Exodus 21:8 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Who hath betrothed her to himself. — The reading is to be preferred which gives the opposite sense — “who hath not betrothed her;” and the meaning is, “If the man, after purchasing the woman to be his wife, finds that he does not like her, and refuses to go through the ceremony of betrothal” —

Then shall he let her be redeemed. — Heb., then let him cause her to be redeemed: i.e., let him provide some one to take his place, and carry out his contract, only taking care that the substitute be a Hebrew, and not one of “a strange nation,” since her father did not intend to have her wed a foreigner.

Exodus 21:8

8 If she pleaseb not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.