The Torah states that if a master gives his Hebrew bondsman a Canaanite bondswoman "and she bears him sons or daughters," the woman and her children belong to the master (Exodus 21:4). The Mekhilta asks: does this apply only to sons or daughters — standard male and female children?
What about a tumtum — a child whose sex is physically indeterminate — or a hermaphrodite? These do not fit neatly into the category of "sons or daughters." Are they also the master's property, or do they fall outside the verse's scope?
The answer comes from the broader phrasing: "the woman and her children shall belong to her master." The word "children" — without qualification — covers all offspring, regardless of their physical characteristics. Sons, daughters, tumtum, hermaphrodite — all belong to the master. The Torah first specified "sons or daughters" to establish the general principle, then used the inclusive phrase "her children" to ensure no one was excluded.
Rabbi Nathan added another dimension. The phrase "and she bears him" — with emphasis on "him" — includes even the children of a master who personally fathered children with his bondswoman. Those children are still considered slaves belonging to the master's household, not free-born heirs. The Torah's language is comprehensive. Every child born to the Canaanite bondswoman during the bondsman's term of service remains the master's property, no matter who the father is and no matter the child's physical characteristics.