Slavery in the Bible Slavery and religion

genesis narrative curse of ham has been held aetiological story, giving reason enslavement of canaanites. word ham similar hebrew word hot, cognate egyptian word (kem, meaning black) used refer egypt itself, in reference fertile black soil along nile valley. although many scholars therefore view ham eponym used represent egypt in table of nations, number of christians throughout history, including origen , cave of treasures, have argued alternate proposition ham represents black people, name symbolising dark skin colour; pro-slavery advocates, eutychius of alexandria , john philoponus, american pro-slavery apologists, have therefore interpreted narrative condemnation of black people slavery. few christians, jerome, took racist notion black people inherently had soul black [their] body.

slavery customary in antiquity, , condoned torah. bible uses hebrew term ebed refer slavery; however, ebed has wider meaning english term slavery, , in several circumstances more accurately translated english servant. seen legitimate enslave captives obtained through warfare, not through kidnapping. children sold debt bondage, ordered court of law.

as hittite laws , code of hammurabi, bible set minimum rules conditions under slaves kept. slaves treated part of extended family; allowed celebrate sukkot festival, , expected honour shabbat. israelite slaves not compelled work rigour, , debtors sold slaves creditors had treated same hired servant. if master harmed slave in 1 of ways covered lex talionis, slave compensated manumission; if slave died within 24 48 hours, or avenged (whether refers death penalty or not uncertain).

israelite slaves automatically manumitted after 6 years of work, and/or @ next jubilee (occurring either every 49 or every 50 years, depending on interpretation), although latter not apply if slave owned israelite , wasn t in debt bondage. slaves released automatically in 7th year of service, did not include female slaves, or did, given livestock, grain, , wine, parting gift (possibly hung round necks). 7th-year manumission voluntarily renounced, signified, in other ancient near eastern nations, slave gaining ritual ear piercing; after such renunciation, individual enslaved forever (and not released @ jubilee). non-israelite slaves enslaved forever, , treated inheritable property.

in several pauline epistles, , first epistle of peter, slaves admonished obey masters, lord, , not men; these particular pauline epistles pauline authorship doubted many modern scholars. contrast, first epistle corinthians, 1 of undisputed epistles, describes lawfully obtained manumission ideal slaves. undisputed epistle philemon, has become important text in regard slavery, being used pro-slavery advocates abolitionists; in epistle, paul returns onesimus, fugitive slave, master nature, opposed equality in mankind created.