Does The Bible Allow Slavery?

[Wrangler]

Came across Lev 22:11, if a priest acquires anyone through purchase, the person may eat of them.


EDIT: Verse 11.

 

[face2face]

Came across Lev 22:10, if a priest acquires anyone through purchase, the person may eat of them.

‘No lay person may eat anything holy. Neither a priest’s lodger nor a hired laborer may eat anything holy, 22:11 but if a priest buys a person with his own money, that person may eat the holy offerings, and those born in the priest’s own house may eat his food Le 22:10–11.

Only members of the priest's household could partake of the food of the Tabernacle. A slave was considered such (v11), but not a "hired servant" for he retained his independence; he hired himself out only for a limited time.

However Verse 11 shows us a purchased slave who became part of the priest's household held the privilege of eating of the holy food, a person must become a slave to the priest, or a member of his family.

So it is in Christ!

From Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ 2 Pe 1:1.

F2F

 

[Wrangler]

However Verse 11 shows us a purchased slave who became part of the priest's household held the privilege of eating of the holy food, a person must become a slave to the priest, or a member of his family.

So it is in Christ!

I'm reading a book now called Aunt Phillis's Cabin. The preface includes a powerful Biblical analysis, pointing out that God himself created the institution of slavery for Noah's son, Ham, humiliating the prophet of God, with the punishment being Ham's descendants would "serve" the descendants of his brothers, i.e., be their slaves. Genesis 9:20-27

 

[face2face]

I'm reading a book now called Aunt Phillis's Cabin. The preface includes a powerful Biblical analysis, pointing out that God himself created the institution of slavery for Noah's son, Ham, humiliating the prophet of God, with the punishment being Ham's descendants would "serve" the descendants of his brothers, i.e., be their slaves. Genesis 9:20-27

It's a tricky little section of Scripture that Wrangler, especially the effects of sin on our children. This is characterised by the words "And Ham the father of Canaan".

You will see in that section the repetitive references to Canaan which serves to illustrate his sensual character. His descendants became noted for their frightful sensuality even in religion. In this they reflected the action and attitude of their forefather Ham. This form of slavery represents those who make a mockery of sin and are condemned if they pursue these ungodly acts.

If you look at the term "a servant of servants" (Gen 9:25) shows us this was a most humiliating servitude; and this has been the experience of the descendants of Ham as a whole, rather than merely the Canaanite portion of his race.

This is a vastly different slavery to that spoken of in Lev 22:11.

The spiritual lesson from here reveals a curse from God for all who desire to remain as Ham and his offspring. Like your example in Lev one must become a servant of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Only way to escape such Divine judgement.

F2F

 

[Wrangler]

The spiritual lesson from here reveals a curse from God

Tough lesson is the difference between being punished or cursed for one’s sin from being punished or cursed for the consequences of sin. I believe Ex 20 talks about curses to the 3rd or 4th generation. Elsewhere, God talks about blessing for either a 1,000 years or 1,000 generations (I forget which).

Getting back to slavery, I recall one translation, the VOICE, perhaps paraphrasing Paul as saying we are all a slave to what controls us. Profound. Regarding people owning people, I think it is uncomfortable for Christians to concede the Bible does not deem it a sin and accepts the institution.

Years ago I started a thread in defense of slavery. I focused my attention on public slavery from the book Uncle Sam’s Plantation.

 

[Deborah_]

The preface includes a powerful Biblical analysis, pointing out that God himself created the institution of slavery for Noah's son, Ham,

Never heard that idea before, and it makes God the Creator of a sinful institution. Don't you think that those wicked humans would have invented slavery themselves, long before the Flood? Just as they invented murder and other sins?

 

[Taken]

Does The Bible Allow Slavery?

YES…
The word of God…ALLOWS men Freewill to Choose what they shall DO.

….Some men CHOOSE, to entreat an other, to befriend an other, to reject an other, to aid an other, to hire an other, to indenture an other, to kidnap an other, to mentor an other….etc….
and yes even to enslave an other.

And MOST “slavery” begins with ONE Kidnapping an other….

Slavery Still exists all around the world…In some nations slavery is more prominate and acceptable and in other nations it is illegal…BUT… Laws do not prevent illegal choices men choose to do.

Slavery did not begin in America, but did find it’s way into America beginning with a barter trade agreement, then expanded to open market buying and selling, then was banished by Proclamation and Legislation, and then by decree an offering to freely choose…
* To have free ship passage to return to their homeland.
Or
* Remain a hired / paid servant where they were domiciled.
Or
Join ranks of the Union Military.
Or
* Set out to travel where they pleased to go.
Or
* Apply for an allotment of land to occupy, govern, (void of any whites), improve until they could pay for the land….which did occur for many…UNTIL (national union party) President Lincoln’s Assassination…and (democrat party) VP Andrew Johnson was sworn in as President and put a HALT to Freed Slaves receiving allotments of land.

 

[Wick Stick]

There are two kinds of slavery. There's the indentured kind, and then there's chattel slavery.

Indentured slaves either chose to be such, or were sentenced to do so as a result of debt/crime. In either case, the arrangement is temporary, and the slave receives some compensation for their work (usually the absolution of a debt). The Bible allows this, and puts some regulation on it.

Chattel slaves are so because they were kidnapped and trafficked, or else their parents were and they were born into the arrangement. The people are treated as property and not people. The Bible doesn't say much about this, probably because it was not a major issue in that day.

 

[Deborah_]

Slavery in the Bible

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” (L P Hartley: The Go-Between) In the Biblical world there were no social security systems. Even in those places where a strong cen…

deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com

 

[Wrangler]

Never heard that idea before, and it makes God the Creator of a sinful institution. Don't you think that those wicked humans would have invented slavery themselves, long before the Flood? Just as they invented murder and other sins?

I take God's word over speculation. Don't you?

 

[Wrangler]

There are two kinds of slavery. There's the indentured kind, and then there's chattel slavery.

Indentured slaves either chose to be such, or were sentenced to do so as a result of debt/crime. In either case, the arrangement is temporary, and the slave receives some compensation for their work (usually the absolution of a debt). The Bible allows this, and puts some regulation on it.

Chattel slaves are so because they were kidnapped and trafficked, or else their parents were and they were born into the arrangement. The people are treated as property and not people. The Bible doesn't say much about this, probably because it was not a major issue in that day.

I'm afraid you are falling victim to deconstructionism. Slavery IS treating people as property - no matter what kind of slavery it is.

Owning a car or house or renting a car or house is merely different durations of property rights - not different property rights. The small distinction is not being able to legally sell a rented car or house.

 

[Wrangler]

Slavery in the Bible

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” (L P Hartley: The Go-Between) In the Biblical world there were no social security systems. Even in those places where a strong cen…

deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com

Rather than copy and paste a link, I really to prefer to have a discussion. From your link

So let’s be quite clear about one thing: the kind of slavery permitted by God was what might be termed ‘economic slavery’ (as described above). Slave trading (capturing people by force or deception, transporting them to another country, and making them work against their will) is always condemned in the Bible (Exodus 21:16; Amos 1:6-10; I Timothy 1:10)!​

This is simply not true as the citations already provided show. The qualification merely has no Biblical application "transporting them to another country." The rest of the qualification is part of slavery since the beginning; capturing people by force or deception, and "making them work against their will." Not sure what kind of slavery you suppose exists that respects the slaves work preferences. LOL A bit naive.

The entire story of Lamentations, Daniel, as well and many other books of the prophets, goes against your claim and this from Ezra and Jeremiah.

Ezra 9:9 we are slaves

Jeremiah 52:8-16
8 but the Babylonian[c] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, 9 and he was captured.

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. 11 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.

12 On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. 14 The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen[d] and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. 16 But Nebuzaradan left behind the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

 

[Deborah_]

I take God's word over speculation. Don't you?

Well, the interpretation that God invented it sounds highly speculative to me. Just that something wasn't previously mentioned doesn't mean it didn't exist.

This is simply not true as the citations already provided show. The qualification merely has no Biblical application "transporting them to another country." The rest of the qualification is part of slavery since the beginning; capturing people by force or deception, and "making them work against their will." Not sure what kind of slavery you suppose exists that respects the slaves work preferences. LOL A bit naive.

The entire story of Daniel goes against your claim and this from Jeremiah, as well.

Just because the Bible records something as a fact of history, doesn't mean that God approves! Joseph was also traded as a slave - by his own brothers! That was a great sin on their part, wouldn't you agree?
If you sell yourself into the economic form of slavery, that is presumably your own choice. That's the distinction I was trying to make.

 

[Taken]

There are two kinds of slavery. There's the indentured kind, and then there's chattel slavery.

Indentured slaves either chose to be such, or were sentenced to do so as a result of debt/crime. In either case, the arrangement is temporary, and the slave receives some compensation for their work (usually the absolution of a debt). The Bible allows this, and puts some regulation on it.

Chattel slaves are so because they were kidnapped and trafficked, or else their parents were and they were born into the arrangement. The people are treated as property and not people. The Bible doesn't say much about this, probably because it was not a major issue in that day.

Yes…

In addition…in some cases “parents” would sell their own children into slavery…

And there was that 400 year lull whereby Israelites were controlled, enslaved (called in bondage, being prisoners of sorts…confined to guarded areas, appointed service jobs … by and unto the Romans.)

There has been for years, foreigners smuggled into the US…with MASTER overseers…setting them up in underground and illicit jobs….and collecting money from them….and causing harm to they if they can not pay.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[Windmill Charge]

God permitted slavery for a period, but not as a permanent fixture.
Slavery in the bible covers two forms.
1. Chattel slavery, that which we identify when slavery is mentioned.
This was permitted as a consequence of warfare and unlike the surroundings nations was controlled.

Then there was servitude for a set period of time.
This was a means by which the poor could get relief.

That God has always condemned chattel slavery can be seen in the punishments for those who stole people to sell into slavery.

 

[Wrangler]

Well, the interpretation that God invented it sounds highly speculative to me.

The opposite is true. You are speculating that God did not invent it despite God invoking it as a curse against Ham before being referenced anywhere else.

If you are guided by Scripture, it is not an interpretation but a simple fact of history, according to the text. The speculation is to presume, despite this Biblical fact, it was invoked by man. The question is, why speculate?

Scripture records Adam and Eve as the first man and woman. You can speculate that others came first and double down that Scripture is silent on the topic. Again, why would you speculate that?

 

[Wrangler]

Just because the Bible records something as a fact of history, doesn't mean that God approves!

LOL. God invoked it as a curse! Its nonsense to suppose the almighty imposed a punishment he did not approve of.

 

[Wrangler]

God permitted slavery for a period, but not as a permanent fixture.

Do you note anywhere in the text where he condition of servitude ends?

Genesis 9:20-27

It’s like saying God permitted sin for a period, but not as a permanent fixture … while denying all of recorded history is pretty permanent on this planet.

 

[face2face]

perhaps paraphrasing Paul as saying we are all a slave to what controls us. Profound. Regarding people owning people, I think it is uncomfortable for Christians to concede the Bible does not deem it a sin and accepts the institution.

Slavery is a vast subject and theme throughout the Bible. My mind went to Abraham & Hagar and the great allogory of Galatians 4. Whether slavery symbolises sin, or a nation bound to a Law, slavery is the perfect ensample of one being chained to the flesh, or as Paul said, to the hope of Israel. (natural or spiritual servitude!)

However, the brutality concerning the poor treament of slaves was not "of God", but of man.

The highest example of slavery is found in Exodus 21 and the principles there are so beautiful they are worthy of its own thread.

"And his master shall bore his ear through with an aul" Exo 21:6

You can find the true Christ there @Johann, but don't be dissapointed with what you find - accept and give praise!

F2F

 

[Wrangler]

However, the brutality concerning the poor treament of slaves was not "of God", but of man.

Reminds me of the prisoner-guard experiment. Stanford prison experiment - Wikipedia