New Revised Standard Version
then his master shall bring him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.

Contemporary English Version
Then he must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship, while his owner punches a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life.

New American Bible
his master shall bring him to God and there, at the door or doorpost, he shall pierce his ear with an awl, thus keeping him as his slave forever.

Douay-Rheims Bible
His master shall bring him to the gods, and he shall be set to the door and the posts, and he shall bore his ear through with an awl: and he shall be his servant for ever.

His master shall bring him to the gods, and he shall be set to the door and the posts, and he shall bore his ear through with an awl: and he shall be his servant for ever.

the judges

Exodus 21:22 If men quarrel, and one strike a woman with child and she miscarry indeed, but live herself: he shall be answerable for so much damage as the woman's husband shall require, and as arbiters shall award.

Exodus 12:12 And I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and will kill every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast: and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments; I am the Lord.

Exodus 18:21-26 And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens, . . .

Exodus 22:8,9,28 If the thief be not known, the master of the house shall be brought to the gods, and shall swear that he did not lay his hand upon his neighbour's goods, . . .

Numbers 25:6-8 And behold one of the children of Israel went in before his brethren to a harlot of Madian, in the sight of Moses and of all the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle. . . .

Deuteronomy 1:16 And I commanded them, saying: Hear them, and judge that which is just: whether he be one of your country, or a stranger.

Deuteronomy 16:18 Thou shalt appoint judges and magistrates in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God shall give thee, in all thy tribes: that they may judge the people with just judgment,

Deuteronomy 19:17,18 Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days. . . .

1 Samuel 8:1,2 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. . . .

Isaiah 1:26 And I will restore thy judges as they were before, and thy counsellors as of old. After this thou shalt be called the city of the just, a faithful city.

Zephaniah 3:3 Her princes are in the midst of her as roaring lions: her judges are evening wolves, they left nothing for the morning.

bore his ear.

Psalm 40:6-8 Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require: . . .

for every

Leviticus 25:23,40 The land also shall not be sold for ever: because it is mine, and you are strangers and sojourners with me. . . .

Deuteronomy 15:17 Thou shalt take an awl, and bore through his ear in the door of thy house, and he shall serve thee for ever: thou shalt do in like manner to thy womanservant also.

1 Samuel 1:22 But Anna went not up: for she said to her husband: I will not go till the child be weaned, and till I may carry him, that he may appear before the Lord, and may abide always there.

1 Samuel 27:12 And Achis believed David, saying: He hath done much harm to his people Israel: Therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achis: Now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achis said to David: And I will appoint thee to guard my life for ever.

1 Kings 12:7 They said to him: If thou wilt yield to this people to day, and condescend to them, and grant their petition, and wilt speak gentle words to them, they will be thy servants always.