The treatment of slaves (Exodus 21: 1-11)
Slavery, in various forms,
was widespread throughout the nations of the ancient Middle East and was
accepted as part of the social structure of the time. Verses 5 and 6 indicate
that one Israelite could choose to be the slave of another, and verse 7
indicates that a father could sell his daughter to be a slave, specifically to
become a concubine. Severe poverty could put a person into a situation where it
was preferable to accept slavery in the household of a merciful master than to
struggle to support oneself. This passage accepts the fact of slavery in the
Israelite community but commands merciful attitudes to slaves. The reason is
not stated explicitly but it is obvious that it is connected with the mercy
shown by God to the Israelites in their deliverance from Egyptian slavery. A
male slave was to be freed, if he so wished, after six years and without any
'redemption' payment. A female slave in a position of concubinage was to be
treated with justice within the social structures of the time. If the man who
intended to make her his concubine did not like her, she had to be sold back to
her father and not merely rejected. The concubine of a man's son had to be
treated with respect, as a daughter-in-law. A man with more than one concubine
had to treat each one justly. Men who ignored the rights of concubines were to
be forced (by the community) to free them. We should note that in this passage
the rights of the lowliest group within Israelite society were to be upheld;
the Hebrew slave was still one of the chosen people with whom God had made his
covenant. ,-
age.