Thematic Bible: Slaves or bond
Thematic Bible
Servants » Slaves or bond » To participate in all national rejoicings
You must eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God chooses—you, your son and daughter, your male and female slave, and the Levite who is within your gates. Rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you do,
Rejoice before Yahweh your God in the place where He chooses to have His name dwell—you, your son and daughter, your male and female slave, the Levite within your gates, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow among you.
Rejoice during your festival—you, your son and daughter, your male and female slave, as well as the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates.
Servants » Slaves or bond » All israelites sold as, to be free at the jubilee
You are to consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim freedom in the land for all its inhabitants. It will be your Jubilee, when each of you is to return to his property and each of you to his clan.
Let him stay with you as a hired hand or temporary resident; he may work for you until the Year of Jubilee. Then he and his children are to be released from you, and he may return to his clan and his ancestral property.
If he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he and his children are to be released at the Year of Jubilee.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Seizing and stealing of men for, condemned and punished by the law
“If a man is discovered kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from you.
for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching
“Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.
Servants » Slaves or bond » By birth
When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.
I am Your servant, the son of Your female servant.
You have loosened my bonds.
Servants » Slaves or bond » When israelites not to be treated with rigor
"If your brother among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, you must not force him to do slave labor. Let him stay with you as a hired hand or temporary resident; he may work for you until the Year of Jubilee.
You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But concerning your brothers, the Israelites, you must not rule over one another harshly.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Persons of distinction had many
When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.
I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned many herds of cattle and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.
Servants » Slaves or bond » When israelites to have their liberty after six years service
“When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything.
“If your fellow Hebrew, a man or woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, you must set him free in the seventh year.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Of others not to be coveted or enticed away
Servants » Slaves or bond » Captives taken in war often kept as
Aram had gone on raids and brought back from the land of Israel a young girl who served Naaman’s wife.
But you may take the women, children, animals, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—as plunder. You may enjoy the spoil of your enemies that the Lord your God has given you.
Servants » Slaves or bond » When foreigners to be circumcised
a slave born in your house, as well as one purchased with money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as an everlasting covenant.
And all the men of his household—both slaves born in his house and those purchased with money from a foreigner—were circumcised with him.
Servants » Slaves or bond » By purchase
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.
And all the men of his household—both slaves born in his house and those purchased with money from a foreigner—were circumcised with him.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Persons unable to pay their debts liable to be sold as
One of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, has died. You know that your servant feared the Lord. Now the creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves.”
Still others were saying, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. We and our children are [just] like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others."
Servants » Slaves or bond » Engaged in the most menial offices
So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.
She stood up, then bowed her face to the ground and said, “Here I am, your servant, to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”
Servants » Slaves or bond » Called bondmen
But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph’s house. They said, “We have been brought here because of the money that was returned in our bags the first time. They intend to overpower us, seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”
If any of us is found to have it, he must die, and we also will become my lord’s slaves.”
Servants » Slaves or bond » To be furnished liberally, when their servitude expired
When you set him free, do not send him away empty-handed. Give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You are to give him whatever the Lord your God has blessed you with.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Sometimes intermarried with their master's family
Sheshan had no sons, only daughters, but he did have an Egyptian servant whose name was Jarha. Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Israelites sold to strangers as, might be redeemed by their nearest of kin
"If a foreigner or temporary resident [living] among you prospers, but your brother [living] near him becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner living among you, or to a member of the foreigner's clan, he has the right of redemption after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him. His uncle or cousin may redeem him, or any of his close relatives from his clan may redeem him. If he prospers, he may redeem himself. read more.
The one who purchased him is to calculate [the time] from the year he sold himself to him until the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale will be [determined] by the number of years. It will be [set] for him like the daily wages of a hired hand. If many years are still left, he must pay his redemption price in proportion to them based on his purchase price. If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he will calculate and pay the price of his redemption in proportion to his [remaining] years. He will stay with him like a man hired year by year. A foreign owner is not to rule over him harshly in your sight. If he is not redeemed in any of these [ways], he and his children are to be released at the Year of Jubilee. For the Israelites are My slaves. They are My slaves I brought out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.
The one who purchased him is to calculate [the time] from the year he sold himself to him until the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale will be [determined] by the number of years. It will be [set] for him like the daily wages of a hired hand. If many years are still left, he must pay his redemption price in proportion to them based on his purchase price. If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he will calculate and pay the price of his redemption in proportion to his [remaining] years. He will stay with him like a man hired year by year. A foreign owner is not to rule over him harshly in your sight. If he is not redeemed in any of these [ways], he and his children are to be released at the Year of Jubilee. For the Israelites are My slaves. They are My slaves I brought out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Seeking protection not to be delivered up to masters
“Do not return a slave to his master when he has escaped from his master to you.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Sometimes rose to rank and station
Servants » Slaves or bond » More valuable than hired servants
Do not regard it as a hardship when you set him free, because he worked for you six years—worth twice the wages of a hired hand. Then the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Laws respecting, often violated
[This is] the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom to them, so each man would free his male and female Hebrew slaves and no one enslave his Judean brother. All the officials and people who entered into covenant to free their male and female slaves-in order not to enslave them any longer-obeyed and freed them. read more.
Afterwards, however, they changed their minds and took back their male and female slaves they had freed and forced them to become slaves [again]. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, saying: At the end of seven years, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must send him out free from you. But your ancestors did not obey Me or pay any attention. Today you repented and did what pleased Me, each of you proclaiming freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before Me at the temple called by My name. But you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each has taken back his male and female slaves who had been freed [to go] wherever they wanted, and you have [again] subjugated them to be your slaves.
Afterwards, however, they changed their minds and took back their male and female slaves they had freed and forced them to become slaves [again]. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, saying: At the end of seven years, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must send him out free from you. But your ancestors did not obey Me or pay any attention. Today you repented and did what pleased Me, each of you proclaiming freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before Me at the temple called by My name. But you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each has taken back his male and female slaves who had been freed [to go] wherever they wanted, and you have [again] subjugated them to be your slaves.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Persons belonging to other nations might be purchased as
Your male and female slaves are to be from the nations around you; you may purchase male and female slaves.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Strangers sojourning in israel might be purchased as
You may also purchase them from the foreigners staying with you, or from their families living among you—those born in your land. These may become your property.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Maimed or injured by masters, to have their freedom
"When a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his tooth.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Laws respecting the killing of
"When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies under his abuse, the owner must be punished. However, if the slave can stand up after a day or two, the owner should not be punished because he is his [owner's] property.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Laws respecting marriage with female
"When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to leave as the male slaves do. If she is displeasing to her master, who chose her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners because he has acted treacherously toward her. Or if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her according to the customary treatment of daughters. read more.
If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife. And if he does not do these three things for her, she may leave free of charge, without any exchange of money.
If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife. And if he does not do these three things for her, she may leave free of charge, without any exchange of money.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Custom of branding, alluded to
From now on, let no one cause me trouble, because I bear on my body scars for the cause of Jesus.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Israelites sold as, refusing their liberty, to have their ears bored to the door
"But if the slave declares: 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,' his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master must pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Could not when set free demand wives or children procured during servitude
If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Masters to be recompensed for injury done to
If the ox gores a male or female slave, he must give 30 shekels of silver to the slave’s master, and the ox must be stoned.
Servants » Slaves or bond » To be allowed to rest on the sabbath
Servants » Slaves or bond » Thieves unable to make restitution were sold as
But if this happens after sunrise, there is guilt of bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution. If he is unable, he is to be sold because of his theft.