Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Brothers, I speak like a man speaks: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void, or adds to it.

When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom. If he was single at the time you bought him he alone must be set free. If he was married at that time, both he and his wife must be given their freedom. If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master. He shall go out alone. read more.
What if the slave loves his wife and children so much that he will not leave without them? He must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship. His owner will punch a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life.

Jehovah gave the following regulations to Moses: If any of you sin against Jehovah by failing to do your duty, if you lie to your neighbor about something you were supposed to take care of or if you lie about something stolen or seized from your neighbor, you are sinning and will be guilty.

you have sinned and are guilty. Return what you stole or seized, what you were supposed to take care of, the lost item you found, or whatever it was that you swore falsely about. Pay it back in full plus one-fifth more. Give it back to its owner on the day you bring your guilt offering. Then bring your guilt offering to Jehovah. Bring a ram that has no defects or its value in money. Bring it to the priest. read more.
The priest will pay compensation for your wrong and make peace with Jehovah. Then you will be forgiven for whatever you did that made you guilty.

When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, They resorted to a ruse (scheme) (trick). They acted as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, worn out, torn, and mended. They had worn out and patched shoes on their feet, they wore old garments; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. read more.
They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: We come from a distant country, make a treaty with us. The men of Israel said to the Hivites: Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a treaty with you? They said: We are your servants. Joshua said to them: Who are you? Where do you come from? They said: From a very far country, your servants came because of the name of Jehovah your God, for we have heard about him and all he did in Egypt;

Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live. The leaders of the congregation ratified it by an oath. At the end of three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them.

The children of Israel did not kill them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Jehovah God of Israel. The entire congregation murmured against the princes. But all the leaders said to the entire congregation: We have sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them. We will even let them live in case we become angry. This is because of the oath we swore to them. read more.
The leaders said to them: Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to the entire congregation as the leaders had promised them. Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying: Why did you deceive us, saying: 'We are very far from you' when you dwell among us? Now you are cursed, and none of you will be freed from being slaves, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. They answered Joshua: For the reason that it was absolutely told to your servants, how Jehovah your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and destroy all the inhabitants of the land. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you. So we did this thing. Now we are in your hands. Do to us what seems good and right to you. Joshua saved them from the children of Israel. They did not kill them. Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of Jehovah, even to this day, in the place he should choose.

The kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day. Then he sent them into his vineyard. He went out the third hour and saw others in the marketplace doing nothing. read more.
He said to them: 'Go to the vineyard with the others. I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went to work. He went out the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same. The eleventh hour, he saw others doing nothing. He asked: 'Why are you here all the day doing nothing?' They said: 'No man has given us work.' He told them to go work with the rest in the vineyard. When evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager: 'Let the workers come and pay them from the last to the first.' Those men who went to work at the eleventh hour were each given a penny. Those who worked longer, expected to be paid more. They were also given a penny. When they got it, they protested against the master of the house. They said: 'The last ones have done only one hour's work. You have made them equal to us. We have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.' He told them: 'I do you no wrong. You made an agreement with me for a penny. Take what is yours and leave. I wish to give to the last workers the same as to you. Is it lawful for me to do what I wish with what is mine? Or is your eye jealous because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first last.




Do not take a hand mill or an upper millstone as security for a debt. That would be taking away a man's livelihood.

When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom. If he was single at the time you bought him he alone must be set free. If he was married at that time, both he and his wife must be given their freedom. If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master. He shall go out alone. read more.
What if the slave loves his wife and children so much that he will not leave without them? He must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship. His owner will punch a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life.

When you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest. If you take someone's cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sunsets, for it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful.

In the business of trading goods for money, do no wrong to one another. Corresponding to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your friend; he is to sell to you according to the number of years of crops. In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is a number of crops he is selling to you. read more.
You must not wrong one another. You shall respect your God. I am Jehovah your God.

If an Israelite becomes poor and cannot support himself, you should help him. He must live with you as a stranger without a permanent home. Do not collect interest or make any profit from him. Respect your God by respecting other Israelites' lives. Do not collect any interest on your money or on the food you give them.

This is how you should release. Every man who has a loan to his neighbor shall release it. He shall not require it from his neighbor, or from his brother, because it is called Jehovah's release. You may collect from a foreigner, but your hand should release that debt which is yours with your brother.

Do not charge interest to your brothers, interest on money, food, anything that may be loaned at interest. You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your brother (countrymen) you shall not charge interest. That way Jehovah your God will bless you in all that you undertake in the land you are about to possess.

When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort do not go into his house and repossess the security. Remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan must bring the pledged security out to you. If he is a poor man, do not keep the pledged security over night. read more.
Return the pledge to him before the sun goes down. He will have his pledged item and he may sleep. He will bless you. And it will be righteousness for you before Jehovah your God.

If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive what thanks do you have? Even sinners lend to sinners to receive again as much.


He was not able to make payment. So his lord gave orders for him to be sold. His wife, sons, and daughters were all to be sold along with every possession. The money would be used for payment of what he owed.

When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom.


If someone takes you to court to sue you and takes your shirt, let him have your coat as well.

If the peoples of the lands come to do trade in goods or food on the Sabbath day, that we would do no trade with them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. In the seventh year we would take no payment from any debtor.

He was not able to make payment. So his lord gave orders for him to be sold. His wife, sons, and daughters were all to be sold along with every possession. The money would be used for payment of what he owed.

Come to an agreement quickly with the one who has a legal case against you. Do it before he turns the case over to the judge and you are thrown into jail. Take it from me; you will stay in jail until you pay the very last penny of your fine.

When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom. If he was single at the time you bought him he alone must be set free. If he was married at that time, both he and his wife must be given their freedom. If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master. He shall go out alone. read more.
What if the slave loves his wife and children so much that he will not leave without them? He must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship. His owner will punch a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life.

In the business of trading goods for money, do no wrong to one another. Corresponding to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your friend; he is to sell to you according to the number of years of crops. In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is a number of crops he is selling to you. read more.
You must not wrong one another. You shall respect your God. I am Jehovah your God.

Someone gives his neighbor a donkey, a bull, a sheep, or any other kind of animal to keep for him, and it dies, is injured, or is captured in war, and there are no witnesses. The case between them must be settled by swearing an oath to Jehovah that the neighbor did not take the other person's animal. The owner must accept the oath. The neighbor does not have to make up for the loss. However, if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, he must make up for the owner's loss. read more.
If a wild animal killed the neighbor's animal he must bring in the dead body of the wild animal as evidence. He does not have to make up for an animal that has been killed. Whenever someone borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, the borrower must make up for the loss. If the owner is with the animal, the borrower does not have to make up for the loss. If it is rented, the rental fee covers the loss.

If any of you Israelites become so poor that you are forced to sell your property, your closest relative must buy it back. If that relative has the money. Later, if you can afford to buy it, you must pay enough to make up for what the present owner will lose on it before the next Year of Celebration, when the property would become yours again. read more.
If he cannot earn enough to buy it back, what he sold stays in the hands of the buyer until the year of jubilee. In the jubilee it will be released, and he will own it again. If anyone sells a home in a walled city, for one year after selling it he has the right to buy it back. He may buy it back only within that time. If he does not buy it back during that year, the house in the city belongs to the buyer for generations to come. It will not be released in the jubilee. Houses in villages without walls are regarded as belonging to the fields of the land. They can be bought back. They will be released in the jubilee. The Levites always have the right to buy back their property in the cities they own. If any Levite buys back a house, in the jubilee the purchased house in the city will be released. This is because the houses in the Levite cities are their property among the Israelites. But a field that belongs to their cities must not be sold, because it is their property from generation to generation. If an Israelite becomes poor and cannot support himself, you should help him. He must live with you as a stranger without a permanent home. Do not collect interest or make any profit from him. Respect your God by respecting other Israelites' lives. Do not collect any interest on your money or on the food you give them. I am Jehovah your God. I brought you out of Egypt to give you Canaan and to be your God. If an Israelite becomes poor and sells himself to you, do not work him like a slave. He will be like a hired worker or a visitor to you. He may work with you until the year of jubilee. Then you will release him and his children to go back to their family and the property of their ancestors.

Suppose a foreigner living with you becomes rich, while some Israelites become poor and sell themselves as slaves to that foreigner or to a member of that foreigner's family. He has the right to be set free by a relative, such as a brother. His uncle, his cousin, or some other relative could also buy him back. If he becomes rich, he could buy his own freedom. read more.
Then he and his buyer must take into account the number of years from the year he was bought until the year of jubilee. His sale price will be adjusted based on the number of years he was with his buyer. This is like the wages of a hired worker. If there are many years left, he must refund from his purchase price an amount equal to those years. If there are only a few years left until the year of jubilee, he must take them into account. He must refund from his purchase price an amount equal to those years. He should serve his buyer as a hired worker during those years. His buyer should not treat him harshly. If he cannot buy his freedom he and his children will be released in the year of jubilee. The Israelites belong to me! They are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God!'


When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom.

If you buy Israelites (your own brothers) as slaves, you must set them free after six years.


When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom.

Joseph was served at a table by himself. His brothers were served at another. The Egyptians sat at yet another table. This is because Egyptians felt it was disgusting to eat with Hebrews.

Live in booths for seven days. Everyone born in Israel must live in booths.

All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians. I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Divide it by lot to the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.

The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives. Shiphrah and Puah were among them.

The king asked what had happened. He was told that none of the animals of the Israelites had died. He was stubborn and would not let the people go.

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him: Thus says Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.


When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom.

If you buy Israelites (your own brothers) as slaves, you must set them free after six years.

Every seven years each of you must free any Hebrews who sold themselves to you. When they have served you for six years, you must set them free. But your ancestors refused to obey me or listen to me.


In this way you will set the fiftieth year apart and proclaim freedom to all the inhabitants of the land. During this year all property that has been sold must be restored to the original owner or the descendants, and any who have been sold as slaves may return to their families.

If a man is caught kidnapping any of his brothers of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, the thief shall die. You will purge the evil from among you.

If a man has sexual intercourse with a female slave who is engaged to another man and if her freedom was never bought or given to her, they should not be put to death. He will only pay a fine because she is a slave. He must bring a ram for his guilt offering to Jehovah at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. In Jehovah's presence the priest will use them to pay compensation for the wrongdoing and make peace with Jehovah for this sin. The man will be forgiven for this sin.

If you buy Israelites (your own brothers) as slaves, you must set them free after six years.

It should not seem hard to you when you set him free. After all he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man. Jehovah your God will bless you in whatever you do.

These are the ordinances you should set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom. If he was single at the time you bought him he alone must be set free. If he was married at that time, both he and his wife must be given their freedom. read more.
If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master. He shall go out alone. What if the slave loves his wife and children so much that he will not leave without them? He must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship. His owner will punch a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life. When a man sells his daughter into slavery, she will not go free the way male slaves do. If she does not please the master who has chosen her as a wife, he must let her be bought back by one of her close relatives. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has treated her unfairly. If a man buys a female slave to give to his son, he should treat her like a daughter. If a man takes a second wife, he must continue to give his first wife the same amount of food and clothing and the same rights that she had before. If he fails to do any of these things, she should be given her freedom without cost.

If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished. If the slave lives a few days after the beating, you are not to be punished. After all, you have already lost the services of that slave who was your property.

If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free because of his eye. If he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free because of his tooth.

If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Even though the land has not been cultivated during that year, it will provide food for you, your slaves, your hired men, the foreigners living with you,

If an Israelite becomes poor and cannot support himself, you should help him. He must live with you as a stranger without a permanent home. Do not collect interest or make any profit from him. Respect your God by respecting other Israelites' lives. Do not collect any interest on your money or on the food you give them. read more.
I am Jehovah your God. I brought you out of Egypt to give you Canaan and to be your God. If an Israelite becomes poor and sells himself to you, do not work him like a slave. He will be like a hired worker or a visitor to you. He may work with you until the year of jubilee. Then you will release him and his children to go back to their family and the property of their ancestors. They are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. They must never be sold as slaves. Do not treat them harshly. Respect your God. You may have male and female slaves, but buy them from the nations around you. You may also buy the children of the foreigners who are living among you. Such children born in your land may become your property. You may leave them as an inheritance to your children, whom they must serve as long as they live. But you must not treat any Israelites harshly. Suppose a foreigner living with you becomes rich, while some Israelites become poor and sell themselves as slaves to that foreigner or to a member of that foreigner's family. He has the right to be set free by a relative, such as a brother. His uncle, his cousin, or some other relative could also buy him back. If he becomes rich, he could buy his own freedom. Then he and his buyer must take into account the number of years from the year he was bought until the year of jubilee. His sale price will be adjusted based on the number of years he was with his buyer. This is like the wages of a hired worker. If there are many years left, he must refund from his purchase price an amount equal to those years. If there are only a few years left until the year of jubilee, he must take them into account. He must refund from his purchase price an amount equal to those years. He should serve his buyer as a hired worker during those years. His buyer should not treat him harshly. If he cannot buy his freedom he and his children will be released in the year of jubilee. The Israelites belong to me! They are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God!'

Supply him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat. Give to him as Jehovah your God has blessed you.


When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom.

If you buy Israelites (your own brothers) as slaves, you must set them free after six years.