Quote:
Ewen Ebsworth wrote:
and are we prepared to put this into historical context - even within Leviticus 25 itself?
"Slavery" as understood in the Bible was more like servanthood. Slaves had rights, they were not to be kidnapped, they were not to be beaten or killed and they were to be given their freedom after 7 years. They could also be redeemed if a member of their family had sufficient money to pay off their debt or they earned enough to buy their freedom.This in no way resembles the slavery practised throughout European colonialism or modern day human trafficking rings. Passages from the Bible must be interpreted within their context, not just pulled out of the page.
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Only seven years? It must be okay then, if it's regulated....
That leaves out what happens to the gentiles, though, who can be enslaved for life and passed onto future generations, and Exodus does permit slaves to be beaten, with certain restrictions.
Best,
Chris