How can Exodus 21:7 inform our understanding of biblical justice and fairness? Setting the Verse in Context • Exodus 21 sits immediately after the Ten Commandments, showing Israel how to apply God’s moral law in daily life. • These “judgments” (mishpatim) reveal God’s concern for the vulnerable in a fallen society still marked by poverty and debt. Text of Exodus 21:7 “And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the male servants do.” Cultural Framework of Ancient Servitude • Debt-slavery functioned as an economic safety net; a destitute family could place a child into a wealthy household to pay a debt and secure her provision (Leviticus 25:39–41). • Unlike modern chattel slavery, this practice was bounded by time limits and legal protections set by God (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12–15). • A daughter sold “as a servant” was typically intended to become a concubine or wife within the master’s family (Exodus 21:8–11), elevating her status and ensuring lifelong care. God’s Protective Limitations Exodus 21:7–11 adds three safeguards: 1. Redemption right—if the arrangement displeased her master, he must allow her family to buy her back (v. 8). 2. Marriage equality—if the master’s son marries her, she gains “daughter-in-law” status, never to be sold to foreigners (v. 8). 3. Ongoing provision—if the master marries another woman, he must still supply the first wife’s “food, clothing, and marital rights,” or she goes free without payment (vv. 10–11). Principles of Justice and Fairness • Dignity for the vulnerable: God refuses to let economic desperation erase a girl’s value. She is never mere property (Psalm 68:5; James 1:27). • Accountability for the powerful: The master’s greater authority brings stricter obligations (Leviticus 25:43; Matthew 7:12). • Covenant faithfulness: Israel’s social structures must echo the Lord’s own character—“righteous and just is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). • Progressive revelation: By restricting and humanizing servitude, God lays groundwork for the gospel principle that “there is neither slave nor free… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). How This Shapes Our View of Biblical Justice • Justice pursues protection before profit; people made in God’s image can never be reduced to economic assets. • Fairness requires particular care for those with fewer options—women, children, debtors, immigrants (Isaiah 1:17; Proverbs 31:8–9). • Legal systems must limit exploitation even when culture accepts it; God’s standards transcend societal norms. • Mercy and law work together: debt relief, redemption rights, and familial care mirror God’s redemptive heart (Exodus 34:6–7). Application for Today • Advocate for systems that guard the economically vulnerable—ethical employment practices, anti-trafficking efforts, fair lending. • Model covenant love in relationships: honor commitments, provide generously, and never leverage power for selfish gain. • Celebrate the fuller freedom Christ secures; He redeems every believer from the deeper slavery of sin (John 8:36; 1 Corinthians 7:22–23). |
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