Burning Bush Blogs
Equipping Men with Biblical Knowledge and Leadership Skills
Category: Group Study
Thread: Slavery and the Bible
Post Topic: The Old Testament’s Slavery Laws for Foreigners
Post in Thread: #3
Previous Post: The Old Testament’s Slavery Laws for Hebrews
Next Post: Freedom From the Bondage of Sin
Scripture: Leviticus 25:44-46
Key Verses:
Leviticus 25:44-46
44 Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
Author’s Note
In this study, I don’t want to gloss over the difficult topic of buying and selling slaves. The Observations section (what does it say) takes a raw look at just these three verses and the practice of slavery during this time period. But stick with me. As we get into the Interpretation section (what does it mean), we’ll dive deeper into the context of the verses and how it fits with the rest of the Mosaic Laws.
By the end, I hope you’ll agree that I at least made a reasonable case that the goodness and love of God is not compromised. You might be even more surprised to learn that I am making this argument: In many scenarios the slaves in Israel had more freedom and more opportunity and received better treatment than if they had lived out their destitute life in isolation.
Observations
Historical Context
The Israelites had escaped slavery in Egypt. They had experienced God’s deliverance from the pursuing Pharaoh at the Red Sea. Now they were crossing the wilderness of Sinai to get to the Promised Land.
Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai, where he met God and received the Ten Commandments and the other laws that would govern God’s chosen people. Included were regulations regarding the practices of slavery.
In our previous post we discussed how slavery amongst the Hebrews was more like indentured servanthood. In this post, we will dive into one of the most troubling passages in Scripture for modern-day skeptics and some Christians – this passage about Hebrew slavery of foreigners.
Scriptural Context
This chapter is full of instructions on how to treat the poor, some of whom may even be forced to sell themselves into slavery. The instructions say to not treat them like a slave but like a hired hand. Verse 35 even says to treat the poor like you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you (implying that foreigners were respected).
Year of Jubilee – This entire chapter fits within the context of the Year of Jubilee rules. This special year happened every 50 years. All debts were erased, lands returned to original clans, and Hebrew slaves freed.
Moses received the laws in the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan. Map provided by biblemapper.com.
Specifically what the passage says
- Slaves can be bought from the nations around Israel.
- Foreigners living among you can also be bought as slaves.
- You can bequeath them to your children as an inheritance.
- They can be made slaves for life.
- Verse 46 teaches to not rule over Israelites ruthlessly. A skeptic will infer that this promotes ruling over foreign slaves ruthlessly.
Discussion
- Before taking a deeper dive, what are your initial impressions of this passage? Can you comprehend why someone would question God when reading this passage?
- Is verse 46 meant as a contrast between how to treat Hebrew slaves and foreign slaves? Or is it meant to emphasize how the Israelites should take special care of their own countrymen? (when answering this, don’t forget context. What do you notice in verses 43 and 53? What does this pattern mean?)
Interpretation
Setting
The world was a different place with different customs than we have today. Slavery was a normal practice, everywhere, in all cultures. God allowed slavery during that time and culture, but he built regulations around the practice.
This does not mean that anyone should use the Bible to justify slavery. To do so would defy the nature of God as exhibited throughout the totality of Scripture. Instead, let’s not ignore the passage, but let’s take a deeper dive to comprehend why it was included.
At first glance – Foreign Slaves Treated Differently than Hebrew Slaves
Slavery of foreigners as described in these verses appears difficult to justify because:
- Israelites could buy male and female slaves from the nations around them.
- Their children could inherit these slaves.
- Unlike the Hebrew slaves, who were more like indentured servants, these foreign slaves do not appear to have been freed after six years.
- It’s possible that the buying of slaves mentioned in verse 44 is referring to buying a foreign indentured servant.
- It’s possible that inheritance of foreign slaves was reserved for those who had voluntarily agreed to remain on as slaves after the six years.
- It’s possible that these three verses are meant to be evaluated within the context of the Year of Jubilee, and that this celebration was the only difference between Hebrew and Gentile slaves.
- More likely, though, foreign slaves were actually treated differently. They could have been captives from battle, or simply permanent slaves that were purchased from other cultures.
But… Treated as Human Beings
So how can believers process these three verses? We have to consider the entirety of the law of Moses, and the customs of the time, and not simply pluck out these three verses by themselves. This enables us to notice one huge difference in the Israelite’s treatment of slaves from the rest of the world around them—they were commanded to treat slaves as human beings, made in the image of God.
Below we will discuss additional passages that reflect positively upon the Law of Moses and foreign slaves. We won’t save it for the Correlation section, because the entire picture of the law is critical for interpreting these three verses.
General Admonition to Treat Slaves and Foreigners Well
We will cover this in more detail in the Correlations section, but it’s important to note that the tone of the Torah regarding foreigners is to treat them well (Leviticus 19:33-34). There are scenarios where they aren’t to be treated the same, but the Israelites were commanded to demonstrate love to foreigners. Logically, this extended to foreign slaves.
Kidnapping
Exodus 21:16 contains strict prohibitions against kidnapping. Both the kidnapper of the slave and the one who possessed the slave could be put to death. There is nothing in this passage that limits this prohibition to Hebrews. This implies that there was an element of voluntary servanthood by the foreigner. They could not be taken against their will into slavery.
Mistreatment
Exodus 21:26-27 allows for a slave to go free if they are mistreated and injured. Their debt is cancelled. There is nothing in this passage that limits this law to Hebrews.
Runaway Slaves
Deuteronomy 23:15-16 – A runaway slave that has come to you cannot be sent back to their master. Wait – could it be that a foreign slave whom an Israelite purchased could simply run away? Again, there is nothing here that limits this command to Hebrew slaves.
So how could the Israelite master prevent this? If the master was treating the slave well, providing for them, and offering them a chance at a family, why wouldn’t that slave desire to remain in the family, rather than risk the unknown?
Protecting foreign women captured in battle
Deuteronomy 21:10-14 – A foreign woman taken captive as part of a military campaign could be brought back and married. This passage makes it clear that she would have all the rights of an Israelite wife. But first she would be given a month to mourn. This month would also help determine the compatibility. If the man decided not to marry her, or divorced her later, she was to go free and could not be sold as a slave.
This idea of taking a captive woman as a wife seems barbaric to us today. But it would be better than becoming an actual slave. And it would be better than being abandoned to fend for herself (remember the status of women during that time period – a woman without a husband was faced with a bleak, hopeless future).
For that time period, these rules radically protected rights of captive women, when compared to any other nation who would have taken female captives from a conquest.
Sabbath day also applies to servants
Deuteronomy 5:14-15 – No work is to be done on the sabbath. The passage specifically states that this prohibition includes servants and foreigners. Verse 15 reminds the Israelites that they were slaves in Egypt before the Lord redeemed them. In Egypt, they had no such day of rest.
Wait, why assume that these provisions applied to foreigners as well as Hebrews?
Because in other scenarios, differences between Hebrews and foreigners are spelled out. For example, in Deuteronomy 15:3, an Israelite debt would be cancelled in a scenario where a foreigner’s debt would not be cancelled. In Deuteronomy 23:19-20, it spells out that only foreigners can be charged interest. The Year of Jubilee applies only to Hebrews.
If the slavery regulations were meant only for Hebrew slaves, wouldn’t it also say so?
Upon Further Review
God chose Israel to be a blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18; Genesis 28:14). He sent Jonah to preach to the evil Ninevites. He brought King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to repentance. He sent Jesus for us, whose final instruction before leaving earth was to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. It goes against God’s plan and character to not have compassion on the surrounding peoples.
These three verses do not contradict that blessing. Instead, they regulate this practice of slavery. As we’ve seen in rule after rule, slavery in Israel was practically voluntary. It helped people who were destitute. It ensured that people had jobs. Had hope. And were treated humanely.
The Verdict – Does the Bible Condone Slavery?
In Matthew 19:7-9, Jesus is questioned about divorce. Pharisees ask him why Moses included provisions for it in the Torah. They wanted to trap him into saying that God condoned divorce. Jesus answered that Moses permitted it because the Israelite’s hearts were hard. The regulations built around divorce protected women. It didn’t condone divorce.
It is the same with slavery. The Bible does not condone slavery. It built regulations around this ingrained practice to protect the vulnerable and to change the mindset about the humanity and intrinsic worth of the slave.
Imagine
Imagine you are a slave in the land of Midian. Your Midianite masters have no regard for your well-being, other than keeping you healthy to get more work out of you. You have no rights to marry. No days off. No future.
A band of Israelites pass through. You see them negotiating with your master. You have heard rumors… they are said to have this concept of a Sabbath. They are commanded to treat their slaves like people, not dogs. Not all of them obey these commands, of course, but what if the right one purchased…
Coins are exchanged. A parchment written on. The leader of the Israelite group makes eye contact with you. He begins to walk your way. What if…
Discussion
If you were a foreign slave, would you be happy to know you were being purchased by an Israelite?
Correlation
Exodus 22:21 – Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.
Leviticus 19:33-34 – When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
Discussion
- How did the Torah instruct Israelites to treat foreigners?
- What did God remind them of to make his point sink in?
- How would this admonition affect foreign slaves?
Application
Generic Applications
It is important for Christians to be able to defend God’s Word against straw man attacks. A straw man argument is where the critic defeats a position or doctrine that his opponent doesn’t hold. To defeat a straw man argument, we must demonstrate that the position being attacked is not what is taught.
If a critic can convince that the Bible condones slavery, they can tear down the moral fabric of the Bible, and ultimately of God.
Group Discussion
- Has anyone ever been in a position where you were challenged about the Bible supposedly condoning slavery? What was that like?
- Does the Bible condone slavery? Or does it simply regulate an existing custom?
- How different are these Old Testament passages from slavery practiced in Colonial America?
Personalize it
Can you defend the Old Testament’s regulations of slavery for Hebrews and foreigners? Note anything you are struggling with for the group discussion.
Group Discussion
As a group, write down your strongest arguments to counter an attack on Biblical slavery. Keep in mind that this is a very sensitive topic today for many.
Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.