In the ancient world, most people became slaves either because they prisoners of war or because they had incurred tremendous debts. But the Law of Moses made it clear that, regardless of the reason for anyone’s slavery, it was not to be considered a permanent situation, at least not for men. Slaves only had to serve their masters for six years (21:2) – a condition much more similar to the “indentured service” that allowed many Europeans to immigrate to America in colonial times. The hereditary, race-based slavery that existed in America before 1865 was simply not in view.

Of course, things were much harder for ancient women, who had few rights or freedoms whether they were slave or free. In fact, verses 7-11 indicate that many women were bought as slaves in order to become wives or concubines – a horrible thought, but one that explains why their slavery was considered permanent.

For think about it: in the days when a woman had no way to support herself outside the home, it would have been terribly unjust for a man to set a female slave free after six years of that kind of service. For who would take such a woman to be his wife? For female slaves, freedom would have doomed them and their children to crushing poverty.

That’s why Moses made it clear that, once a female slave came into a man’s house, she and her children had a right to be supported (v. 10). In some cases, she was even to be treated like a daughter (v. 9). And the only way she could be released would be for another man, and specifically one of God’s people, to redeem her (v. 8), thus taking responsibility for her.

So, how can we translate these principles into the modern world? Well, if ancient slaves only had to work for 6 years, wouldn’t God want us modern Christians to be just as fair to those who work for us, instead of taking advantage of them? If female slaves and their children had a right to support, wouldn’t God expect modern men to take responsibility for their families by marrying their wives and providing for their children? And if ancient slaves, the least important people in their society, were to be treated with fairness, justice, and kindness, surely the folks around us who have fallen on hard times deserve nothing less.

Exodus 21:1-11 (NASB)

“Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them.
2 “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.
3 “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.
4 “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.
5 “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’
6 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.
7 “And if a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do.
8 “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.
9 “And if he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters.
10 “If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights.
11 “And if he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.