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Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Spurgeon - Moses did not institute slavery in any shape; the laws concerning it were made on purpose to repress it, to confine it within very narrow bounds, and ultimately to put an end to it. Alan
Êxodo 21
Spurgeon comments on Hebrew slavery - THE slavery which existed among the ancient Jews was a very different thing from that which has disgraced humanity in modern times, and it ought also to be remembered that Moses did not institute slavery in any shape or fashion. The laws concerning it were made on purpose to repress it, to confine it within very narrow bounds, and ultimately to put an end to it. It was like the law of divorce—Moses authored that law, but he knew that the people were so deeply rooted in it that it could not be forbidden. And therefore, as Jesus tells us, Moses, because of the hardness of their hearts, allowed them to put away their wives. And so, I may say, because of the hardness of their hearts he allowed them, still, to retain persons in servitude; but he made the laws very stringent, so as almost to prevent it. Among other repressive regulations, this was one, that when a slave ran away from his master it was contrary to law for anyone to assist in sending him back again. And with such a law as that, you can clearly see that nobody need remain a slave, since he could run away if he liked; it was nobody’s business—no, it was a sin for anybody to force him back again. Now, if a man can go when he likes, his slavery is a very different thing from that which still curses many parts of the earth; but the case stood thus, and sometimes persons who were insolvent, who could not pay, were compelled by the law to give their services to their creditors for a certain number of years, always limited, as you see in this case, to six. A man who had committed theft, instead of putting the country to the expense of a prison, was sometimes fined for his theft sevenfold; and if he had no money he was placed in servitude till he had bought himself free again—an institution not altogether indefensible, I think, and having a good deal of rough justice about it. Sometimes a person who was extremely poor would sell his services for the six years, which are here prescribed, to some wealthy person who was bound to house him, clothe him, and feed him. This is very much like a system which still exists in some parts of our own country, where a person’s services are hired for the year, with so much nourishment to be given, and so much of wages.(Sermon - Ear Bored with an Awl) Related Resources: Does the Bible condone slavery? | GotQuestions.org David Thompson gives some background on slaves in the Old Testament... Now this first part of the Law starts with a focus on the treatment of human beings. Specifically, this part of the O.T. Law starts by presenting laws pertaining to human beings who could be mistreated and abused the most and that would be the slaves. Now slaves were a fact of life when the O.T. was written. In fact, the Hebrew words translated “servant,” “slave” or “maidservant” are used more than 1000 times in the Old Testament. The normal word that is used for “slave” (ebed) means a servant or slave and it may also be used in a context of a worker or laborer (William Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon, pp. 559-600). During this time there were no businesses or corporations who hired people. Almost all of the businesses were what we would call “small businesses” in the sense that they were family owned and family operated. The “servant/slaves” in the O.T. context were humans who were owned by masters and they needed work and because they worked for a master, they could be exploited. They did not have much and they did not run companies so they were subject to the masters who owned them. So God begins with a series of laws that apply to them. What these slave laws did was to give employees and employers certain rights. The Egyptians had mistreated Israel by forcing Israel into horrible slave labor situations, and God’s Law protected that from happening in His people and nation. Now there were various kinds of slaves in the O.T.. 1) There were foreign -born slaves whose lives had been spared in war on the condition that they would become permanent workers in Israel (Josh. 9:23; 1 Sam. 4:9). 2) There were six -year servant slaves, who worked for an employer for six years in return for wages and benefits. 3) There were servant- born slaves, who were born into a master’s house, who owed the master something for providing housing and wages and care. 4) There were temporary slaves or servants who worked for a master for a temporary period of time (maybe even one day) for wages. (Sermon) Exodus 21:3 "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. BGT Exodus 21:3 ἐὰν αὐτὸς μόνος εἰσέλθῃ καὶ μόνος ἐξελεύσεται ἐὰν δὲ γυνὴ συνεισέλθῃ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐξελεύσεται καὶ ἡ γυνὴ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ NET Exodus 21:3 If he came in by himself he will go out by himself; if he had a wife when he came in, then his wife will go out with him. NLT Exodus 21:3 If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him. ESV Exodus 21:3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. LXE Exodus 21:3 If he should have come in alone, he shall also go forth alone; and if his wife should have gone in together with him, his wife also shall go out. KJV Exodus 21:3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. NIV Exodus 21:3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. ASV Exodus 21:3 If he come in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he be married, then his wife shall go out with him. CSB Exodus 21:3 If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. NKJ Exodus 21:3 "If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. NRS Exodus 21:3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. YLT Exodus 21:3 if by himself he cometh in, by himself he goeth out; if he is owner of a wife, then his wife hath gone out with him; comes in alone - De 15:12-14 Exodus 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries STATUS OF SLAVE'S RELEASE DEPENDS ON WHETHER SINGLE OR MARRIED If he comes alone, he shall go out alone - The NLT is a good interpretation - "If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single." If he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him - Literally - "if he was a possessor of a wife" Again the NLT is a good interpretation - "But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him." The point is that if a husband had to be enslaved (e.g., as payment of a debt), his wife was also brought into the household as a slave, but would also be released in year seven of service. Exodus 21:4 "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. NET Exodus 21:4 If his master gave him a wife, and she bore sons or daughters, the wife and the children will belong to her master, and he will go out by himself. NLT Exodus 21:4 "If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave and they had sons or daughters, then only the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master. ESV Exodus 21:4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out alone. LXE Exodus 21:4 Moreover, if his master give him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters, the wife and the children shall be his master's; and he shall go forth alone. KJV Exodus 21:4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. NIV Exodus 21:4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. shall belong to her master Ex 4:22 Ge 14:14 15:3 17:13,27 18:19 Ec 2:7 Jer 2:14 Exodus 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries 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 - "The slave would not have the right or the means to acquire a wife. Thus, the idea of the master's "giving" him a wife is clear – the master would have to pay the bride price and make the provision. In this case, the wife and the children are actually the possession of the master unless the slave were to pay the bride price – but he is a slave because he got into debt. The law assumes that the master was better able to provide for this woman than the freed slave and that it was most important to keep the children with the mother. " (NET Note)
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Spurgeon comments the slave who desires to remain under the master - Well, the law here says that if a man should have sold himself, or by insolvency should have come to be sold to his master, at the end of six years he might go free; he was quite free to leave his master’s house and go where he pleased, but it seems that the servitude was so exceedingly light, and, indeed, was so much for the benefit of the person in it, that frequently men would not go free. They preferred to continue as they were—servants to their masters. Now, as it was not desirable that this should often be the case, and as it was recognized that oppressive masters might sometimes frighten a servant into such an agreement, the law was made that in such a case the matter must be brought before the judges. And before them the man must say plainly—note that word—he must say it very distinctly and plainly, so that there was no doubt about it, that it really was his wish not to accept his liberty, but to remain as he was. And then, after he had stated his desire and given as his reason that he loved his master—and loved the children and the wife that he had obtained in his service—his ear was to be pierced against the door of the house. This ceremony was intended to put a little difficulty in the way, that he might hesitate and say, “No, I won’t agree to that,” and so might, as was most proper, go free. But if he agreed to that somewhat painful ceremony, and if he declared before the judges that it was his own act and deed, then he was to remain the servant of his chosen master as long as he lived! (Sermon - Ear Bored with an Awl) Exodus 21:6 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. NET Exodus 21:6 then his master must bring him to the judges, and he will bring him to the door or the doorposts, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. NLT Exodus 21:6 If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life. ESV Exodus 21:6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. LXE Exodus 21:6 his master shall bring him to the judgment-seat of God, and then shall he bring him to the door,-- to the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever. KJV Exodus 21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. NIV Exodus 21:6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. ASV Exodus 21:6 then his master shall bring him unto God, and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. CSB Exodus 21:6 his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master must pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life. NKJ Exodus 21:6 "then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever. NRS Exodus 21:6 then his master shall bring him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life. YLT Exodus 21:6 then hath his lord brought him nigh unto God, and hath brought him nigh unto the door, or unto the side-post, and his lord hath bored his ear with an awl, and he hath served him -- to the age. NAB Exodus 21:6 his master shall bring him to God and there, at the door or doorpost, he shall pierce his ear with an awl, thus keeping him as his slave forever. NJB Exodus 21:6 then his master will bring him before God and then, leading him to the door or the doorpost, his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and the slave will be permanently his. GWN Exodus 21:6 then his master must bring him to God. The master must bring him to the door or the doorframe and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his slave for life. his master shall bring him: Ex 21:22 12:12 18:21-26 22:8,9,28 Nu 25:5-8 De 1:16 16:18 De 19:17,18 1Sa 8:1,2 Isa 1:26 Zep 3:3 shall pierce his ear: . Ps 40:6-8 shall serve him permanently: Lev 25:23,40 De 15:17 1Sa 1:22 27:12 28:2 1Ki 12:7 Spurgeon's sermon The Ear Bored with an Awl Exodus 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BECOMING A "LOVE SLAVE" PIERCING THE EAR WITH AN AWL Then his master shall bring him to God - Note that there is a difference in renderings of the phrase bring him to God, several versions (NET, NIV, KJV) favoring the rendering "Bring him to the judges." (see NET Note below). The NASB has a marginal note "the judges who acted in God's name." Either translation signifies that there is to be an authoritative witness, either God Himself or judges who represent Him. NET Note - The word is הָאֱלֹהִים (ha’elohim). S. R. Driver (Exodus, 211) says the phrase means “to God,” namely the nearest sanctuary in order that the oath and the ritual might be made solemn, although he does say that it would be done by human judges. That the reference is to Yahweh God is the view also of F. C. Fensham, “New Light on Exodus 21:7 and 22:7 from the Laws of Eshnunna,” JBL 78 (1959): 160–61. Cf. also ASV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT. Others have made a stronger case that it refers to judges who acted on behalf of God; Then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl - Since the expression "to have an open ear" meant "to obey," a pierced ear lobe was an ancient symbol of obedience. See also Spurgeon's sermon The Ear Bored with an Awl. THOUGHT - Larry Richards' applies the slave's pierced ear - In a real sense, we Christians are to be a people of pierced ears. Our commitment to Jesus is not made simply that we might enjoy the benefits of salvation. Our commitment acknowledges Christ as Lord. It is because Jesus is Lord that our spiritual ears are to be always open to him. Our obedience is to be the lifelong mark of our choice of Jesus as Savior and Lord. (Expository Dictionary) THOUGHT - Beloved, is this literal mark (pierce his ear with an awl) not a picture of the heart attitude every blood bought believer should have as bondservants of our loving Master the Lord Jesus Christ, Who Himself took "the form of a bondservant" and out of love humbled "Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Php 2:5-10+), allowing Himself to be pierced with nails that we might be permanently bound to Him in the New Covenant! Currid - The act is carried out at the doorpost to recall Israel’s putting the blood of the covenant on their doorposts in Egypt. The piercing of the slave’s ear is also a bloody ritual symbolizing a covenant, an oath between the Hebrew servant and his Hebrew master. It should be noted that, according to Deuteronomy 15:17, this law of servitude applies to both male and female slaves. (Ibid) Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - This significant ceremony was intended as a mark of permanent servitude, and was calculated to impress the servant with the duty of hearing all his master's orders, and obeying them punctually And he shall serve him permanently - Even as the scar was permanent, so too was to be the servitude. A female servant was not automatically set free after six years.