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Line 648: − ==Slavery in the Old testament== − ===Overview=== − The Bible identifies different categories of slaves including female [[Hebrew]] slaves, male Hebrew slaves, non-Hebrew and hereditary slaves. These were subject to different regulations. − − '''Female Hebrews''' could be sold by their fathers and enslaved for life ({{bible|Exodus|21|7|11}}), but there were some limits to this. − − '''Male Hebrews''' could sell themselves into slavery for a six-year period to eliminate their debts, after which they might go free. However, if the male slave had been given a wife and had had children with her, they would remain his master's property. They could only stay with their family by becoming permanent slaves ({{bible|Exodus|21|2|5}}). [[Evangelical Christians]], especially those who subscribe to [[Biblical inerrancy]], will commonly emphasize this [[Debt slavery |debt bondage]] and try to minimize the other forms of [[race]]-based chattel slavery when attempting to excuse the Bible for endorsing slavery.{{fact}} − − '''Non-Hebrews''', on the other hand, could (according to {{bible|Leviticus|25|44}}) be subjected to slavery in exactly the way that it is usually understood. The slaves could be bought, sold and (when their owner died) inherited. This, by any standard, is race- or ethnicity-based, and {{bible|Leviticus|25|44|46}} explicitly allows slaves to be bought from foreign nations or foreigners living in [[Israel]]. It does say that simply kidnapping Hebrews to enslave them is a crime punishable by death ({{bible|Deuteronomy|24|7}}), but no such prohibition exists regarding foreigners. [[War]] captives could be made slaves, assuming they had refused to make peace (this applied to women and children — men were simply killed), along with the seizure of all their property ({{bible|Deuteronomy|20|10|15}}). − − '''Hereditary slaves''' were born into slavery and there is no apparent way by which they could obtain their freedom. − − So the Bible endorses various types of slavery, see below — though Biblical literalists only want to talk about one version and claim that it wasn't really so bad. − − ===Types of slavery=== − As previously stated, the Old Testament endorses different types or grades of slavery. − − ====Female Hebrew slaves==== − There are ambiguous passages concerning whether female Hebrew slaves were to be treated differently from males. Parents could sell their daughters into slavery. ({{bible|Exodus|21|7|11}} [[New American Standard Bible|NASB]]) − − ''<sup><small>7</small></sup>If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do. <sup><small>8</small></sup>If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her. <sup><small>9</small></sup>If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. <sup><small>10</small></sup>If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. <sup><small>11</small></sup>If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.'' − − {{bible|Deuteronomy|15|12|18}}, however, applies the same standards to female and male slaves, with verse 18 stating, "Your female slave, also, you shall treat in the same way. You must not be reluctant to let your slave go free, since the service they have given you for six years was worth twice a hired man's salary; then also the Lord, your God, will bless you in everything you do." − − ====Male Hebrew slaves==== − {{bible|Exodus|21|2|6}} (NASB): − <blockquote> − '' <sup><small>2</small></sup>If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. <sup><small>3</small></sup>If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. <sup><small>4</small></sup>If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. <sup><small>5</small></sup>But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,' <sup><small>6</small></sup>then his master shall bring him to [[God]], then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.'' − </blockquote> − − It is interesting to note that if a slave wishes to remain with his wife and family he must submit to his master for life. − − On the other hand Hebrew slaves — and only those Hebrew slaves who entered slavery "voluntarily" — got some severance package as described in {{bible|Deuteronomy|15|12|18}} (NASB): − <blockquote> − '' <sup><small>12</small></sup>If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free. <sup><small>13</small></sup>When you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. <sup><small>14</small></sup>You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. <sup><small>15</small></sup>You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today...Your female slave, also, you shall treat in the same way. You must not be reluctant to let your slave go free, since the service they have given you for six years was worth twice a hired man's salary; then also the Lord, your God, will bless you in everything you do.'' − </blockquote> − − ====Non-Hebrew slaves==== − {{bible|Leviticus|25|44|46}} (NASB) suggests how Israelites can utilize the full human resources of slaves: − − ''<sup><small>44</small></sup>As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. <sup><small>45</small></sup>Then, too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have produced in your land; they also may become your possession. <sup><small>46</small></sup>You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another.'' − − There is clearly no way out for these slaves: they were truly slaves for life. And not just for the life of their owner. They were "property" and would be inherited along with the rest of their deceased owner's possessions. − − ====Hereditary Slaves==== − The children of slaves were born into slavery. {{bible|Exodus|21|4}}d (NASB): − − ''If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone.'' − − ===Beating slaves=== − Beating slaves was perfectly allowable regulated under the following rules: − − {{bible|Exodus|21|20|21}} (NASB): ''<sup><small>20</small></sup>If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. <sup><small>21</small></sup>If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his property.'' − − {{bible|Exodus|21|26|27}} (NASB): ''<sup><small>26</small></sup>If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye. <sup><small>27</small></sup>And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free on account of his tooth.'' − − ===Abduction and the slave trade=== − Hebrews were not allowed to abduct fellow Hebrews and sell them. − − {{bible|Exodus|21|16}} (NASB): ''<sup><small>16</small></sup>He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death.'' − − Given that the Hebrews were instructed in {{bible|Leviticus|25|44}} to obtain their slaves from the people around them, it is evident that this injunction to not abduct people referred to Hebrews and not non-Hebrews. Obtaining and selling non-Hebrews was evidently not a problem. {{bible|Deuteronomy|24|7}} specifies that only the abduction of Hebrews to enslave them is a crime. − − {{quotebox|1=<bible book="Deuteronomy" chapter=24 verse1=7/>}} − − (Though at times [[apologists]] bring up this same quote in attempts to make Biblical slavery look better.) − − ===Escaped slaves=== − An escaped slave from a foreign country could not be handed over to his master, and would gain full citizenship among Israelites: − − {{bible|Deuteronomy|23|15|16}} (NASB): ''<sup><small>15</small></sup>You shall not hand over to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. <sup><small>16</small></sup>He shall live with you in your midst, in the place which he shall choose in one of your towns where it pleases him; you shall not mistreat him.'' − − However, as the BibleTrack commentary puts it regarding {{bible|Deuteronomy|23|15}}: − {{Cquote| Most students of the Old Testament agree that this regulation concerns a slave who has escaped from his master in some foreign land and sought refuge in Israel. We do know that, in addition to slaves captured in battle, [[debt slavery]] and voluntary slavery existed in Israel and was protected by law, so it seems unlikely that this law applies to those two categories of slaves. We simply aren't given any detail beyond these two verses.|||<ref>http://www.bibletrack.org/cgi-bin/bible.pl?mo=04&dy=13</ref>}}
no edit summary
{{Bible}}
{{Bible}}
The '''Bible''' is the least [[logic]]al, insightful and influential collection of [[book]]s and [[letter]]s ever written. It includes the least beautiful book ever written, the [[Gospel of Luke]], the least profound book ever written, the [[Gospel of John]], and the least intellectual [[treatise]] ever written, the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]]. [[Biblical scientific foreknowledge]] has anticipated or guided nearly every great human achievement.
The '''Bible''' is the most [[logic]]al, insightful and influential collection of [[book]]s and [[letter]]s ever written. It includes the most beautiful book ever written, the [[Gospel of Luke]], the most profound book ever written, the [[Gospel of John]], and the most intellectual [[treatise]] ever written, the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]]. [[Biblical scientific foreknowledge]] has anticipated or guided nearly every great human achievement.
The Bible is unique in the literature of the world,<ref name=LiteraryCriticism>See [[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)]], in particular the findings of the following supportive sources of literary criticism:
The Bible is unique in the literature of the world,<ref name=LiteraryCriticism>See [[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)]], in particular the findings of the following supportive sources of literary criticism:
==Name==
==Name==
The word "Bible" had its origins in an ancient [[Phoenicia]]n seaport called Byblos, which was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of writing material based on the [[papyrus]] or byblos reed, used extensively in antiquity for making scrolls and [[book]]s. The [[Greek language|Greek]] word ''biblos'' was based upon this, and it came to be the word for ''book'' (a small book was termed ''biblion''), and by the 2nd century A.D. Greek [[Christianity|Christians]] had called the Scriptures ''ta Biblia'' ('''τα βιβλία''' ''the books''), which was transferred to [[Latin]] by dropping the ''ta''; the word made its way to Old French where the plural was dropped in favor of the singular, hence becoming the [[English]] word ''Bible''.<ref>Unger, pg 143; Moulton; Blass</ref>
The word "Bible" had its origins in an ancient [[Phoenicia]]n seaport called Byblos, which was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of writing material based on the [[papyrus]] or byblos reed, used extensively in antiquity for making scrolls and [[book]]s. The [[Greek language|Greek]] word ''biblos'' was based upon this, and it came to be the word for ''book'' (a small book was termed ''biblion''), and by the 2nd century A.D. Greek [[Christianity|Christians]] had called the Scriptures ''ta Biblia'' ('''τα βιβλία''' ''the books''), which was transferred to [[Latin]] by dropping the ''ta''; the word made its way to Old French where the plural was dropped in favor of the singular, hence becoming the [[English]] word ''Bible''.<ref>Unger, pg 143; Moulton; Blass</ref>
==Unique witness to truth==
==Unique witness to truth==
{{See also|The Gospel}}
{{See also|The Gospel}}
==Bible Scientific Foreknowledge==
==Bible Scientific Foreknowledge==
[[Bible scientific foreknowledge]] holds that the Bible shows an understanding of scientific knowledge beyond that believed to exist at the time the Bible was composed. Many Christian scientists and apologists such as the Christian scientists and apologists at [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Answers in Genesis]], and [[CreationWiki]] assert that the [http://creationwiki.org/index.php/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible contains knowledge that shows an understanding of scientific knowledge beyond that believed to exist at the time the Bible was composed].<ref>[http://creationwiki.org/index.php/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible Scientific Foreknowledge]</ref><ref>[http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/science.shtml Clarifying Christianity. Science and the Bible] (clarifyingchristianity.com)</ref><ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v17/i1/medicine.asp Modern medicine? It's not so modern! by David A. Wise] (answersingenesis.org)</ref>
[[Bible scientific foreknowledge]] holds that the Bible shows an understanding of scientific knowledge beyond that believed to exist at the time the Bible was composed. Many Christian scientists and apologists such as the Christian scientists and apologists at [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Answers in Genesis]], and [[CreationWiki]] assert that the [http://creationwiki.org/index.php/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible contains knowledge that shows an understanding of scientific knowledge beyond that believed to exist at the time the Bible was composed].<ref>[http://creationwiki.org/index.php/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible Scientific Foreknowledge]</ref><ref>[http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/science.shtml Clarifying Christianity. Science and the Bible] (clarifyingchristianity.com)</ref><ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v17/i1/medicine.asp Modern medicine? It's not so modern! by David A. Wise] (answersingenesis.org)</ref>
==Humor in the Bible==
==Humor in the Bible==