"And there be refreshed the son of your maid-servant" — this verse about Sabbath rest mentions a "maid-servant's son." The Mekhilta identifies this as an uncircumcised Canaanite servant — one who has not undergone circumcision or accepted the commandments.
But could the verse refer instead to a circumcised servant — one who has already been integrated into Jewish practice? The Mekhilta rejects this, because circumcised servants are already covered by (Exodus 20:10): "your man-servant and your maid-servant." That earlier verse addresses those servants who observe the commandments. If circumcised servants are already mentioned elsewhere, the "maid-servant's son" in this verse must refer to someone not previously covered — an uncircumcised servant.
The legal implication is significant. Even an uncircumcised Canaanite servant — someone outside the covenant of circumcision, someone who has not accepted Jewish law — is entitled to Sabbath rest. The Torah insists that he be "refreshed" on the seventh day.
This ruling extends the Sabbath's benefit beyond the boundaries of the Jewish community. The Sabbath belongs to everyone in the household, including those who have not formally joined the covenant. Rest is not a privilege earned through religious commitment. It is a right extended to every human being under an Israelite's roof, regardless of their spiritual status. The Sabbath's gift of rest is universal within the household.