[84] Oppert, loc. cit. p. 125 sqq.
[85] Kohler and Peiser, Aus dem babylonischen Rechtsleben, ii, 52 sqq.
[86] Oppert, loc. cit. pp. 122, 128.
[87] Meissner, op. cit. p. 7. Oppert, loc. cit. p. 122. Oppert and Ménant, Documents juridiques de l’Assyrie et de la Chaldée, p. 14.
[88] Oppert, loc. cit. p. 121.
Among the Hebrews the slave class consisted of captives taken in war;[89] of persons bought with money from neighbouring nations or from foreign residents in the land;[90] of children of slaves born in the house;[91] of native Hebrews who had been sold by their fathers,[92] or who either alone or with their wives and children had fallen into slavery in consequence of poverty,[93] or who had been sold by the authorities as slaves on account of theft when unable to pay compensation for the stolen property.[94] To deprive an Israelite of his freedom for any other reason, to steal him, use him as a slave, or sell him, was a crime punishable with death.[95] And even the Israelite who lost his liberty because he had become poor on account of poverty was not to be treated in the same way as the slave of foreign origin. He could not be compelled to serve as a bondservant, only as a hired servant.[96] He should not be ruled over with rigour.[97] He might not only be redeemed at any time by his relatives, but if not redeemed he was bound to receive his freedom without payment in the seventh year, and then the master should not let him go away empty, but furnish him liberally out of his flock, his floor, and his wine-press.[98] Slaves of foreign extraction, on the other hand, were not to be emancipated, but should remain slaves for ever, descending to children and children’s children.[99] But in no case had the master absolute power over his slave. Whether the latter was an Israelite or a foreigner, his life, and to some extent his body, were protected by law;[100] and if a slave escaped from a hard master, he should not be given up, but be allowed to live unmolested in the place which he should choose in one of the cities of Israel.[101] From everything that we read about slaves among the Hebrews it appears that they were regarded as inferior members of the family, and that the house-father cared for their well-being hardly less than for that of his own children.[102] In the Talmud masters are repeatedly admonished to treat their slaves with kindness;[103] traffic in human beings is regarded as an occupation which incapacitates the dealer to sit as judge;[104] and emancipation of slaves is practically encouraged in various ways,[105] in spite of the dictum of certain rabbis that he who emancipates his slave transgresses the positive precept of Leviticus xxv. 46, “They shall be your bondmen for ever.”[106]
[89] Deuteronomy, xx. 14.
[90] Leviticus, xxv. 44 sqq.
[91] Genesis, xiv. 14.
[92] Exodus, xxi. 7.