10. You should be happy to give the poor what they need, because then the Lord will make you successful in everything you do.
11. There will always be some Israelites who are poor and needy. That's why I am commanding you to be generous with them.
12. If any of you buy Israelites as slaves, you must set them free after six years.
13. And don't just tell them they are free to leave—
14. give them sheep and goats and a good supply of grain and wine. The more the Lord has given you, the more you should give them.
15. I am commanding you to obey the Lord as a reminder that you were slaves in Egypt before he set you free.
16. But one of your slaves may say, “I love you and your family, and I would be better off staying with you, so please don't make me leave.”
17. Take the slave to the door of your house and push a sharp metal rod through one ear lobe and into the door. Such slaves will belong to you for life, whether they are men or women.
18. Don't complain when you have to set a slave free. After all, you got six years of service at half the cost of hiring someone to do the work.