Προσάξει αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τότε προσάξει αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμόν καὶ τρυπήσει αὐτοῦ ὁ κύριος τὸ οὖς τῷ ὀπητίῳ καὶ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. (Exodus 21:6)
His master shall bring him to the judgment of God, and then his master shall bring him to the door, to the post, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.
From Court to Doorpost
This verse describes the ritual act by which a servant, choosing lifelong service, is publicly bound to his master. The language is composed of future indicatives with legal, imperatival force. Each verb outlines the steps: προσάξει (bring), τρυπήσει (pierce), δουλεύσει (serve). These forms function as legal prescriptions, embedding ritual acts in binding grammar.
Stage One: προσάξει … πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ
προσάξει is the future active indicative third singular of προσάγω (“to bring forward”). The master must bring the servant πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ—“to the judgment seat of God.” This phrase reflects the covenantal worldview in which all human contracts are witnessed and validated by divine authority. The genitive τοῦ θεοῦ clarifies that the place of judgment belongs ultimately to God, not merely to human judges.
Stage Two: προσάξει … ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμόν
The repetition of προσάξει underscores procedural precision: first to the court, then to the doorway. The prepositions ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν and ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμόν (“upon the door, upon the post”) mark physical location with accusative, indicating movement and contact. The doorpost of the household becomes the site of legal consecration, reminiscent of Passover blood applied to doorposts (Exodus 12), symbolizing covenantal belonging.
Stage Three: τρυπήσει … τὸ οὖς
τρυπήσει is the future active indicative of τρυπάω (“to bore through, pierce”). The object is τὸ οὖς (“the ear”), pierced τῷ ὀπητίῳ (“with the awl”). The dative marks instrument. This act functions symbolically: the ear, the organ of hearing, is permanently marked to signify obedience and unending attentiveness to the master’s voice.
Stage Four: δουλεύσει … εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
The final verb δουλεύσει (future active indicative of δουλεύω, “to serve”) seals the legal consequence: “he shall serve him forever.” The prepositional phrase εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα marks not merely longevity but covenantal permanence. In the Septuagint, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα often translates the Hebrew עֹולָם (ʿolam), expressing enduring, indefinite duration.
Morphology Table: Key Verbs
| Form | Parsing | Lemma | Meaning | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| προσάξει | Future Active Indicative 3rd sg. | προσάγω | Bring forth | Legal procedure, step one and two |
| τρυπήσει | Future Active Indicative 3rd sg. | τρυπάω | Pierce, bore | Physical ritual act |
| δουλεύσει | Future Active Indicative 3rd sg. | δουλεύω | Serve | Final legal consequence |
Grammar as Covenant Seal
Exodus 21:6 LXX shows how simple future indicatives carry binding authority in covenant law. Each verb is a step in ritual choreography: bring, pierce, serve. The grammar thus enacts the law itself—an ear pierced at the doorpost, a servant bound for life, and a covenant relationship embedded in syntax.
