Ulangan 15:17

15:17 you shall take an awl and pierce a hole through his ear to the door. ¹  Then he will become your servant permanently (this applies to your female servant as well).

Ulangan 32:6

32:6 Is this how you repay ²  the Lord,

you foolish, unwise people?

Is he not your father, your creator?

He has made you and established you.

Ulangan 33:21

33:21 He has selected the best part for himself,

for the portion of the ruler ³  is set aside ⁴  there;

he came with the leaders ⁵  of the people,

he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord

and his ordinances with Israel.

[15:17]  ¹ 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).

[32:6]  ² tn Or “treat” (TEV).

[33:21]  ³ tn The Hebrew term מְחֹקֵק (mÿkhoqeq; Poel participle of חָקַק, khaqaq, “to inscribe”) reflects the idea that the recorder of allotments (the “ruler”) is able to set aside for himself the largest and best. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 444-45.

[33:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “covered in” (if from the root סָפַן, safan; cf. HALOT 764-65 s.v. ספן qal).

[33:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “heads” (in the sense of chieftains).