Dictionary of Bible Themes » 7000 God's people » 7300 Institutions and culture of OT » 7446 slavery » 7447 slavery, in OT
Slavery in the OT occurs when someone either voluntarily or forcibly becomes completely subject to another person's control.
Reasons for slavery
War
Deuteronomy 20:10-11 See also Genesis 14:21; Numbers 31:9; 2 Kings 5:2; 2 Chronicles 28:8
Purchase
Leviticus 25:44-45 See also Genesis 37:23-28
Debt
2 Kings 4:1 See also Exodus 22:2-3; Leviticus 25:39,47-48; Deuteronomy 15:12; Nehemiah 5:1-5
Birth
Exodus 21:4 See also Genesis 17:12-13; Ecclesiastes 2:7; Jeremiah 2:14
Conscription of foreigners as forced labour
2 Samuel 12:29-31 See also Exodus 1:11-14; Joshua 9:22-23; Joshua 16:10; Judges 1:28; 1 Kings 9:20-21
Rights of slaves
Rights of protection against physical and sexual abuse
Leviticus 25:43 See also Exodus 21:7-11,20-21,26-27
Rights to participate in religious feasts and festivals
Exodus 23:12 See also Exodus 20:9-10; Deuteronomy 12:11-12
Rights to inherit property
Genesis 15:3
Rights of asylum
Deuteronomy 23:15
The release of slaves
Release in the Year of Jubilee
Leviticus 25:54-55 See also Leviticus 25:39-41
Release after six years of service
Exodus 21:2 See also Exodus 21:3-6; Deuteronomy 15:12-18; Jeremiah 34:8-20 The six-year principle was being abused in the time of Jeremiah.
Release through redemption by a near relative
Leviticus 25:47-53
The status of slaves
Slaves as property
Leviticus 25:46 See also Exodus 21:32; Leviticus 25:39-42 Fellow Israelites were not to be regarded as property.
Slaves as trusted advisors
1 Samuel 9:5-10
See also
1315 God as redeemer 5246 captivity 5266 conscription 5289 debt 5475 property 5605 warfare 5672 concubines 5674 daughters 7222 exodus, events of 7388 kinsman-redeemer 7482 Year of Jubilee
