Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. (Deuteronomy 15:17)
For details, see Ex. 21:1-6. By this symbol the man was bound forever as an obedient servant to the household of his master.
For ever.
That is, as long as the man should live (see on Ex. 21:6).
Thy maidservant.
This seems to contradict Ex. 21:7, “She shall not go out as the menservants do.” But it is not stated here that she should not go out at all, but rather that she should not be released on the same basis as the menservants. The conditions for her release are given in Ex. 21:8-11; cf. Jer. 34:9.