Why does Exodus 21:2 permit slavery if God is just and loving? Text and Immediate Context Exodus 21:2 : “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve for six years, but in the seventh year he shall go free without paying anything.” The verse stands at the head of the Covenant Code (Exodus 21–23), legislation given immediately after the Ten Commandments. It regulates debt-servitude among Israelites, not race-based chattel slavery, and functions as case law illustrating the commandment “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15) by preventing the permanent theft of a person’s freedom. Ancient Near Eastern Background Archaeological finds such as the Code of Hammurabi (c. 1754 B.C.) and the Laws of Eshnunna show life-long enslavement was common in surrounding cultures. In contrast, the Mosaic statute limited service to six years, mandated release, and supplied provisions at freedom (Deuteronomy 15:12-15). Cuneiform tablets from Nuzi and the Egyptian Brooklyn Papyrus (c. 1740 B.C.) list slaves as transferable property; Scripture forbids that permanence for fellow Hebrews. Meaning of the Word “ʿEbed” The Hebrew ʿeḇeḏ ranges from “servant” to “bond-servant” to “official.” Moses (Numbers 12:7), David (2 Samuel 7:5), and the Messiah (Isaiah 52:13) are called ʿeḇeḏ. The semantic domain differs from New-World chattel slavery: it denotes a bounded contractual relationship, not an ontological reduction of personhood. Debt-Servitude as Social Safety Net Israel lacked bankruptcy courts or modern welfare. A destitute man could “sell” his labor to cover debt (Leviticus 25:39). Rather than starvation or foreign slavery, the law allowed a time-limited arrangement inside the covenant community, guaranteeing food, shelter, and eventual restoration. Protective Regulations • Man-stealing punishable by death (Exodus 21:16). • Physical abuse leading to injury required immediate emancipation (Exodus 21:26-27). • Runaways afforded sanctuary; forced return forbidden (Deuteronomy 23:15-16). • Release in the seventh year accompanied by generous gifts (Deuteronomy 15:13-14). • Permanent servitude permissible only by the servant’s sworn choice before judges (Exodus 21:5-6), precluding coercion. Sabbath and Jubilee Principles The six-year limit echoes the creation Sabbath (Exodus 20:11) and Israel’s Exodus redemption (Deuteronomy 5:15). The Jubilee (Leviticus 25:10) expanded the principle: “proclaim liberty throughout the land.” Archaeological evidence from 7th-century B.C. Babylonian tablets shows no such mandated mass manumission—underscoring the distinctiveness of Israel’s legislation. Divine Accommodation to Fallen Structures Just as divorce regulations (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) were concessions “because your hearts were hard” (Matthew 19:8), servitude laws regulate a broken economic reality while planting redemptive seeds of freedom. The law restrains human sin; the gospel transforms it (Galatians 3:24). Trajectory Toward Full Liberation • Isaiah foretells the coming Servant who sets captives free (Isaiah 61:1). • Christ proclaims that prophecy fulfilled (Luke 4:18-21). • In Christ “there is neither slave nor free” (Galatians 3:28); believers are to gain freedom if possible (1 Corinthians 7:21-23). • Paul’s letter to Philemon undermines the master/slave hierarchy by calling Onesimus “no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, a beloved brother” (Philemon 16). Historically this trajectory spurred Christian abolitionists (e.g., the Clapham Sect) who cited Exodus 21, the Jubilee, and Galatians 3. God’s Justice and Love Displayed 1. Limited duration safeguards dignity. 2. Compensation at release reflects benevolence. 3. Harsh treatment penalized, revealing divine concern for the vulnerable. 4. The law mirrors God’s redemptive act—He freed Israel, so Israel must free others. Objections Answered • “Why not immediate abolition?” – Scripture addresses people as they are, alleviating suffering and pointing forward to Christ’s kingdom where perfect justice reigns. • “Does the Bible endorse foreign slavery?” – Kidnapping for slavery condemned (Exodus 21:16); even foreign servants benefited from Sabbath rest (Exodus 23:12) and could join Israel’s covenant (Leviticus 19:34). • “What about female servants?” – Exodus 21:7-11 grants them marital rights, food, clothing, and release, unique protections in the ancient world. Christological Fulfillment Jesus, the true ʿeḇeḏ Yahweh, voluntarily took the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7) to redeem humanity from the slavery of sin (John 8:34-36). His resurrection guarantees ultimate liberation; believers become “servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:18) and heirs with Him. Practical Implications Today 1. Combat human trafficking—modern man-stealing violates Exodus 21:16. 2. Treat employees with dignity, remembering the servant-release principle (Colossians 4:1). 3. Practice generosity toward the economically trapped, reflecting the debt-release ethic. Invitation God’s law reveals His justice; the gospel reveals His love. Freedom from spiritual bondage is offered through the risen Christ: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Receive that freedom and join the people whose very statutes foreshadowed it. |
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