Exodus 21
- You could buy someone as a slave, but only for six years. In the seventh year, they go free. They could end with you for life if you give them a wife (and they now have a family). This is an interesting catch, it would seem that a man who has a slave in his family for life in this way is trying to build them up/look out for them (giving them a wife).
- You could sell your daughter as a servant. She could not be re-sold to foreigners. She had rights if he had her marry his son. If the man married another woman, he could not deprive the servant he bought. She’d be free if he did. Wow.
Exodus 21:12-36
- These things were punishable by death.
- If you struck someone with a fatal blow.
- If you schemed and deliberately killed someone.
- If you attacked (struck/killed) your father or mother.
- If you kidnapped someone.
- If you cursed your father or your mother.
- If you own an aggressive bull and have not penned it up properly and it kills someone, you too will be killed along with the bull.
- These things demand restitution
- If you hurt someone in a fight to the point they can’t work, you have to pay for their lost time.
- If you hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth to the child early, the offender must be fined.
- [Exo 21:23-25 NIV] – 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
- If an owner hits a slave and destroys their eye or knocks out a tooth, they must let them go free to compensate.
- These things demand punishment
- If you beat a slave and they die as a result.
Now, here is an interesting nugget. If a bull gores someone who is a SLAVE then the cost is 30 shekels of silver – paid to the SLAVE’s master.
Jesus said
- [Mat 20:26-28 NIV] – 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- [Mar 10:42-45 NIV] – 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- [Luk 22:27 NIV] – 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
None of us would argue that Jesus is LORD; he is the first and he is the greatest. Jesus even washed the feet of his disciples which is the lowest job even among slaves! What was a slave killed by a bull worth? 30 shekels of silver.
[Mat 26:14-16 NIV] – 14 Then one of the Twelve–the one called Judas Iscariot–went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Jesus quoted the 22nd Psalm.
[Psa 22:1 NIV] – 1 For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
[Psa 22:1, 12 NIV] – 1 For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? … 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.