Topical Bible: Servants: Slaves or Bond: To Participate in all National Rejoicings

◄ Servants: Slaves or Bond: To Participate in all National Rejoicings ►

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, servants, often referred to as slaves or bondservants, held a distinct place within the social and religious fabric of ancient Israelite society. The Hebrew term "ebed" and the Greek "doulos" are commonly translated as "servant" or "slave," and these individuals were integral to the household and economic structures of the time. Despite their servile status, the Scriptures provide evidence that servants were not excluded from the communal and religious life of the nation, particularly in times of national rejoicing and celebration.

Participation in National Rejoicings

The Mosaic Law, which governed the life of the Israelites, included provisions that ensured the inclusion of servants in religious and national festivities. This inclusion underscores the broader theological principle that all members of the community, regardless of social status, were to partake in the blessings and celebrations ordained by God.

Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) and Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

Deuteronomy 16:10-11 instructs the Israelites regarding the Feast of Weeks: "And you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a freewill offering that you give in proportion to how the LORD your God has blessed you. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God—you, your son and daughter, your menservants and maidservants, the Levite within your gates, and the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow among you." This passage explicitly includes menservants and maidservants in the celebration, highlighting their participation in the communal joy and worship.

Similarly, during the Feast of Tabernacles, Deuteronomy 16:13-14 states: "You are to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast—you, your son and daughter, your menservants and maidservants, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates." Again, the inclusion of servants in this festival emphasizes their role in the shared religious experience.

Sabbath and Jubilee Years

The Sabbath year and the Year of Jubilee also provided times of rest and liberation for servants. Leviticus 25:6 states, "Whatever the land yields during the Sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, the hired hand or foreigner who stays with you." The Year of Jubilee, occurring every fiftieth year, was a time of emancipation and restoration, where servants were to be released and allowed to return to their families (Leviticus 25:10).

Theological Implications

The inclusion of servants in national rejoicings reflects the biblical understanding of community and covenant. It demonstrates that the blessings of God and the joy of His appointed times were to be shared by all, transcending social and economic divisions. This principle is rooted in the belief that all people are created in the image of God and are valuable members of His covenant community.

In summary, the biblical mandate for servants to participate in national rejoicings illustrates a divine concern for inclusivity and communal harmony, ensuring that every individual, regardless of status, could partake in the joy and worship of the Lord.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 12:18
But you must eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is within your gates: and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you put your hands to.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 16:11,14
And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is within your gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD your God has chosen to place his name there.
Torrey's Topical Textbook