Questions People Ask
Does this verse mean God approves of slavery?
No. This is about indentured servitude for debt, a limited and regulated economic arrangement in ancient Israel. The law placed strict limits on how long someone could serve and required generous release. It points toward the dignity of every person, not the permanent ownership of another human being.
Why does the verse say 'Hebrew man or Hebrew woman'?
The wording makes sure women are not left out of the release law. Earlier laws in Exodus 21 only mentioned male servants in the six-year rule, but Deuteronomy explicitly includes women. This shows God’s concern for women who become vulnerable through poverty.
How does this relate to the year of jubilee described in Leviticus?
Both passages provide for release from servitude, but with different timing. Here the release occurs after six years of service, while the jubilee year (every fiftieth year) released all debts and land holdings. Both reflect God’s desire to restore people to freedom and to their families.
What should Christians today learn from this command?
The command teaches care for the vulnerable, especially women in difficult economic situations. It also calls us to practice generosity toward those who have served us, and to remember that we have been set free from sin through Christ. Our freedom should lead us to free others.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study