Some say that God through the Bible supports the use of slavery, but is that really true? As a Christian and a Biblical Researcher who doesn’t support the use of slavery, I felt led to research this topic to see if those who say this are really accurate. In order to do this Biblical Research Project, I will primarily use the New King James Version of the Bible a.k.a. NKJV unless otherwise stated. I will also use the New International Version of the Bible a.k.a. NIV to research some passages further to compare and get a better idea of its true meaning. Additionally, I will use BibleGateway.com and other internet resources, as needed.
[Since the Bible will often use the word “he” and the word “him” within the same passage, I will put within brackets who is speaking and who is being spoken to whenever I feel it’s beneficial for clarity. I will put my analysis, evaluation, opinions, and comments within brackets, as well. I will put a capital “G” when referring to “God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” and will put a lower case “g” when referring to false gods. You may find this Biblical Research Project and other Biblical Research Projects in their entirety on either of these two blogs I felt led to create: Biblical Proof! at https://BiblicalProof.blogspot.com/ or Do Biblical Inconsistencies Really Matter? at https://Biblicalinconsistencies.blogspot.com/ ]
[In preparing for this major Biblical Research Project on Slavery, I did a search on BibleGateway.com/ to see how many times the word “servant” was used in the Bible, wanting to evaluate them to see if the word “servant” was used synonmously with the word “slave”. The word “servant” is used 760 times in the Old Testament and 136 times in the New Testament for a total of 896 times in the Bible. In addition to this, I used this site to see how many times the word “slave” was used in the Bible. I knew that this search would also pull up all the occurrences of the word “slavery”, since the word “slave” is within the word “slavery”. The word “slave” was used 38 times in the Old Testament and 27 times in the New Testament for a total of 65 times in the Bible.]
[As I mentioned, I read each of the verses in the Bible that had the word “servant” multiple times to see if it is used as a synonym for “slavery” and even cross checked some with the NIV Bible to verify this. Once I saw that the meaning of the word “servant” fell into several common categories, I highlighted them with different colors to be able to later count and organize them further. In order to make it easier to identify the categories used for this portion of my research, I will highlight the categories in yellow that weren’t as related to my research topic on slavery in the Bible. The ones that needed further analysis are highlighted in blue.]
[“Servant'' was used as an Example or Analogy 102 times. The term “servant” was used to mean “Indentured Servants/Servitude” 3 times. The “Traditional Meaning” of the word “servant'' or something somewhat similar was used 390 times. I have highlighted it half in yellow and half in blue, because the vast majority of them did not relate to slavery, but I did research some of them futher to seek clarity on this topic. Example of the Traditional Meaning of the word “servant”: Luke 7:2 says: And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. I did evaluate these more thoroughly when I focused on the search for verses with the term “slave” after this portion of the research was completed.]
[The term “servant” was used 116 times in Deference, as a term of respect to someone. An example would be when Jacob is returning home with his family and meets up with his brother, Esau, who asks who are all these people with him? In Genesis 33:5 Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” In this case, Jacob was not Esau’s servant, nor his slave. He is saying it in respect to his brother. I have evaluated all these passages and generally won’t list them, in order to stay focused on the research topic.]
[The term “servant” was used 312 times to say the servant of the Lord God, God’s servant, or something similar. The term “servant” was used 1 times to refer to Servants Born to Owners. The term “servant” was used 1 time to refer to a Servant Bought with Money. The term “servant” was used 7 times to refer to Hired Servants. The term “servant” was used 7 times in the “Traditional Meaning of Slavery” like in the Plantation times in the United States. I plan to do more research on the categories highlighted in blue or partially highlighted in blue to make sure this is accurate. As you can tell, this doesn’t account for the total number of times the term “servant” was used. That is because some were set aside for further research before making a category determination.]
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[When I started the more specific research portion of this Biblical Research Project on Slavery, I found that the term “slave”, also, fell into several categories. Again, I read and reread all the related Bible passages and color coded them. I will highlight the ones that are not really related to the Traditional term of “slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States, in yellow and will highlight the ones that seem like they could possibly pertain to Traditional term of “slavery” in green for further research. I will research any that are both yellow and green that may need more clarification, as well. I will type the actual Bible Passages used in blue but will put my overview, analysis, and condensing of Bible passages in purple.]
The category “Slave in Egypt” which started out as Indentured Servitude was used 9 times. “Not to Be/Become a Slave” category was used 1 time. “Slave/Slavery used as an Example or Analogy” 23 times. “Slave as a Term of Inclusion” was used 4 times. “A Slave to Sin” was used 4 times. “Slave as an Indentured Servant” was used 7 times, but there is one of these passages that is of special concern that definitely needs further research. There were 9 passages that appeared to have the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. There is something I call the “Joseph’s Brothers Category” where they offered to be Joseph’s slaves when the money was found in their pouches, which will be explained later. Sold into “Not Slavery-Not Indentured” Category had 1 passage. Again, you can tell this doesn’t account for the total number of times the term “slave” was used. That is because some were set aside for further research before making a category determination.]
[I wrote these “Slave/Slavery” Categories in the order that I originally recorded them, but I think I want to explain it further starting at the paragraph below this, since it’s more in chronological order and gives a better understanding to some of the other categories.]
Genesis 17:12-13 says: “He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.”
[I did double check in the NIV Bible to see if they used the word slave instead of servant, but it didn’t. This falls in the Servant Bought with Money Category, but isn’t a slave.]
Genesis 20:17-18 says: So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
[When I cross referenced this with the NIV Bible at BibleGateway.com found at https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=slave&qs_version=NIV, it said: Genesis 20:17-18: Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelech’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
[Here’s some of the back story. Genesis 20:1-3 says: And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerary. Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
[Abraham had said that Sarah was his sister, because: Genesis 20:11-13 says: And Abraham said, “Because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her [Sarah], ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”]
[Mainly, this doesn’t have anything to do with the research topic, except that since the king of Gerar had taken Abraham’s wife and kept her, the Lord God made it so the king’s wife and the king’s female servants/slaves couldn’t bear children until the king released Abraham’s wife.]
[Did the servants/slaves under King Abimelech fall into the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like during the time of Plantations in the United States? There isn’t enough information to truly make this determination, except for the portion of Genesis 20:11 that is highlighted in orange. Abraham says that ‘the fear of God is not in this place’ which means most likely it fits into the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category, since they were a pagan country, they weren’t God fearing people. The Lord God does not approve of slavery and He only allowed “Indentured Servitude” which doesn’t happen until Joseph is in Egypt and saves the Egyptians, his family, and others in neighboring countries from starving to death during a severe famine that lasts seven years. I will explain this more in-depth when I get to that portion of the Bible.]
[Not Slavery-Not Identured Category]: Genesis 37:25-28 says: And they [Joseph’s brothers] sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother [Joseph] and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ismaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
[To condense things, verses 37:29-35 basically say: they took Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipped it in animal blood and took it to their father, letting him assume that his son, Joseph, had been killed and eaten by an animal.]
[Even though Joseph’s brothers sold Joseph, the words “slave” and “slavery” haven’t been used in the Bible, to this point, but this information is necessary for a serious look into the the terms “slave”, “slavery”, and “Indentured Servitude” to see how that started and whether it is related to the “Traditional term of Slavery.” I will do as much condensing as I can, since this lays the foundation for this whole research project.]
Genesis 39:1-3 says: Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, and Egyptian, bought him [Joseph] from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.
[In order to condense things, Genesis 39:6-23 basically says: Joseph was made the overseer of Potiphar’s house. Potiphar, was an officer and captain of the Pharaoh’s guard, and his wife had designs on Joseph, but he kept declining her advances. She got upset and grabbed his garment and screamed trying to make it sound like Joseph had made inappropriate advances to her, so he was put into prison. The Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and the keeper of the prison made Joseph in charge of the other prisoners.]
[Condensing again for clarity’s sake, Genesis Chapters 40:1-23 and 41:1-24 basically says: As keeper of the prisoners, Joseph accurately interpreted the dreams of two of the Pharaoh's servants, the chief baker and the chief butler. After two years, when the Pharaoh had two dreams, the wise men and magicians in Egypt couldn’t interpret his dreams. The chief butler who had formerly been in jail under Joseph, remembered how Joseph accurately interpreted his dream, so he told the Pharaoh.]
As Joseph interprets the Pharaoh's dreams, Genesis 41:29-41 says: “Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt: but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.” So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You [Joseph] shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
[Condensing further: Genesis 41:42-57, 42:1-38, and 43:1-17 basically says: Joseph gathers one-fifth of the produce during the seven plentiful years and stores it for the seven years of severe famine. Jacob, Joseph’s father, sends ten of his sons to Egypt to buy them food, because of the famine. Jacob didn't send his youngest son, Benjamin, with them to Egypt, because he didn't want anything to happen to his youngest son like what happened to Joseph, because he thinks Joseph is dead. Joseph recognizes his brothers, but they don’t recognize him. In conversation with them through an interpreter, Joseph finds out that his father is well and his youngest brother is at home with him. Joseph accuses them of being spies, although he knows they aren’t. Joseph says that he won’t let them return home unless they bring their youngest brother to him. Joseph’s brothers are put into prison for three days. When the brothers get out, they say to each other that this is happening to them because of what they did to Joseph years ago. Actually, they didn’t know that the person in charge is their brother, Joseph, and he understands what they are saying. When he hears what his brothers say, Joseph goes out and weeps. The brothers agree to leave Simeon in Egypt until the younger brother, Benjamin, is returned there. When the brothers stopped to feed the donkeys on the way home, they found their money in the mouth of their sacks and were perplexed. When they get home, they explain to their father why Simeon isn’t with them. At a point when they are running out of food, Jacob wants to send his sons back to Egypt to purchase more food, but they tell him that they were told they can’t come back without their youngest brother. Jacob wants to know why they even told him about Benjamin, but they just thought Joseph had been making small talk with them. Judah says that he will be held responsible if they don’t bring Benjamin back to Jacob. Jacob sends the ten of them back to Egypt with double the money in their sacks and gifts to take to the man in charge. Joseph had a steward take them to his home and prepare a feast for them.]
This is the passage when the term “slave” is first used in the Bible: Genesis 43:18 says: Now the men [Joseph’s brothers] were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as “slaves” with our donkeys.”
[Here’s more condensing to get to the beginning point where “Indentured Servitude” comes into play. Genesis 43:19-44:8 basically says: His brothers explain to Joseph's head servant about finding the money in their sacks, but he says that he had their money all along. Simeon is brought out to join them. Joseph asks about Jacob's well-being and was touched by seeing his younger brother, Benjamin, and went to find a place to weep secretly. Then, they ate the meal prepared for them. Joseph commanded one of his stewards to put their money in their sacks with the food they came to buy and the silver cup in the sack of Benjamin. Not knowing this, the next morning his brothers set off to return home with the food they had purchased. Joseph had his steward go after his brothers and ask them why they have repaid evil for good, since his silver cup is missing? They said they didn’t do it and had even returned the previous money when they found it in their sacks, so they wouldn’t have stolen either silver or gold from him.]
[Joseph’s brothers say they will be their slaves, not thinking there is any chance this will happen. These are the second and third occurrences of the term “slave” in the Bible.] Genesis 44:9-10 says: “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves. And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it [the silver cup] is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.”
[Technically, no one was a slave, so it doesn’t really count toward being the “Traditional Term of Slavery”, but I called it “Joseph’s Brothers Category” which encompasses more similar comments which will be covered.]
[Condensed: Genesis 44:11-15 basically says: Each of the 10 brothers opened their sacks and they were surprised and tore their clothes in mourning when they found the silver cup in Benjamin’s sack, and didn’t know it had been planted there ahead of time. The 10 brothers loaded their donkeys and headed back to Egypt. Joseph asked them why they had done this; they should've known he could practice divination to figure out who had the cup.]
Genesis 44:16-17 says: Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.” But he [Joseph] said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
[These are the fourth and fifth times the term “slave” is used, but no one is actually a “slave” as per this “Joseph’s Brothers Category”, but there still is more within this category that will eventually lead to understanding about “Indentured Servitude.”]
[Genesis 44:18 through 44:32 basically says: Judah says that if they don’t go back with Benjamin, his father will surely die, because he couldn’t bear to lose his other son after already losing a son years ago.]
In Genesis 44:33-34 Judah says: “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evils that would come upon my father?”
[This is the 6th time the term “slave” is used in the Bible, but he is just offering to be a slave, so it still fits in the “Joseph’s Brothers Category”.]
[Genesis 47:1-4 basically says: Joseph could no longer restrain himself and tells them he is their brother, Joseph, and then asks more about his father.]
[The following passage is significant, so I am highlighting it in orange to discuss periodically during this research project.] In Genesis 45:5-8 Joseph says: “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler through all the land of Egypt.”
[Joseph was sold by his brothers because they were jealous of the attention his father gave him and his having lofty dreams where his brothers and father bow down to him. (I hadn’t discussed this earlier, because it’s not directly related to the research topic). After lots of prayerful contemplation, I realized that there were several things I needed to consider in determining whether Joseph’s being sold falls within the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category. Although Joseph was sold, he was able to be put in charge over all of Potiphar’s possessions. While imprisoned, Joseph was in charge of the other prisoners, and currently, the Pharaoh has made Joseph a ruler throughout Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. To top all of that off, this was all done by God, so that the Israelites, Egyptians, and people in neighboring countries would be saved from starvation from the severe famine. After this analysis, I put Joseph’s being sold into the “Not Slavery-Not Indentured” Category.]
[Genesis 45:9-28, 46:1-34, and 47:1-12 are condensed to speed up the process of finding out more about “Indentured Servitude.”, although it doesn’t call it that. Genesis 45:9-28, 46:1-34, and 47:1-12 basically says: Joseph tells his brother to load up carts with the extra supplies they will be given to go to get their father and to bring him and all their families back to Egypt, since there will be five more years of the severe famine left. Jacob and family loaded up to head to Egypt, so he can see Joseph. On the journey to Egypt, Jacob, who God renamed Israel, had stopped to offer sacrifices to God. God spoke to Jacob/Israel in night visions saying not to be fearful about going to Egypt, because He is the God of his father, and He will make him [Jacob/Israel] a great nation there. God will be with him there, and will surely bring him up again and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes [when you die.] Jacob/Israel took 67 persons with him to Egypt, not counting Joseph and his family who were already there. Joseph says to his brothers to tell the Pharaoh that their occupation has been with livestock from their youth to now, because the Egyptians don’t like shepherds. After talking with his brothers, the Pharaoh tells Joseph to let his family dwell in the best of the land of Goshen and to make any competent men chief herdsmen over the Pharaoh’s livestock. When asked by the Pharaoh, Jacob/Israel told him he was 130 years old and then he blessed the Pharaoh. Then Joseph helped his family get settled. Next, is the portion of the passages that later lead to “Indentured Servitude,” although that’s explained at a further point.]
Genesis 47:13-26 Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for what should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.” Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.” So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he [Joseph] fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year. When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of the Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.” Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became the Pharaoh’s. And as for the people, he moved them into cities from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end. Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them, therefore they did not sell their lands. Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.” So they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s.
[Three sentences above this, the underlined portion shows that the people are happy Joseph has purchased them and their land for the Pharaoh, because he has saved their lives from starvation. Since the people asked to be purchased as the Pharaoh’s servants, and they were given seed, but could keep four-fifths of the proceeds for themselves, it does not fall in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. It is more like “Indentured Servitude,” but not totally. That is more fully developed in the time that Moses is leading the Israelites through the wilderness to escape the oppression of the Egyptians. That will yet be covered.]
[Condensing Genesis 47:27-31, 48:1-22, and 49:1-14 which basically says: Jacob/Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen in Egypt 17 years in which the possessions of their family multiplied exceedingly. When Jacob/Israel talks with Joseph before he dies, he asks Joseph to promise not to bury him in Egypt, but to take him to be buried in the land of Canaan where his father and mother were buried, which he did. Before he dies, Jacob/Israel blesses Joseph, his sons and all his brothers.]
This is Jacob/Israel's blessing of Issachar and foretelling what will become of him: Genesis 49:14-15 says: Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between two burdens; he saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, and became a band of slaves.
[This is the seventh time the term “slave” has been used in the Bible, but I can’t totally tell you which category this falls into. In analyzing this, since this was a prediction for Jacob’s son’s futures, I think this is speaking of the period that follows in the book of Exodus where the Israelites are oppressed as “slaves” by the Egyptians and I will cover that, in general, shortly.]
[Condensing Genesis 49:16-33 and 50:1-14 which basically says: When Jacob/Israel finished blessing his sons which he called the twelve tribes of Israel, he then reminded them to bury him in the land of Canaan with his parents and then died. Joseph had Jacob/Israel embalmed by the Egyptian physicians and they mourned seventy days for him. Pharaoh let Joseph, his family, Pharaoh’s servants, and the elders of his house and land go with Joseph to bury his father in the cave of the field of Machpelah where Abraham, his wife, and his parents were buried. After they bury him, they all return to Egypt.]
Genesis 50:15-20 says: When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him, [when they sold him, because of jealousy and made his father think he was dead.]” So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sins; for they did evil to you.”’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
[The reason I have written out this passage is two-fold. As I stated earlier in the research, I have recorded certain occurrences of the term “servant” and also the term “slave” in which I did further research. This was one of them. The underlined portion of “Behold, we are your servants,” in the NKJV of the Bible, says “we are your slaves” in the NIV Bible. So, in this case, but not in all cases, the terms “servant” and “slaves” are used synonymously. For this research analysis, these fall under the “Joseph’s Brothers Category”, since they were playing on Joseph’s sympathies after their father died and only offered to be “slaves”, but were not “slaves”. Additionally, this passage in orange readdresses that God had Joseph sold in order to eventually save the lives of many people during the severe famine which does not affirm that God supports the use of slavery.]
[Condensing Genesis 50:21-26, Exodus 1:1-22, and Exodus 2:1-10 which basically says: Joseph and his family lived in Egypt and Joseph died at 110 years old. Before he died, Joseph asked his brethren to bury his bones where his father was buried. So, when he died, they had Joseph embalmed and put in a coffin in Egypt. It tells that when Joseph and his brothers died, the children of Israel increased abundantly and became mighty in the land. There arose a new Pharaoh over Egypt, who did not know Joseph and got worried that the children of Israel were mightier than the Egyptians. So he told the Egyptians they were to deal shrewdly with the Israelites, so the Israelites wouldn’t one day overpower them and leave the land. The Pharaoh’s plan was to set taskmasters over them and to afflict them with burdens. So they built cities to put the supplies and afflicted the Israelites, but regardless of how much they were afflicted, the Israelites/Hebrews continued to multiply. So, the Egyptians made the Israelites serve with rigor and made their lives bitter with hard bondage working with mortar and brick and all manner of service in the field. The Pharaoh of Egypt was frustrated the Israelites continued to multiply and told the two midwives to kill the baby boy Israelites/Hebrews when they are born. The midwives didn’t do it and told the complaining Pharaoh that the Israelite women are lively and have already given birth before they get there. God dwelt well with the midwives for protecting the Israelite babies. Pharaoh commands all his people to kill every Hebrew boy that is born and cast him into the river, but save the girls alive. That’s when Moses’ mother hid him until he was three months old, then made an ark of bulrushes for him, and daubed with asphalt and pitch to make it watertight. Three month old Moses was put in this water-proof ark in the reeds by the river bank. His older sister watched as the Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to bathe and found Moses and had compassion on him. His sister came and asked the Pharaoh’s daughter if she would like her to get a Hebrew nurse for the child and the Pharaoh’s daughter told her yes. His sister went and got her mother, which is Moses’ mother, unbeknownst to the Pharaoh’s daughter. His mother cared for him until he was taken to the Pharaoh’s daughter to become her son. As you probably know, Moses is the one the Lord God chooses to rescue the Israelites from the oppressive slavery of the Egyptians.]
[In analyzing this portion of the book of Exodus, I find that God definitely does not support the use of slavery! Sure, it is mentioned in this portion of the Bible. The Bible is an a record of what happened to the Israelites and how the Lord God had Joseph put into the land of Egypt to save them from severe famine and then has Moses lead them from the slavery of the oppressive Egyptians. Did God make the Egyptians oppressive? No! Everyone one has free choice and is responsible for their own choices.]
[Additionally, the Egyptian Pharaoh during Joseph’s time, treated the Israelites with respect and let them have four-fifths of all their productivity. This new Egyptian Pharaoh in Exodus, tries to repress the Israelites, and makes them serve with rigor. In Exodus 5, this Pharaoh, after being approached by Moses and Aaron to let the Israelites go, has the task masters stop giving them straw to make the bricks. The Israelites then had to first find the straw to make the bricks on top of the rigorous work they already had to do and were beaten, as well. If God supported the use of slavery, He wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to have baby Moses protected, so that he could later lead the Israelites from the oppressive slavery of the Egyptians. There is nothing in this that gives credence to those who say that God supports the use of slavery.]
[Then, the Egyptians experience all the plagues from God, so the Pharaoh will let His people [the Israelites] who had been oppressed by slavery go. After that, God has Moses part the Red Sea, so the Israelites can walk across on dry land, but has the sea go over the Egyptians in order to save the Israelites from the Egyptians who were trying to bring them back with them to slavery. All of these uses of the term “slave” fall into the “Slave in Egypt” Category, as well as later references to this period. Example: Deuteronomy 5:15 says: And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Again, since God went to such great lengths to free the Israelites from oppressive slavery, none of these or related passages in this category confirm that God supports the use of slavery!]
Exodus 9:20-21 says: He who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field.
[Again, I cross referenced this passage and checked this out in the NIV Bible and it did use the term “slaves” both times instead of servants. Does that mean that God through the Bible supports the use of slavery? Not in the least! It was the Egyptian Pharaoh who had slaves and was oppressive to them, not the Lord God. God, in fact, went to great lengths to have Moses free the Pharaoh’s slaves from that oppression!]
Exodus 11:4-5 says: Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the hand mill, and the firstborn of the animals.
[As stated earlier, I compare in the NIV Bible when the term “servant” or “slave'' needs further research. In verse 5 above, the NIV Bible said the firstborn of the female slave. In this case, but not all cases, the terms “servant” and “slave” are used synonymously when compared. In my opinion, this use of servant/slave falls in the “Traditional term of Slavery” Category, because the persons mentioned resided with the Egyptians and the Israelites who were oppressed by Egyptian slavery resided elsewhere together. Since it appears that this term falls in the “Traditional term of Slavery” Category, does that mean that God condoned the use of slavery? Not at all! Again, it was the choice of this new Egyptian Pharaoh who decided to oppress his slaves, not God. In fact, God had a very elaborate plan to free the Israelites from that slavery!
[Since I compared the term “servant” in the NKJV Bible with the NIV Bible and found it used the term “slave” again synonymously in the following passage, I decided to just put it as servant/slave sometime when this occurs as I double check passages of concern.] Exodus 12:43-45 says: And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. But every man’s servant/slave who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it.
[I haven’t gotten to the portion that talks about “Slave as an Indentured Servant” yet, but feel this falls in that category from all my research prior to this. I’m trying to share my analysis in the order these passages appear in the Bible.]
Exodus 21:1-2 God shares this with Moses and says: “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them: If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.” [This is when “Indentured Servitude,” comes into play. If you’d like to know more about this, click on this YouTube video link called Does the Bible Condone Slavery? By J. Warner Wallace, a L.A. Cold-Case Detective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_foE9XLgPu8 ]
Exodus 21:3-11 says: “If he [Hebrew servant] comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. But if the [Hebrew] servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever. And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights. And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without paying money.”
[Exodus 21:1-11 appears to say that a Hebrew servant goes out after working for 6 years in the same way he went into “Indentured Servitude.” If he comes in by himself, he goes out by himself. If he comes in with family, he goes out with family. Where it gets tricky is when the owner of the Hebrew servant buys him a wife and they have children together. It appears he only has two options. From what I glean from this, he can go out by himself after serving for 6 years and leave his wife and family there or he tells his owner that he loves him and wants to stay with him forever. In that case the master takes the Hebrew servant to the judge, so it’s noted, and the owner takes him to a door or a doorpost and pierces his ear with an awl to show he has agreed to stay with that owner forever.]
[Additionally, the portion of this passage highlighted in light blue above leaves me lots to prayerfully contemplate, because this sounds like the same practice implemented during the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category, like during Plantation times in the United States, but is it really? But if the [Hebrew] servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever. After rereading this again the following day, the Israelites had certain regulations that God required when an Israelite/Hebrew chose to go into “Indentured Servitude,” for 6 years to get paid money for their food, bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime, although they don’t really call it that. God didn’t want them to work the “servants” with rigor and they were to treat them with respect. More on this topic will follow, at a later point.]
[The second portion highlighted in peach is more difficult to interpret. In reading some things in the past about “Indentured Servitude,” it is my impression from what I read that some people have had to sell their daughters and sons in order to be able to buy food, to pay their bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime. The peach portion specifically deals with selling a daughter as a female slave. They aren’t set free after 6 years like their male counterparts. On the other hand, if she doesn’t please her master, he must let her be redeemed, which is paying off the remaining time she has left. Exodus 21:9 says: He isn’t supposed to sell her to foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. In order to better interpret this verse, I utilized https://www.biblestudytools.com/exodo/21-9-compare.html to figure out what this meant. It said: Exodus 21:9 (BBE) And if he gives her to his son, he is to do everything for her as if she was his daughter. If he keeps her and marries an additional wife, he can’t give less food, less clothing, or less marriage rights to the one he purchased as a female slave. If he should not honor all three of these things that I’ve underlined, he has to let her go out, without paying any money. Again, I will add to this if I find more to add clarity to this passage.]
[Guess what? I did find more information, but I have included the commentary on this chapter of Exodus 21 by Kyle Davison Bair a page or two below this in the golden font. He explains this in much more detail. After prayerful contemplation and taking Bair’s commentary from his research into consideration, the parents selling their daughter is more akin to arranged marriages for a dowry, although it does give the indication that the parents are motivated by extreme poverty. I checked out dowries on the internet, but they primarily refer to the wife’s family giving money to the family of the groom, so I was confused. I did another search focused on dowry’s during Bible times and found this information at GotQuestions.org at https://www.gotquestions.org/purpose-dowry.html
[Although I’m not going to insert the whole article, I will insert those during Biblical times where the future groom paid money or gave gifts like a dowry to the parents of the bride. It mentioned how Jacob worked 7 years for the hand of Rachel. The article said: A dowry, sometimes called a bride price or bridewealth, was a payment made by a man as a gift to the family of a woman he desired to be his wife. In Genesis 29, Jacob loved Rachel and offered to work seven years for her father, Laban, in exchange for her hand in marriage. This is one example of the ancient convention of the dowry.
In Jacob’s day, giving a dowry for Rachel was the expected cultural practice. Arranging to work off a dowry was an accepted practice as well. One scholar notes, "Regarding marriage generally, the Nuzi tablets provided that if a man worked over a period of time for the father of a girl whom he wished to marry, then he would have the right to take the girl as his wife” (Stuard A. West, “The Nuzi Tablets,” Bible and Spade 10:3–4, Summer–Autumn 1981, p. 70).”
[This brought to mind when elderly Abraham had his servant go to Rebekah’s brother’s house to obtain a wife for Isaac. This is the portion after they first talked to Rachel who was agreeable to this and then talked to her father, Laban.]
Genesis 24:51-53 says: “Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken. And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.”
[It made me think about how people were separated and didn’t have online dating to interview people to see if they had marriage potential. Marriages were most often arranged along family lines or within their community. They were supposed to marry others who held their same belief in God and not false gods.]
Exodus 21:20-21 says: “And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property.
[I cross referenced this with the NIV Bible and it did use the term “slave” synonymously with “servant” in the NKJV Bible. Some of the passages are a little easier for me to make a category determination, but this one is more difficult. I did a Google search on this passage and after prayerful consideration, I think this one by: Kyle Davison Bair explained it best for Exodus 21:20-21 and Exodus 21:26-27 which will follow this. Actually, it explains many more of the slavery issues that are being researched within this. Note: That since this is a lengthy text, but extremely outstanding, I did alter the spacing to take up less room in this research project. I added the underlining and highlighting for emphasis. Also, I took out the portion on appropriate respect to parents and two men fighting since that isn’t the focus of this research project. You can find this insightful commentary at:]
https://medium.com/koinonia/exodus-21-gods-view-of-slavery-and-civil-rights-f170f8fbe6ee
Let me blow your mind. Popular opinion says the Old Testament is backward, misogynistic, and abusive. Exodus 21 receives plenty of criticism, as it seems to condone slavery. Therefore, many seem to view the Bible as holding humanity back.They’re entirely wrong.
Exodus 21 is the world’s first civil rights document, establishing equal rights and full dignity to all. Let’s explore how remarkably modern this 4000-year-old document is.
When you hire a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. (Exodus 21:1–2, ESV) This law reminds every wealthy person: if you “buy” a worker, they’re a temporary hire.This system allowed a person in poverty to receive six years of guaranteed full-time employment. Their employers fed them well, sheltered them, clothed them, and looked after them. Then, after getting back on their feet, they went free. No one had to sell themselves into slavery or prostitution to survive. At their lowest, they could still find work from their fellow citizens. Can you see the foundation of love God is beginning to build?
If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. (Exodus 21:3, ESV) The “master” can’t split up families. They’re not his property. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his servant forever. (Exodus 21:4–6, ESV) At first, this may seem harsh. Why do the women and children stay behind? The reason is simple: the master can provide for them, but the newly-released servant may not be able to. If he earns or saves enough, it’s a simple matter to redeem his family and bring them into his own house. But until he has the money to redeem his family, they remain with the master who is providing for them. This law protects the wife and children from poverty. Notice also: the only way a person ever becomes a permanent servant is by their own choice.This inverts the power dynamics. The servant alone possesses the power to decide where they go. The master does not. This law preserves each individual’s right to lead their own life. No one can force you into servitude.
Read this next one from the back to the front:
When a man sells his daughter as a servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do. If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. (Exodus 21:7–8, ESV) A man has no right to sell a woman. She’s not his property. But if that’s the case, then why is she being sold by her father?The answer is simple: marriage. She’s not being “sold” as property. Her father is receiving the dowery for another man to marry his daughter. The next few verses make it clear: If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money. (Exodus 21:9–11, ESV) These laws grant women equal rights. No other ancient culture esteemed women so highly! No one can “buy” a woman and abuse her. If a woman enters your family in any capacity — as your wife, as your son’s wife, even as a servant — you must take good care of her. If you do not, she is free to leave you.This law prevents abuse. Any man who abused his wife lost his wife. Other ancient cultures gave men the power to terrorize their wives. Israel alone protected women, granting them instant freedom from abusive men. God protects His daughters.
“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.” (Exodus 21:16, ESV) This is the Bible’s clearest condemnation of slavery. Anyone who steals a person and tries to make them a slave is to be killed. Anyone who buys a slave is to be killed. Humans are not possessions. Anyone who tried to capture, enslave, and sell another human forfeited their own life.
“If a man strikes his male servant or his female servant with a staff so that he or she dies as a result of the blow, he will surely be punished.” (Exodus 21:20, NET).
This command again abolishes slavery and its abuses. No one is allowed to beat another to death. If someone works for you, they are not your property. They are humans, like you. In nearly every other ancient civilization, elites had all the power. A master could do whatever they desired to a slave. Except in Israel.
God explicitly prevents abuse. Every human deserves life and dignity — both the servant and their boss. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money. (Exodus 21:21–21, ESV) This one sounds horrid. It’s entirely the fault of a bad translation. The word for “survives” — ya’a’mod — literally means “to get up, to stand on two feet.” It depicts a full recovery — the servant is no longer suffering their injury but is back on their feet.
If you place this understanding in the sentence above, it changes the entire meaning. Or better said: it recovers the original meaning. You end up with this:
“But if the servant recovers within a day or two, then the master shall not be punished.” (Exodus 21:21, author’s translation). In other words: the only way the master avoids being punished is when the wound is so slight that the servant fully recovers after a day or two. I’ve stubbed my toe and it hasn’t recovered for half a week. This threshold is incredibly small, emphasizing the point: you do not beat your servants or you will be punished.
But then we have the last phrase of the verse: “for the slave is his money.” (Exodus 21:21–21, ESV)To be clear: the word for “slave” in these two verses should be translated “servant.” It never conveys what we think of in English by the term “slave.” It refers to a hired worker, someone who works for an employer, but retains their individual rights, liberty, power, and freedom. This chapter makes that abundantly clear. Any abuse of a person, or any attempted ownership of a person, is met with severe punishment. Then comes the kill-shot. By calling the servant “his money,” the law reminds the master that he is hurting himself.
This law is honest about human nature: owners might view employees based on the money they can generate, rather than seeing them as individuals. So the law addresses owners where it hurts: if you abuse your workers and they can’t work for you, you’re wounding yourself as well as them. While they’re losing health, you’re losing money. Thus, even if you’re a cold-hearted owner who only cares about profits, that should still motivate you to treat your workers as well as possible.
“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:22–25, ESV) God cares about every individual. He protects those who were mostly ignored by other law codes. To God, every single life matters.
In this case, God gives pregnant women and their unborn babies every protection by law. If a woman is wounded and goes into labor early, but the baby is born healthy, those who harmed her are still punished. God esteems women highly for their own right. Women are not property, nor are they mere breeding machines.
Women possess the same rights to personal dignity as men. If a woman is wounded, the man who wounds her is punished, even if there is no collateral damage to the baby. Yet if there is harm done to the child, then those who wounded the mother and baby will pay as though they wounded a full-grown male — eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Thus the Law treats everyone in the same class. There are no inferiors — not women, not even unborn babies. All are equal.
In most societies, those with power abuse those under them as a means of control or a perverted form of pleasure. Laws typically protect the rights of the privileged to abuse their lessers. God won’t tolerate such atrocity. Any victim of abuse instantly received power. Any abused servant instantly received freedom from their abuser. They never had to work in that toxic environment again.
Any abused wife instantly received freedom from her abuser. She never had to subject herself to a toxic home again. God designed the only law system where abuse destroyed the abuser — not the victim.
[The commentary above relates to this passage, as well.] Exodus 21:26-27 says: “If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye. And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth. 21:32 goes on to say: “If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.”
[Again, I cross referenced this passage with the NIV Bible to see if they used “slave” where it says “servant” in the NKJV Bible and they did. The commentary above this by Kyle Davison Bair is really worth the time it takes to read it. It clarifies so many aspects of concern related to slavery during this period. I was truly enlightened by his commentary!]
[After reading this commentary multiple times and prayerfully analyzing it in relation to Exodus 21:20-21, Exodus 21:26-27, and the rest of Exodus Chapter 21, I’ve determined that these all fall into the “Indentured Servitude” Category. Does this mean that God and the Bible support the use of slavery? If you think so, it would be advisable for you to reread the commentary by Kyle Davison Bair, because he states explicitly and cites evidence that God was protecting those in “Indentured Servitude,” from abuse and the oppression of slavery.]
Exodus 21:32 says: “If an ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.” [When cross referenced with the NIV Bible, it said a male or female slave, so they did use the terms synonymously in the two Bibles. In my opinion, it belongs in the “Indentured Servitude,” especially because this falls within Exodus Chapter 21 which explains the regulations“Indentured Servitude”]
Exodus 22:25-27 says: “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, you shall not charge him interest. If you ever take your neighbor's garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to me, I will hear, for I am gracious.
[This is further evidence of the Lord God being gracious and wanting the poor to be treated with respect.]
Exodus 23:12 says: “Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.” [I cross referenced this verse with the NIV Bible which says: “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may rest.” [Although they used slave and servant synonymously, although worded somewhat differently, this verse falls in the “Indentured Servitude” Category. The part that interests me is the portion I highlighted in light blue that shows that God and the Bible do not support slavery, and wanted both those in “Indentured Servitude,” those born in the house of the owner, and those who were strangers to all have a Sabbath rest to be refreshed. Those who try to make Bible and the Lord God look like He supports the use of slavery, haven’t read passages like these that show His genuine concern for their well-being.]
Leviticus 25:35-43 says: ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. You shall not lend him your money for usury [interest], nor lend him your food at a profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God. And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. As a hired servant and a sojourner he shall be with you, and shall serve you until the Year of Jubilee. And then he shall depart from you-he and his children with him- and shall return to his own family. He shall return to the possession of his fathers. For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule over him with rigor, but you shall fear your God.’
[To do this research topic justice, I have to chunk it to analyze portions, as needed. According to this, “Indentured Servitude,” appears to be when Israelites/Hebrews are poor, need to buy food, pay their bills, or owe a debt they can’t pay off, or to make restitution for a crime and sell themselves into “Indentured Servitude,”, although they don’t call it that. The second section in this passage that is highlighted in orange says they are not to be “sold as slaves” still needs further research to see if it falls in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like during Plantation times in the United States or in some other category. This will be addressed when I determine this, at a later point.]
[After more analysis and prayerful contemplation, it could fall in the “Not to Be/Become a Slave” Category, but I primarily feel that it belongs in the “Indentured Servitude” Category, because Leviticus 25:39 says: And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. This is the basis of what “Indentured Servitude” is. Does this provide evidence that God and the Bible support the use of slavery? Not in the least! Leviticus 25:38-39 says: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God. And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. The Lord God makes it abundantly clear that He does not want them to be slaves!]
Leviticus 25:44-55 says: ‘And as for your male and female slaves who you may have- from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. Moreover you may buy the children of the strangers who dwell among you, and their families who are with you, which they beget in your land; and they shall become your property. And you may take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them as a possession; they shall be your permanent slaves. But regarding your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with rigor. Now if the sojourner or stanger close to you becomes rich, and one of your brethren who dwells by him becomes poor, and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner close to you, or to a member of the stranger’s family, after he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him; or his uncle or his uncle’s son may redeem him; or anyone who is near of kin to him in his family may redeem him; or if he is able he may redeem himself. Thus he shall reckon with him who bought him: The price of his release shall be according to the number of years, from the year that he was sold to him until the Year of Jubilee; it shall be according to the time of a hired servant for him. If there are still many years remaining, according to them [number of years] he shall repay the price of his redemption from the money with which he was bought. And if there remain but a few years until the Year of Jubilee, then he shall reckon with him, and according to his years he shall repay him the price of his redemption. He shall be with him as a yearly hired servant, and he shall not rule with rigor over him in your sight. And if he is not redeemed in these years, then he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee- he and his children with him. For the children of Israel are servants to Me; they are My servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.
[I may also have to evaluate this in chunks as I research some more. First, they can buy male and female slaves from the nations around them, but not of the Israelites/Hebrews, although they can buy them for a limited amount of time for “Indentured Servitude”. Second, they may buy the children of strangers who dwell among them or from the families who are with them. Those they buy will be considered their property as permanent slaves that they can give as an inheritance to their children. Third, the children of Israel, their brethren, shall not be ruled with rigor. Note: in both of these underlined situations, the word children doesn’t necessarily mean little children. The children of Israel generally means all those who are offspring of those who left Egypt and went to or are going to the Promised Land. This term is quite often used throughout the Bible.]
[Next, it says that if one of their brethren, which means a Hebrew relative, becomes poor and sells himself to a rich stranger or sojourner to buy food, pay his bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime, a relative can redeem him by paying off what is still owed The amount depends on the number of years since he was sold and the length of time until Jubilee. The amount of money is calculated according to what would have been paid to a hired servant for that period of time.]
[The section of the passage with the marigold colored highlighting is less clear to me. I think it is saying that if a poor Hebrew sells himself to buy food, pay his bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime and a relative redeems him from the person he originally sold himself to, that redeemed Hebrew poor person should work like a hired servant to repay the relative for the expense of redeeming him, related to the length of time until Jubilee. Also, the Hebrew relative that has redeemed him is not to work him with rigor. Again, this all falls under the “Indentured Servitude” Category and it in no way gives credence to the idea that God and the Bible support the use of slavery. In fact, God goes to great detail in explaining to Moses the ways that a person can be redeemed more quickly from “Indentured Servitude” and the expectation that they would not be worked with rigor.]
[In my opinion, God wanted those who sold themselves into “Indentured Servitude” to buy food, pay his bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime to be with other Israelites/Hebrews. After reading this several times, I realized it was significant that God informed them that Israelite/Hebrew brethren could redeem their poor relatives from the stranger or sojourner earlier, because another Israelite/Hebrew would be more apt to abide by the rules the Lord God set down for proper treatment of those who entered into “Indentured Servitude”.]
Leviticus 26:13 says: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.”
[The Lord God refers to the period when they were a “Slave in Egypt”, but I think the point of this passage is that He is warning them “Not to Be/Become a Slave” and it falls into the “Not to Be/Become a Slave” Category. This Bible verse does an outstanding job of the Lord God making His own case that He does not support the use of slavery, to the point that He went to great lenths for them to be freed and that He broke the bands of their oppressive slavery to the Egyptians, so that they could walk upright in honor.]
[I will keep a running list of some of the Bible passages of potential concern, that turned out to not be relevant in this Biblical Research Project on Slavery. I originally noted these passages in my research in order to double check them both in the NKJV and the NIV Bibles to see if the term “servant” and “slaves'' are used synonymously. When I researched the words listed here, I found that both Bibles used the term “servant” in these passages or they weren’t used within the context of the“Traditional Term of Slavery” like during the Plantation period in the United States.
Genesis 12:16, 17:12-13, 20:17, 24:5, 24:9-10, 24:34-35, 24:52-53, 24:59, 24;61, 24:65-66, 26:14-15, 26:19, 26:25, 26:32, 27:37, 30:43, 32:4-5, 32:16, 32:22, 41:10, 41:12
Exodus 5:15-16, 10:1, 10:6, 11:3, 20:17
Numbers 22:22, 31:49, 32:4-5
Deuteronomy 15:16-18
Joshua 9:8, 9:9, 9:11, 9:24
Judges 3:24, 6:27, 19:3, 19:9, 19:11, 19:19
Ruth 2:6
1 Samuel 2:13, 2:15, 4:9, 8:14-16, 9:3, 9:5-8, 9:10, 9:22, 9:27, 10:14, 16:15-16, 16:18, 17:8, 18:24, 21:7, 21:11, 21:14, 22:8, 25:8, 25:10, 25:19, 25:40, 26:18-19, 27:12, 28:22, 29:10
2 Samuel 9:8-12, 11:13, 11:24,13:17-18, 13:35, 14:19, 14:30-31, 15:15, 15:34, 17:17, 18:29, 19:17, 19:37, 24:21
1 Kings 1:33, 5:6, 9:15, 9:27, 10:5, 12:7, 18:9, 18:12, 18:43, 19:3,19:21, 20:9, 20:40
2 Kings 1:13, 2:16, 4:12, 4:19, 4:24, 4:25, 4:38, 4:43, 5:6, 5:13, 5:17, 5:20, 5:23, 5:25, 6:3, 6:15, 8:4, 9:28, 10:5, 10:19, 18:26, 23:30
1 Chronicles 2:34, 2:35, 10:7, 12:8
2 Chronicles 2:8, 2:10, 2:15, 9:4, 9:21, 10:7, 32:16, 36:20
Ezra 2:55, 2:58, 4:11
Nehemiah 2:5, 7:57, 7:60, 11:3
Job 1:15-17, 19:16, 31:13
Psalms 135:9
Proverbs 17:2
Ecclesiastes 7:21
Isaiah 14:2, 24:2, 36:11, 49:25-26, 50:1
Jeremiah 2:14, 5:15, 35:15, 46:26
Matthew 8:6, 8:8-9, 8:13, 8:25, 13:28, 18:23, 18:28, 26:51, 26:69
Mark 14:47, 14:66, 14:69, 18:20
Luke 7:2-3, 7:7-8, 7:10, 12:34-38, 22:50, 22:56
John 2:5, 2:9, 4:51, 18:10, 18:18, 18:26
Acts 10:7, 16:17
Ephesians 6:5-9
Colossians 1:7, 4:7
Hebrews 3:5
Deuteronomy 15:7-9 says: “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the Lord against you, and it become sin among you.” 15:12-15 goes on to say: “If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed; you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. For what the Lord has blessed you with, you shall give to him. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today.
[I want to analyze this portion of the Deuteronomy 15, before proceeding with more passages from this significant chapter. First of all, the underlined portions of these passages clarify more about the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” and how they work six years to pay off the debt of money given to them when they initially sold themselves to other Hebrews/Israelites. In the seventh year they are released free of charge, and God suggests that the former owner/master doesn’t let them go away empty handed.]
[Second of all, the portion of the passage in Deuteronomy 15 that is highlighted in yellow further clarifies they fit in the “Slave in Egypt” Category. That is, because the term “slave” in these situations is referring to the Pharaoh after Joseph’s time in Egypt who chose to oppress the Israelites with rigor. The Lord God had Moses save them from this oppression and take them to the Promised Land. I may not list every example of “Slave in Egypt” within this Biblical Research Project on Slavery, unless I think it’s particularly significant in my analysis of this topic.]
Deuteronomy 15:16-18 says: “And if it happens that he [the Hebrew who has worked 6 years for his owner/master] says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise. It shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you; for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.”
[Just for your information, when I looked in both the NKJV and the NIV Bibles to see if the underlined terms for “servant” were synonymous with the term “slave” or not, they weren’t. Both Bibles use the term “servant” and I will most likely only note those cases in the future where both terms are used synonymously.]
[Next, this portion of the passage highlighted in orange talks about the “servant” loving the owner/master, since he prospers with you. This is significant, because it means that this is nothing like the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. In my opinion, from this research, the owner/master would have had to treat them well in order for the “servants” to say they love them and not want to leave. Additionally, they were allowed to prosper, which means they earned money through their work and got to keep it and/or they sold their produce, etc.]
[Furthermore, this highlighted section is noteworthy, in my opinion. And if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. When I was working on this research yesterday, Exodus 21:56 said the following: But if the [Hebrew] servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever. So, both of these, in my opinion indicate that piercing the ear of the “servant” who wants to stay with them forever was considered a positive situation, in that he chose to do this and that he was able to prosper during that time with the owner/master. If I find anything contrary to this, I will add it.]
Deuteronomy 23:15 God says: “You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you. He may dwell with you in your midst, in the place which he chooses within one of your gates, where it seems best to him; you shall not oppress him.”
[God does not sound like He supports the use of the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. In this passage, God is telling them to not return the escaped slave and to let him live wherever he wants within their gates without oppression. This statement implies to me that God is acknowledging that there must have been oppression in order for the slave to escape, risking his life. God definitely doesn't like anyone to be oppressed!]
[Condensed: Joshua 9:1-10 basically says, when the Israelites were on the other side of the Jordan River, the kings and leaders gathered together to fight Israel. When they heard how Joshua and God’s people walked around Jericho six days and on the seventh day they walked around seven times, blew the trumpet, shouted, and God had the walls of Jericho fall down and they destroyed the city. They weren’t to take anything except for the silver and gold which was to be consecrated to the house of the Lord. Hearing about how the Lord God led the Israelites’ in their battle with Jericho and Ai, these kings and leaders schemed a plot and put on old patched clothes and shoes and got old moldy bread and told Joshua they had come from a far country and they wanted to make a covenant [an agreement] with the Israelites. Joshua asked them where they came from.]
Joshua 9:9-11 the kings and leaders replied to Joshua: So they said to him: “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan- to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. “Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore make a covenant with us.”’
[Condensed: Joshua 9:12 -21 basically says: Joshua made a peace covenant [agreement] with them without asking counsel of the Lord God. After three days, when they found out that these deceitful kings and leaders were from neighboring countries instead of far away, the Israelites didn’t attack them, because they had sworn to the covenant by the Lord God of Israel. The Israelite congregation complained against the rulers, who explained why they couldn’t touch the deceitful kings and leaders of the nearby countries, because of the agreement they made in God’s name. Then the Israelite rulers decided to let the peoples of the deceitful kings and leaders live, but they would be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them.]
Joshua 9:22-27 says: Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell near us? Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves-woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.” So he [Joshua] did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, in the place which He would choose, even to this day.
[I’ve given lots of prayerful contemplation to this chapter, and it seems that since the Lord God doesn’t want the Israelites to oppress anyone, this does not seem to be the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. It seems more like “Indentured Servants/Servitude”, but they didn’t enter into an agreement for a specific amount of money to be worked off over a specific amount of time. Instead, because their lives have been spared for their deceit in arranging the peace covenant with the Israelites, they agreed to work for an indefinite amount of time providing the wood and the water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord. I have since changed the category to now be the Forced “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category based on my research of 1 Kings 9:20-22.]
[Although I can’t know for sure, I would assume that not all the people of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites were all slaves, all doing this at the same time. First of all, there wouldn’t be enough room to house all those people in their community. Second of all, it wouldn’t take thousands upon thousands of people to bring the water and wood for the congregation and the altar of the Lord. My best guess is that they had a rotation of crews from the different deceitful countries assigned to bring the water and wood throughout the time. With that said, the vast majority of the people from those deceitful countries had their regular routines most of the time, except for when it was their turn to help bring the water and the wood for the Israelites. Additionally, since God doesn’t like the oppression of anyone, I would assume that those who brought the water and the wood were treated with respect.]
Judges 9:16-19 says: “Now therefore, If you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as he deserves- “for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother- if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.”
[When I cross referenced this passage in the NIV Bible, it is basically the same, except that it says the female slave instead of female servant. So both these versions of the Bible did use servant and slave synonymously, although they don’t always.]
[So, does this mean that God through the Bible supports the use of slavery? Most definitely not. Remember in Genesis 20:11 says: And Abraham said, “Because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. ? This is when Abimelech had taken Abraham’s wife and God wouldn’t allow king Abimelech’s wives and female slaves to bear children until he returned Abraham’s wife, Sarah. It sounds like it was that king Abimelech's son who was made the king in this passage, because it says in Judges 9:18: ... but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother- ]
[Since during Abraham’s time, king Abimelech did not fear the Lord God and had slaves, it is to be assumed that this king Abimelech who became king by his brother having seventy of his brothers killed, didn’t fear the Lord God either. Otherwise he would have respected God’s only allowing “Indentured Servants/Servitude” by those who chose to enter this to receive money in order to buy food, pay bills, or pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime, and they were not to be oppressed or worked with rigor.]
[It is this researcher’s opinion that this falls in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like in the Plantation period in the United States. Since slavery in non-God fearing countries was common during this period, as recorded in the Bible, although the kings of those countries chose or allowed oppressive slavery, not God.]
1 Samuel 8:17 says: “He [Saul] will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. [That was from the NKJV Bible, but I cross-checked it with the NIV Bible, because I determined that it warranted more research. It did read: you yourselves will become his [Saul’s] slaves. This is a tricky one to analyze. At the time that Samuel warned them what a mistake the Israelites were making for asking for a king to govern them like the neighboring countries, they weren’t actually slaves. They were just warned that they would become his slaves. Does this mean that God and the Bible support the use of slavery? Of course not! God went to great lengths for Samuel to warn the Israelites so that they didn’t choose Samuel as their king and that would lead to them becoming slaves, but they didn’t listen. Note: At first, Samuel followed the Lord/God, but started deviating from following the Lord. Since this passage relates to Israelites and Hebrews/Jews, my best assumption would be that it falls within the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category.]
1 Samuel 30:13 says: Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick.
[Cross referencing this passage in the NIV Bible, they did use servant and slave synonymously. Again, the Bible works as a record of events during particular periods of time mentioned, but this was the slave of an Amalekite in Egypt. Those rulers commonly used the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. As already explained, the Lord God did not approve of oppressive slavery or working people with rigor and went to great lengths to have Moses free those oppressed by the Egyptian Pharaoh.]
1 Kings 2:8-9 King David said this to Solomon before he died: “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan [River], and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.” 2:36-41 goes on to say: The king [Solomon] sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; your blood should be on your own head.” And Sheimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath!” So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back.
[The rest of the passage doesn’t really pertain to this Biblical Research Project on Slavery. The term “slave” is used four times within the same passage. When you look at the totals number of times the term “slave” or “slavery” are used in the Bible, remember they are not all individual incidents of the terms “slave” or “slavery,” as in this situation.]
[In my opinion, the the term “slave” in this passage refers to the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. Does this mean, based on this passage, that God or the Bible support the use of “slavery”? Remember that in Deuteronomy 23:15 God says: “You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you. He may dwell with you in your midst, in the place which he chooses within one of your gates, where it seems best to him; you shall not oppress him.” Again, God did not want any slave to return to an oppressive situation of “slavery”, noted by the risk they took to escape. Since God feels that way, He does not support the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States.]
1 Kings 9:20-22 says: All of the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel- that is, their descendants who were left in the land after them, whom the children of Israel had not been able to destroy completely- from these Solomon raised forced labor, as it is to this day. But of the children of Israel Solomon made no forced laborers, because they were men of war and his servants: his officers, his captains, commanders of his chariots, and his cavalry.
[As stated earlier, I cross reference some instances the term “servant” is used in the KJKV to see if the NIV Bible says “servant” or “slave”. This is done to determine if the terms were used synonymously in a passage of concern, which isn’t always the case.]
From BibleGateway.com NIV version of: 1 Kings 9:20-22 says: There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites). Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate —to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day. But Solomon did not make slaves of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers.
[In trying to analyze these side by side, I needed to find out what conscripted meant in the orange highlighted portion of the NIV version. According to https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conscript Definition of conscript: enrolled into service by compulsion : DRAFTED. After reading 30-40 different interpretations on the internet of what 1Kings 9:20-22 means, I prayerfully selected the following interpretation of this passage which just focuses verse 21 of 1 Kings 9. This verse that speaks of slavery can be found on https://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_kings/9-21.htm
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Their children that were left after them in the land,.... The posterity of those left unsubdued in the times of Joshua:
whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy; in later times, though now it is thought by some it was not for want of power, but because they had made a covenant with them, as the Gibeonites did, and therefore they could not, because it would have been a breach of covenant to have destroyed them; see 2 Chronicles 8:8,
upon these did Solomon levy a tribute of bond service unto this day; not a tribute of money, which being poor they were not able to pay, but of service, and which being once laid on was continued, and even to the time of the writing of this book.
[I highlighted this commentary in yellow, because it specifically pertains to the yellow part in the NKJV and the NIV Bibles related to 1 Kings 9:21 which mentions slavery. After lots of prayerful contemplation, this appears to be what I would now call the Forced “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category. Additionally, 2 Chronicles 8:7-9 below tells about this same passage and it would have also fallen under theForced “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category, because it’s almost identical.]
2 Kings 4:1- A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”
[She is asking Elisha to help her so that her sons don’t become slaves to the creditor, because they can’t pay their debt. Technically, they never became slaves, but if they had, it would have been in the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category when a poor Israelite chose to enter this arrangement for a particular amount of money, for a particular period of time, because they needed to be able to buy food, pay their bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime. Again, it didn’t fall into that category, because Elisha told her to borrow lots of containers and fill them with oil and sell them to pay her debt, so that her sons were safe from the creditor. Does that indicate that God through the Bible supports the use of slavery? No, it was the Lord God through His prophet Elisha that allowed an unending amount of oil, so that this widow and her sons had enough to pay their debt and enough to provide food, etc. for themselves.]
2 Kings 5:25-26 says: Then he [Gehazi] went and stood before his master [Elijah]. Elijah said to him , “Where did you go, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” Then he [Elijah] said to him [Gehazi], “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?”
[As usual, I cross referenced this with the NIV Bible. The first servant highlighted in orange is speaking about Elijah’s servant, Gehazi, and he is listed as a servant in both the NKJV and the NIV Bibles.]
[The second servant highlighted in yellow is referred to as a female slave in the NIV Bible, so both terms were used synonymously, although they aren’t always. Does this mean that God condoned the use of slavery? No, but some clarification will help you better understand. Naaman had leprosy and he was the army commander for the king of Syria who sent him to see Elijah, because he [the king] had heard Elijah might be able to heal him.]
[Although this doesn’t all pertain to the research topic, 2 Kings 5:1-27 condensed basically says: Elijah, the prophet of the Lord God, had his messenger, Gehazi, tell Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River seven times and his flesh would be restored. Naaman got angry and was going to leave, because he figured the rivers near him were better than those in Israel. One of his servants reminded Naaman that he would have done something much more complicated if Elijah had asked him, so why not try washing in the Jordan River seven times, so he did and was healed of his leprosy. Naaman then realized there was no God in all the earth except for the God in Israel and said he would no longer sacrifice to false gods, but only to the Lord God. Being thankful he offered Elijah a gift, but Elijah said it wasn’t necessary. Gehazi, Elijah’s servant, got to thinking and ran back after Naaman and deceitfully told Naaman that Elijah changed his mind and wanted two garments and a talent of silver for two visiting men from the mountains of Ephraim. Naaman, being grateful, gave deceitful Gehazi even more than he requested. The passage above in blue is saying that it was on Elijah’s heart when Gehazi had deceitfully asked Naaman for things on Elijah’s behalf, so Gehazi’s consequence for these lies was to have the leprosy of Naaman.]
[Now that you understand the back story, Naaman was under the king of Syria where they worshipped false gods. So, it is highly possible that the female slave he offered deceitful Gehazi, would probably fall in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category, like in the Plantation period in the United States. This is determined, because the majority of pagan countries had oppressive slavery, but God didn’t allow the Israelites to have slavery, only “Indentured Servants/Servitude” when the poor Israelite chose to enter this arrangement for a particular amount of money, for a particular period of time, because they needed to be able to buy food, pay their bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime. Those in “Indentured Servants/Servitude” were not to be oppressed or worked with rigor. ]
2 Chronicles 8:7-9 says: All the people who were left of the Hittities, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of Israel- that is, their descendants who were left in the land after them, whom the children of Israel did not destroy-from these Solomon raised forced labor, as it is to this day.
[See the analysis above.]
2 Chronicles 28:8-11 says: And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters; and they also took away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them: “Look, because the Lord God of your fathers was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand; but you have killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. And now you propose to force the children of Judah and Jerusalem to be your male and female slaves; but are you not also guilty before the Lord your God? Now hear me, therefore, and return the captives, whom you have taken captive from your brethren, for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.
[Condensed: 2 Chronicles 28:12-15 basically says: The heads of some of the tribes of Israel stood up against those who came back from war telling them they have already offended the Lord and don’t want to do anything else to offend Him. So, the armed men left the captives and the spoils before the leaders .There were men designated who took the captives, and from the spoils they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, food and drink and anointed them. They let all the feeble ones ride donkeys back to Jericho and then, they returned to Samaria.]
[God was so upset with them for trying to make them slaves, that He sent Oded, His prophet to the men of war to tell them to return the captives, which they reluctantly did. It was the Lord God who gave Oded the backbone and integrity to stand up against those, so that they did right by the Lord God and the returned people. That doesn’t sound like God approved of them making the captives slaves!]
Ezra 2:64-65 says: The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their male and female servants of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred men and women singers.
[I cross referenced this in the NIV Bible and they had the term “slaves” instead of the term “servants”, so they were used synonymously within the two Bibles, although they don’t always do that. First of all, I had to get some background information about what is happening in this passage.]
Ezra 2:1 says: Now these are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his own city.
[Basically, I can make a determination based on a few facts. Since they are returning to Jerusalem and Judah, the 7,337 servants/slaves with them would have initially entered into “Indentured Servants/Servitude” for an agreed amount of money for a certain period of time for them to buy food, pay bills, or to pay off a debt, or to make restitution for a crime, since the Lord God does not condone oppressive slavery. This is very apparent in the following Bible passage when God has Isaiah prophesy what will happen when the Israelites have been released from captivity in Babylon.]
Isaiah 14:2-7 says: Then people [Israelites] will take them [Babylonians] and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them [Babylonians] captive whose captives they were, and rule over the oppressors. It shall come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve, that you will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased, the golden city [Babylon] has ceased! The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, The scepter of the rulers; He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he who ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and no one hinders. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing.
[The part that is trickier to determine is the category of the Israelites during the period of time they were in captivity in Babylon, a country that worshiped pagan gods and idols. Pagan countries generally used slavery that fell into the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category, like in the Plantation period in the United States. Does that mean that God supported the use of slavery? No, it means that the kings and people of pagan countries, or of any country for that matter, make up their own minds and make their own choices. God allows all people the ability to choose to do right or to do otherwise. Primarily those in pagan countries chose to have oppressive slavery.]
[In that these people were returned to Jerusalem and Judah, that would most likely indicate that the servant/slaves either remained in “Indentured Servants/Servitude” or were freed according to the year of Jubilee, as per the time limits of the Lord’s Command for “Indentured Servants/Servitude”.]
[Additional note: I cross referenced Nehemiah 7:65 which also used the terms “servants” and “slaves” synonymously in the two Bibles. When I read further, it was talking about the exact same period of time when the captives were being returned from Babylon. In the NIV Bible, Nehemiah 7:65 says: ... besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; they also had 245 male and female singers. This is basically speaking of the same amount of slaves returning from the same place at the exact same time. So, the analysis would be identical, although it should not be counted as another time the term “slave” is used in the Bible, since it’s all the same event. Side note: Although both books of the Bible listed the exact same number of returning slaves or those in “Indentured Servants/Servitude”, it did list a different number of singers, which is just a minor transcription error, since everything else is the same.]
[On the other hand, the Lord allowed them to be taken captive, as well as those under other kings, but why? I have done extensive research on this topic and will include the links to it below. Here’s the short version of it: The Israelites were led astray to worshiping idols, false gods, and doing wicked things like having their children walk through fire or sacrificing them to their false gods in rituals. Then, God often used prophets to warn the people of their poor choices, so they could rethink their actions and return to the Lord God. Regardless, God had already shared the 10 Commandments, with His statutes to not worship idols/false gods, as well. The thing is, God gives us choices. We can choose to follow Him and His statutes, but when we don’t, there are consequences. The consequences are there to motivate the leaders and people to turn from their wicked ways and turn back to worshiping the Lord God.]
[The Lord God most often explains what He expects/wants, and has prophets who will do this for Him, but there is always the alternative for those who continue to choose to worship idols, live wickedly, and lead others astray. The thing that was amazing in doing this research, is that time and time again, the Israelites started worshiping the false gods of the neighboring countries that the Lord God had warned them about. Then, they would have the consequence for turning their backs on the Lord God. When this would happen, they would cry out to the Lord God, and He would welcome them with open arms again.]
[In this example, king Manasseh worshipped idols and was involved in witchcraft, sorcery, and sought soothsayers. He also had his sons pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom as a ritualistic practice to an idol, and even put an idol in the Lord’s temple. He wouldn’t listen when God had him warned and tried to get him to change his evil ways. So, God allowed him to be captured and tortured. Then Manasseh humbled himself and prayed to God and God gave him his request and Manasseh started worshipping th Lord God.]
2 Chronicles 33:1-3 says: Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 33:6-8 goes on to say: Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever/ and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers- only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.” 33:10-13 further says: And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his father, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty [request], heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. 33:15-18 yet says: He [Manasseh] took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem; and he cast them out of the city. He also repaired the altar of the Lord, sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Nevertheless the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the Lord their God. Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
[It would take up lots of space to totally cover the question about why God allowed people to have consequences for their actions, and it isn’t specifically related to this current research topic. I have done extensive research on this topic and if you would like to read more specific answers about this topic, you can click on any one of these links to research I’ve done on this.]
*Is it Inconsistent that God Sent Jesus Christ to Save Us, but Had Consequences for the Books of 1 & 2 Kings Where Some People Died? https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/05/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-jesus.html
*Is it Inconsistent that God Sent His Son, Jesus Christ to Save Us, but Had Consequences for Some in the Books of 1 & 2 Chronicles Where People Died? https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/05/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-his.html
*Is it Inconsistent that God Sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Save Us, but He had Consequences for Some in the Books of Ezra through Isaiah Where they Die? https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/05/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-his_0605845409.html
*Is It Inconsistent That God Sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Save Us, But Some in the Book of Jeremiah Had Consequences Where They Die? https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/05/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-his_0993182971.html
*Is it Inconsistent that God Sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Save Us, but He had Consequences for Some in the Books of Lamentations and Ezekiel Where they Die? https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/06/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-his.html
*Is It Inconsistent That God Sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Save Us, But Some in the Books of Daniel, Jonah, Micah, and Haggai Had Consequences Where They Die? https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/06/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-his_0698779826.html
*Is It Inconsistent That God Sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Save Us, But Some in the Books of Zechariah and Malachi Had Consequences Where They Die?
https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/06/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-his_0625852956.html
Ezra 9:8-9 says: “And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
[In my opinion, these Hebrew slaves in captivity might have experienced the “Traditional Term of Slavery” like in the Plantation period in the United States. Fortunately, they didn’t have to, because God did not forsake them in their bondage and extended mercy to them in the sight of the kings of Persia, to repair the house of God and to rebuild its ruins and give them a wall. If the Lord God protected them from oppressive slavery, it doesn’t sound at all like God supports oppressive slavery like what happened in the Plantation period in the United States.]
Nehemiah 5:1-5 says: And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.” There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.” There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. “Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”
[This passage talks about how they had to mortgage their land, vineyards, and houses to buy grain. Additionally, they have had to borrow money for the tax the king charges on their land and vineyards and some have had to force their children to be slaves and some of their daughters have been brought into slavery. It also talks about their not being able to redeem them, because other people have their land and vineyards. All these points support that this falls in the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category where these families have made an arrangement to get money to pay for food, bills, or a debt, or to make restitution for a crime they owe, by having their children and daughters become slaves with the right of redemption, although they appear to have no means to redeem them until the six years is over, although it doesn’t say that.]
[When I was editing this, it was difficult for me to just leave this passage here, so I looked it up to review it further to clarify if the Lord God saved them from this. The following passage clarifies this:]
Nehemiah 5:6-13 And I [Nehemiah] became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury [interest] from his brother [other Hebrews/Jews]” So I called a great assembly against them. And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.” So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise.
[I am so glad I went back and read this again. It is pretty significant, in my opinion, if you think about how just one person, Nehemiah, was able to make a significant change in the oppression and poverty that had befallen his fellow Hebrews/Jews to be in accordance with what God would want. So, although they this fell technically in the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category where these families have made an arrangement to get money to pay for food, bills, or a debt, or to make restitution for a crime they owe, it verged on being in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like in the Plantation period in the United States.]
[Additionally, God is the one who gave Nehemiah the confidence and integrity to challenge the nobles and rulers and tell them what they needed to be doing in order to be aligned with what God wants. In my opinion, I don’t think Christian authors draw enough attention to what one sole Christian, like Nehemiah, can do to change the plight of those oppressed!]
Esther 7:4 when Queen Esther tells King Ahasuerus what the wicked Haman has plotted against the Hebrews: “For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.”
[Technically, they weren’t sold like you traditionally hear of people being sold as slaves. This is different. Actually, Haman said he would pay money to have the Hebrews/Jews removed, so it has nothing to do with being sold into slavery, although his planning to annihilate a whole race is pretty terrible, in and of itself!]
Esther 3:8 says: Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
[Esther has two banquets for her husband, who is king, and Haman. At the second banquet, she tells her husband, the king, what the wicked Haman has determined against her people, the Hebrews/Jews. King Ahasuerus has them hang the wicked Haman on the gallows Haman had constructed in order to kill Queen Esther’s uncle.]
[Do these passage have evidence that God through the Bible supports slavery? Quite on the contrary, although it really didn’t talk of slavery. The Lord God went to great lengths to have Esther become the Queen and for her uncle Mordecai to warn her that the wicked Haman had planned to annihilate the Hebrews/Jews, so his plans could be thwarted. The Lord God had King Ahasuerus receptive to the information that Queen Esther shared with him and he rescinded the decree to annihilate the Hebrews/Jews throughout the land that Haman had him initially sign. In fact, King Ahasuerus even gave Mordecai a position of honor and he became a prominent person in King Ahasuerus’ kingdom.]
Job 41:4 says: Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever?
[When I cross referenced this in the NIV Bible, it said … would you take it as your slave for life? So both Bibles used the term “servant” and the term “slave” synonymously, but they don’t always. When I researched this further, I found it especially interesting. This is when the Lord God is saying this to Job and his so-called friends who taunted Job as he suffered with sores all over his body and it isn’t talking about a servant or a slave. God is talking about the Leviathan, so God is using this as an Example/Analogy” which was used 23 times through the Bible plus this one.]
Ecclesiastes 2:7 says: I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possession of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. When I cross referenced Ecclesiastes in the NIV Bible it said: Ecclesiastes 2:7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
[Again, both these Bibles used the term “servant” and “slave'' synonymously, but is it even significant? In my opinion, this time it is, although the vast majority of the passages I have researched haven’t been. The reason I know this is because I remember that Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, was king when Solomon passed away.]
1 Kings 12:2-5: So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt), that they sent and called him [Jeroboam]. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” So he [Rehoboam] said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed.
[I’m condensing 1 Kings 12:6-15 which basically says: Rehoboam talks to the elders to get their advice on this matter and they tell him that if he says kind words to these people and serves them, they will be his servants forever. Then, Rehoboam asks his friend’s opinion on this matter. They tell Rehoboam that he should tell his people that if they think his father’s yoke was heavy, wait until they see what he does. “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.” Although it was bad advice, that is what Rehoboam told the Israelites. Additionally, Rehoboam told them that his father chastised them with whips, and he will chastise them with scourges, which are several small cords to inflict pain, as per Biblehub.com found at https://biblehub.com/topical/s/scourge.htm
[Israel rebelled at Rehoboam’s less than supportive reply.]
1 Kings 12:16-19 says: Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!” So Israel departed to their tents. Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah. Then Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of the revenue; but all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
[So, technically, Solomon’s servants were in the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category where these families have made an arrangement to get money to pay for food, bills, or a debt they owe, or to make restitution for a crime, but it verged on being in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like in the Plantation period in the United States. Additionally, I think that if Israel had not revolted and then asked Jeroboam to be their king, Rehoboam’s reign would have fallen into the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like in the Plantation period in the United States. I base this on his response when they asked him to lighten their yoke. But as this explains, they didn’t stick around to see what would happen.]
Ecclesiastes 10:6-7 says: Folly is set in great dignity, while the rich sit in a lowly place. I have seen servants on horses while princes walk on the ground like servants.
[When I cross referenced this in the NIV Bible, it used the term “slaves”, so both Bibles used the terms “servants” and “slaves” synonymously in this instance, but not in all of them. As just covered, in my opinion, Solomon’s servants fell into the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category where these families have made an arrangement to get money to pay for food, bills, or a debt they owe, or to make restitution for a crime, but at times, it verged on being in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like in the Plantation period in the United States, although it technically wasn’t.]
[Does that mean that the Lord God supports the use of slavery, in that Solomon and his son were on the verge of working their servant/slaves with rigor? No. Actually, Solomon followed the Lord’s commands and statutes in the beginning, but the passage below shows that changed.]
1 Kings 11:4-8 says: For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
[Solomon most likely treated his servants/slaves less rigorously and more respectfully when he was following the Lord God and His statutes. Solomon was led astray and took on the rituals and abominations of many pagan countries. That doesn’t indicate that the Lord God was supportive of all Solomon did as you will see in the next passage.]
1 Kings 11:9-11 says: So, the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him [Solomon] concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.
[So, the Lord God did not agree with Solomon’s actions, but the Lord God gives everyone the opportunity to make choices, and Solomon chose to worship false gods and take on pagan beliefs and actions. That is why they chose Jeroboam to be king instead of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam.]
1 Kings 12:20 says: Now it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they sent for him and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel There was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.]
Jeremiah 2:14 says: “Is Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he plundered?
[This was so much easier. I spent 2-3 hours prayerfully contemplating 30-40 interpretations on the internet about 1 Kings 9:20-22. I put this in a Google search and looked at a couple sites and the first one on BibleHub.com was aligned with the needed information. Yeah! You can find it at: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/jeremiah/2-14.htm
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(14) Is Israel a servant?—The word “servant,” we must remember, had become, through its frequent use in Isaiah (Isaiah 20:3; Isaiah 41:8, et al.), a word not of shame, but honour; and of all servants, he who was born in the house—as in the case of Eleazar (Genesis 15:3)—occupied the most honourable place, nearest to a son. The point of the question is accordingly not “Is Israel become a slave,” kidnapped, as it were, and spoiled, but rather this: “Is Israel the servant of Jehovah, as one born in His house? Why, then, is he treated as one with no master to protect him?”
[I would consider this falls into the “Slave/Slavery used as an Example/Analogy” Category. This category was used 23 times in the Bible plus this second time, although I don’t list all the examples of it. I primarily list only the verses that I research further to see if they might possibly fall into the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like in the Plantation period in the United States.]
Jeremiah 34:6-22 says: Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, when the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and Azekah; for only these fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah. This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them: that every man should set free his male and female slave- a Hebrew man or woman- that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage. Now when all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves; that no one should keep them in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves. Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, At the end of seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who has been sold to him, and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you.’ But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight-every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom he had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.” Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord - ‘to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it- the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf- I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth. And I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army which has gone back from you. ‘Behold, I will command,’ says the Lord,’ and cause them to return to this city They will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.”’
[In the portion that is highlighted in orange, King Zedekiah was warned by Jeremiah, God’s prophet, that he was to set free those Hebrew/Jewish males that they had taken as slaves. The portion highlighted in light purple tells how they changed their mind after letting the Hebrew/Jewish slaves go free and took them back into subjection as their slaves again. The portion highlighted in olive is where the Lord has them reminded how He saved them from the house of bondage in Egypt and they made a covenant with God that they would free the Hebrew/Jewish slaves after seven years of going into “Indentured Servitude”, although it doesn’t call it that.]
[In the turquoise highlighted portion of the initial passage, God lets the king know through Jeremiah, that because they chose to take back the Hebrew/Jewish slaves they had had originally set free at God’s request, but still brought them back into slavery, warrants an extremely serious consequence. The peach highlighted section starts to elaborate on the consequences of: sword, pestilence, famine, and trouble among the kingdoms of the earth. Those who made this covenant with God by walking between the calf will be turned over to their enemies who seek their lives. King Zedekiah and his princes were going to be turned over to the king of Babylon’s army and Judah will be burned and desolate due to them going against God and taking those Hebrew/Jews back as slaves when God had them warned against it. This serious consequence for enslaving people against God’s will, doesn’t let me think that God supports slavery, but only “Indentured Servants/Servitude” for buying food, paying bills or a debt , or to make restitution for a crime, and being released after the set amount of time and they were not to be worked with rigor.]
Lamentations 5:7-8 says: Our fathers sinned and are no more But we bear their iniquities. Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand.
[When I cross referenced this in the NIV Bible, it said slaves rule over us. Again, both Bibles used the term “servant” and the term “slave” synonymously, but that is not always the case. I thought it was beneficial to get something that gives us some background to make a determination of this category. I found this commentary on BibleHub.com at https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/lamentations/5.htm
Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
7. we have borne their iniquities] See on Jeremiah 31:29. The children, who, however, it must be acknowledged (see Lamentations 5:16) shared the guilt of preceding generations, have to bear the penalty escaped by their forebears.
Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.
8. Servants rule] The reference may be to cases where slaves actually rose to positions of authority. Cp. Tobiah in Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 2:19. Budde suggests that such persons may have seized upon property (cp. Habakkuk 1:6) and forced the Jews to earn their bread under them as day-labourers.
[After reading this commentary, this isn’t so much talking about servants/slaves as it is saying that they were the ones left in charge. I would assume they would have fallen in the “Indentured Servitude” Category prior to this, but they are in charge now, even though the situation is very bleak.]
Mark 18:20 says: And immediately He [Jesus] called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.
[I cross referenced this with the NIV to see if “servants” and “slave'' were used synonymously in this verse, but they weren’t. The NIV Bible called them “hired men.”]
John 8:34 says: Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” [Within the New Testament, the vast majority of the references to slave or slavery is related to being a slave of sin, which is not the same thing as slavery or the “Traditional Term of Slavery” This falls in the “A Slave to Sin” Category which occurs four times in the Bible including this one.]
Acts 16:16-19 says: Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone [now that she could no longer do her fortune-telling since she no longer had the evil spirit within her], they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
[In analyzing this passage, I think it’s an example of the “Traditional Term of Slavery”. I base that on several things. One, these men were making a profit off of the slave girl’s fortune telling and were angry when she could no longer earn money, after she was healed and lost the ability to do this. Additionally, she kept following the Apostle Paul and Silas over several days, so she must have wanted to be freed from doing this.]
[Now, does this mean that God through the Bible supports slavery? Most certainly not! If God supported slavery, do you think that He would have allowed Paul to heal the slave girl of the evil spirit, so that she was of no further use to her masters after that point? Of course not! God allowed the Apostle Paul to heal the slave girl, because God does not like oppression of any kind. Psalm 103:6 says: The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.]
Romans 6:14-16 says: For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?
[This is not talking about slaves in the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category. It falls into the “Example/Analogy” Category, because it is using the term “slave” to make a specific point. There are many such passages in the New Testament. Although I’ve checked them, I won’t list all of them. I will list a few that I feel are noteworthy to evaluate.]
Romans 6:18-19 says: And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
[In analyzing this passage, it is somewhat similar to the previous one and it, too, falls into the Example/Analogy Category. It is noteworthy, because it makes two polar opposite points with the term “slave”, where being a “slave to sin” is contrasted with being a “slave to righteousness”.]
1 Corinthians 7:22-23 says: For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
[Again, this falls into the “Example/Analogy” Category. In this case, it is making a point and is talking about being a slave of Christ, instead of to men.]
1 Corinthians 12:13 says: For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
[At first, I thought it fell into the “Example/Analogy” Category, because with the word “slaves'', it is implied ‘slaves to sin’. Then, after reading several somewhat similar passages, I created a “Term of Inclusion” Category. I will share several others, so you understand that it includes all those mentioned as included in the topic of the passage, sometimes in a negative way, but mostly in a positive way.]
Galatians 3:28 says: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Also, Colossians 3:11 says:... where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Although the passage above is an example of positive inclusion, this passage is an example of a negative inclusion: Revelation 13:16 says: He [the Beast/Satan/Devil] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.]
Galatians 4:1-7 says: Now I say that the heir as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son [Jesus Christ] into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
[There were a couple of different ways I could interpret this passage, but I still was uncertain, so I did a Google search. I found this on BibleRef.com at https://www.bibleref.com/Galatians/4/Galatians-chapter-4.html It is titled:
What Does Galations Chapter 4 mean?
In Galatians 4, Paul continues teaching an important lesson to the Galatian Christians. According to Paul, it would be foolish for them to begin to follow the law of Moses in hopes of being acceptable to God. In this passage, he takes three additional approaches.
His first argument has to do with a kind of servitude endured even by heirs of a wealthy man. Paul's illustration this time comes from the Greek culture of his day. A child might have been destined to inherit everything his father owned, but until the day of his inheritance came, he continued to live under the supervision of managers and guardians. He was not truly free.
In the same way, those under the law lived in a kind of servitude until Christ arrived on earth. We could not escape our own sinfulness, which the law revealed. Christ bought us out of that slavery by paying the price for our sins with His life. As a result, God adopts those who trust in Christ as His own full children. More than that, God sends His own Spirit to live in the hearts of these new sons and daughters (Galatians 4:1–7).
[Having read this, I felt led to post it as an appropriate interpretation for Galatians 4:1-7. I have determined it falls in the “Example/Analogy” Category.]
Ephesians 6:5-9 says: Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
[It’s interesting to see how a different version of the Bible can give more insight to potentially problematic passages. I looked on the internet and found this one from the ESV Bible on SafeHavenWorship.com that included parenthetical meanings at https://www.safehavenworship.com/ephesians-65-9-christianity-on-the-job.html Ephesians 6:5-9 [5]Slaves (Employees), obey your earthly masters (Employers) with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, [6]not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, [7]rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, [8]knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. [9] Masters (Employers), do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. (ESV)
[In my opinion, this passage either falls into either the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category or the “Example/Analogy” Category. My gut instinct from all of my research on this topic tells me that it falls in the “Indentured Servants/Servitude” Category.]
Philemon 1:15-16 says: For perhaps he [Onesimus] departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave- a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
[Again, I sought out internet resources to find a clear meaning for this passage. I found this on DB:V [Daily Bible Verses] at http://www.thedailybibleverse.org/bible-verse-perhaps-the-reason-he-was-separated-from-you-for-a-little-while-was-that-you-might-have-him-back-for-good-no-longer-as-a-slave
“Perhaps the reason he [Onesimus] was separated from you [Philemon] for a little while was that you might have him back for good- no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. – Philemon 1:15-16 (NIV)
In a day when slavery was a major industry, Paul challenges Philemon to look at his slave, Onesimus, in a radical new way. Onesimus left as a slave, but Paul wants him to return as a brother. When one looks at Biblical teaching we find a message of freedom from bondage, of liberty from prisons, and the restoring of dignity. Don’t let the abuses of history blur the pure message of Scripture – we belong to Christ, and all of us are heirs to the promises of God.”
[Although I thought it pertained to being a slave to sin, which it could, I thought the meaning in DB:V was more in keeping with this Biblical Research Project focus on Slavery. With that said, at the point this passage was written, Onesimus was no longer a slave which leads me to think it is not the “Traditional Term of Slavery” Category like in the Plantation period in the United States. I would think that it is either “Indentured Servitude,”, because he was no longer a slave or it is in the Example/Analogy Category.]
[I was checking out 1 Peter 2:18 in the NKJV Bible and cross referenced it with the NIV Bible and got a very literal set of meanings. Then, I read further through to verse 20 and was even more uncertain about the meaning of “servants” and “slaves'' in these two Bibles. So, I decided to read several verses prior to this and found the true meaning of the passages. It really isn’t even close to the literal meaning of the original underlined verse. It is always advisable to read a chunk before a passage and a chunk after, so there is no chance that the passage can be taken out of context of its true meaning, as you will see by my final analysis of this passage.]
1 Peter 2:15-20 says: For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men- as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
I cross referenced this verse in the NIV Bible and 1 Peter 2:15-20 said: For it is by God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God.
[In analyzing this, I think the NIV Bible gave the more clear meaning of the term “slave” in this passage. The highlighted orange portion of the passage lets you know that they weren’t actually slaves, but they were telling these followers of Christ to live as God’s slaves and to be willing to submit to the suffering that they would have to endure for their faith in Christ. Actually this falls into the “Servant/Slave of the Lord God, God’s Servant/Slave” Category which was used 312 times in the NKJV of the Bible plus this one.]
…………………………………………………..
Final Analysis: I have thoroughly gone through all the passages in both the NKJV and the NIV Bibles that refer to the term “servant” and the term “slave” to see if there is anything, even when cross referenced, that gives the impression that God Through the Bible Supports the Use of Slavery. I even checked on the internet to get the opinions of Biblical Scholars when it was difficult to determine which category some of the terms of “servant” and “slave” fell into.
Sure slavery is talked about in the Bible. That is because it serves as a record of Biblical times and it mentions the pagan countries who worshiped idols and false gods, and they most often used oppressive slavery. Unfortunately, there are people who will take a Bible passage out of context and twist the meaning to make the Bible sound like God supports any position they, personally, are in favor of. It’s vitally important to research their claims further to see if what they say is even accurate.
After all this in-depth research, I found nothing whatsoever that gives credence to the claims of some that God Through the Bible Supports the Use of Slavery. In fact, I found quite the opposite to be true! The Lord God goes to very elaborate lengths to protect those who have been in oppressive slavery and has a consequence for those who enact oppressive slavery on others. Here are some Bible passages that I think reinforce this conclusion:
“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.” (Exodus 21:16, ESV) This is the Bible’s clearest condemnation of slavery.
Leviticus 26:13 says: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.”
[This Bible verse, in my opinion, does an outstanding job of the Lord God making His own case that He does not support the use of slavery, to the point that He went to great lengths for them to be freed and that He broke the bands of their oppressive slavery to the Egyptians, so that they could walk upright in honor.]
Works Cited
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“BibleGatewaycom.” BibleGateway.com, BibleGateway.com, Not Listed Not Listed Not Listed, https://www.biblegateway.com/. Accessed 2 August 2021.
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Seiling, Debra. “Is it Inconsistent that God Sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Save Us, but He had Consequences for Some in the Books of Ezra through Isaiah Where they Die?” Do Biblical Inconsistencies Really Matter?, Blogger/Seiling, Not Listed Not Listed Not Listed, https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/2021/05/is-it-inconsistent-that-god-sent-his_0605845409.html. Accessed 2 November 2021.
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