Judges] For perpetuall servitude was a matter of too great moment, not to be made up by a private bargain; therefore the Judge, (the publique Magistrate) must heare the case, betwixt the master and the servant; and be sure, that the servant freely consented to such a servitude. doore] That is, the doore where the Judges sate, as some conceive; and then (when they have heard the case, and given sentence in it) the servant shall be brought to the doore of his masters house; and that doore is here rather meant; for the word is deleth, which is used of any particular doore; not the word Schalhur, which signifieth the gate of a Citie, where Judges sate, to heare causes, and to doe justice. bore his eare] Either as a punishment for contempt of libertie, (which he might have had, but would not) or to be a token of his strict, and punctuall obedience to his masters commands, not to goe over the threshold, or out of the doore, without his leave; at least not against his will: or to note his ready obedience to heare and observe what his master commands; so some apply Psalms 40:6. where the opening of the are, (according to the Hebrew) may be rendered by boring of the eare: and so obedience is better then sacrifice, 1 Samuel 15:22. for ever] That is, to the yeare of Jubile, which is every fiftieth yeare. See Annot. on Exodus 12:14. And at that time all Hebrew servants were to be set free, notwithstanding any ingagement of servitude made before, Leviticus 25:40. Of the signification of the Originall word here rendered [for ever] see Annot. on Exodus 12:14.