Exodus 21:8

⁶ then his master is to bring him before the judges. And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life.

⁷ And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do.

If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.

⁹ And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.

¹⁰ If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.
KJV: If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
WEB: If she doesn’t please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.
ASV: If she please not her master, who hath espoused her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a foreign people he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
DARBY: If she is unacceptable in the eyes of her master, who had taken her for himself, then shall he let her be ransomed: to sell her unto a foreign people he hath no power, after having dealt unfaithfully with her.
BLB: If she is displeasing in the eyes of her lord who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall redeem her. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, in his dealing deceitfully with her.

ÅB: Dersom hun mishager sin herre, som hadde utsett henne for seg selv, da skal han la henne få kjøpe seg fri; til et fremmed folk skal han ikke ha rett til å selge henne, siden han har vært troløs mot henne.
OTB: Hvis hun ikke behager sin herre som har valgt henne for seg selv, må han la henne bli løskjøpt. Han har ingen rett til å selge henne til fremmede folk, på grunn av sin utroskap mot henne.
B1930: Dersom hun mishager sin herre, som hadde utsett henne for sig selv, da skal han la henne få kjøpe sig fri; til et fremmed folk skal han ikke ha rett til å selge henne, siden han har vært troløs mot henne.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Judges 14:3
But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
Read in context
Judges 9:19
if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.
Read in context
Malachi 2:11–15
Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
Read in context
Genesis 28:8
And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,
Read in context
Deuteronomy 21:11–14
if you see a beautiful woman among them, and you desire her and want to take her as your wife,
Read in context
Deuteronomy 20:7
Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.”
Read in context
Exodus 8:29
“As soon as I leave you,” Moses said, “I will pray to the LORD, so that tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh and his officials and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceitfully again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the LORD.”
Read in context
1 Samuel 18:8
And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”
Read in context