Exodus 21:1-6 - An Involuntary Slave for Life?

Critics charge that this verse means a servant's wife and children will remain slaves for life but he can go free. 

“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. 2 When you buy a Hebrew slave he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. - Exodus 21:1-6 

The verse clearly says that "a Hebrew slave he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing." Thus, it cannot mean for life.

If he came in single, he goes out single, if he came in married, he goes out married [vs 3]

But if he gets married while a servant, then only he goes free; his wife and child stay [vs 4].

1) The woman here married to the servant is very likely another servant, since it's not usually customary to see a master gives his own daughter to his servant.

2) Thus she was to serve a length of time before she servanthood ends. She has the obligation and commitment with her servitude to her employer, she’s obligated to finish up her contract. (Ryken, Exodus, 701).

3) Verse 4 seems to guard against those who make commitments to their employer for a certain amount of years before it takes into effect but then later change the condition of their agreement with the loophole of getting married and having the commitment be shortened.

4)  This does not mean there’s no avenue for her and her family to be freed when her husband is also freed. Leviticus 25:47-55 provide ways for a servant to be redeemed and freed (Ryken, Exodus 701).

5) Verses 5-6 gives another option, the family can remain physically in proximity to one another .The husband can continue to be a servant to the master in order to be with his wife and kids. But the criteria is that he actually loves his master and wants to be his servant, see verse 5. Verse 5 states he must “plainly” say this, that is, clearly and without manipulation.  Verse 6 is given to ensure that the master does not take advantage of the man-servant. The man servant is to appear before the town leaders for it says “his master shall bring him to God” (Garrett, Exodus, 497)

This is just another example of critics not considering the context, other verses, assuming "slavery"  means "chattel slavery" without considering the actual meaning of the Hebrew words

Exodus 21:7-11 Protection for Female Servants