Deuteronomy 15:12

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.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 15:1 establishes the seven-year release of debts — the same sabbatical principle underlying the release of slaves in this verse.

Exodus 21:2-6 gives the same law of Hebrew slaves serving six years and going free in the seventh — a parallel restatement.

Jeremiah 34:14 explicitly cites this law, rebuking Israel for disobeying the command to release Hebrew slaves after six years.

Exodus 21:3 Parallel

Exodus 21:3 clarifies the release conditions for a slave who entered married, a specific case related to the general law here.

Jeremiah 34:8 Historical context

Jeremiah 34:8 records a historical covenant to free Hebrew slaves, directly applying the law from Deuteronomy.

Jeremiah 34:9 Historical context

Jeremiah 34:9 describes the actual freeing of Hebrew slaves, fulfilling the command in Deuteronomy.

Leviticus 25:39-41 provides a different release law (Jubilee) for Hebrew slaves — related but with a longer term, complementing this six-year rule.