Thematic Bible: Slaves or bond
Thematic Bible
Servants » Slaves or bond » To participate in all national rejoicings
You and your sons and daughters, male and female slaves, and the Levites who live in your cities must eat these in the presence of Jehovah your God at the place he will choose. There in the presence of Jehovah your God enjoy everything for which you have worked.
Enjoy yourselves in the presence of Jehovah your God along with your sons, daughters, male and female slaves, the Levites who live in your cities, the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. Enjoy yourselves at the place Jehovah your God will choose as a dwelling for his name.
Enjoy yourselves at the festival along with your sons, daughters, male and female slaves, the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows who live in your cities.
Servants » Slaves or bond » All israelites sold as, to be free at the jubilee
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.
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.
If he cannot buy his freedom he and his children will be released in the year of jubilee.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Seizing and stealing of men for, condemned and punished by the law
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.
It is for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and everything else that is contrary to the sound teaching.
Whoever kidnaps another person must be put to death regardless of whether he has sold the kidnapped person or still has him.
Servants » Slaves or bond » By birth
Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive. Abram led his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, in pursuit as far as Dan.
O Jehovah, I am indeed your servant. I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have freed me from my chains.
Are the people of Israel slaves? Were they born into slavery? Why, then, have they become someone's property?
Servants » Slaves or bond » When israelites not to be treated with rigor
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.
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Persons of distinction had many
Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive. Abram led his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, in pursuit as far as Dan.
I acquired male and female servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
Servants » Slaves or bond » When israelites to have their liberty after six years service
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Of others not to be coveted or enticed away
Do not desire another man's wife; do not covet another man's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his donkey, or any thing that belongs to him.'
Do not covet (desire) another man's house. Do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Captives taken in war often kept as
The Syrians carried off a little Israelite girl during one of their raids against Israel. The girl became a servant of Naaman's wife.
You may take the women, the children, the livestock, and everything else in the city for yourselves. You may use everything that belongs to your enemies. Jehovah has given it to you.
Servants » Slaves or bond » When foreigners to be circumcised
Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be a long lasting covenant.
Every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
Servants » Slaves or bond » By purchase
Meanwhile, in Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.
Every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Persons unable to pay their debts liable to be sold as
The widow of a member of a group of prophets said to Elisha: My husband has died! As you know, he was a man who respected God. A man to whom he owed money came to take away my two sons as slaves in payment for my husband's debt.
Yet others said: We have given up our fields and our vine-gardens to get money for the king's taxes. But our flesh is the same as the flesh of our countrymen, and our children as their children. Now we give our sons and daughters into the hands of others, to be their servants. Some of our daughters are servants even now. We have no power to stop this. For other men have our fields and our vine-gardens.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Engaged in the most menial offices
He got up from the meal and laid aside his garments. He wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into the basin and washed the disciples' feet. He wiped them with the towel he was wearing.
She bowed down with her face touching the ground. I am ready to serve, she said. I am willing to wash the feet of my master's servants.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Called bondmen
On the way they were worried and started talking: We are being taken there because of the money that was put back in our sacks last time. He will arrest us and take our donkeys. He will make us his slaves!
If you find that one of us has the cup, then kill him. The rest of us will become your slaves.
Servants » Slaves or bond » To be furnished liberally, when their servitude expired
Do not send him away empty handed when you set him free. 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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Sometimes intermarried with their master's family
Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. He had an Egyptian servant named 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
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!'
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!'
Servants » Slaves or bond » Seeking protection not to be delivered up to masters
Do not hand over an escaped slave to his master.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Sometimes rose to rank and station
Servants » Slaves or bond » More valuable than hired servants
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Laws respecting, often violated
Jehovah spoke his word to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah and all the people in Jerusalem promised to free their slaves. Everyone was supposed to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female. No one was supposed to keep another Jew as a slave. All the officials and all the people agreed and promised to free their male and female slaves and not to keep them as slaves anymore. So they set them free. read more.
Later they changed their minds and took back the men and women they had freed and made them their slaves again. Jehovah continued to speak his word to Jeremiah: This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: 'I put a condition on the covenant I made to your ancestors when I brought them from Egypt, where they were slaves. I said: 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. You changed and did what I consider right. You agreed to free your neighbors, and you made a covenant in my presence, in the Temple that is called by my name. Now you have changed again and dishonored me. You brought back the male and females slaves that you had set free to live their own lives. You have forced them to be your male and female slaves again.'
Later they changed their minds and took back the men and women they had freed and made them their slaves again. Jehovah continued to speak his word to Jeremiah: This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: 'I put a condition on the covenant I made to your ancestors when I brought them from Egypt, where they were slaves. I said: 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. You changed and did what I consider right. You agreed to free your neighbors, and you made a covenant in my presence, in the Temple that is called by my name. Now you have changed again and dishonored me. You brought back the male and females slaves that you had set free to live their own lives. You have forced them to be your male and female slaves again.'
Servants » Slaves or bond » Persons belonging to other nations might be purchased as
Servants » Slaves or bond » Strangers sojourning in israel might be purchased as
You may also buy the children of the foreigners who are living among you. Such children born in your land may become your property.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Maimed or injured by masters, to have their freedom
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Laws respecting the killing of
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Laws respecting marriage with female
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. read more.
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 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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Custom of branding, alluded to
Let no one trouble me. I bear the marks of Jesus branded on my body.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Israelites sold as, refusing their liberty, to have their ears bored to the door
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Could not when set free demand wives or children procured during servitude
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Masters to be recompensed for injury done to
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.
Servants » Slaves or bond » To be allowed to rest on the sabbath
The seventh day is a Sabbath dedicated to Jehovah your God. Do not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
Servants » Slaves or bond » Thieves unable to make restitution were sold as
But if it happens after sunrise, he is guilty of murder. A thief must make up for what he has stolen. If he is unable to do so, he should be sold as a slave to pay for what he stole.