Ulangan 14:24

14:24 When he ¹  blesses you, if the ²  place where he chooses to locate his name is distant,

Ulangan 15:17

15:17 you shall take an awl and pierce a hole through his ear to the door. ³  Then he will become your servant permanently (this applies to your female servant as well).

Ulangan 16:14

16:14 You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages. ⁴ 

[14:24]  ¹ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “He” in 14:2.

[14:24]  ² tn The Hebrew text includes “way is so far from you that you are unable to carry it because the.” These words have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons, because they are redundant.

[15:17]  ³ sn When the bondslave’s ear was drilled through to the door, the door in question was that of the master’s house. In effect, the bondslave is declaring his undying and lifelong loyalty to his creditor. The scar (or even hole) in the earlobe would testify to the community that the slave had surrendered independence and personal rights. This may be what Paul had in mind when he said “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:17).

[16:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “in your gates.”