https://carm.

org/slavery/the-bible-leviticus-2544-46-and-inherited-slaves/

Critics of the Bible often claim that the Mosaic law establishes a system of perpetual slavery and inherited
slaves. This argument is overly simplistic and ignores both the totality of what the text says and also the
broader historical context. The primary passage reads:
Leviticus 25:44–46, “As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male
and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. 45 ‘Then, too, it is out of the sons of the
sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are
with you, whom they will have produced in your land; they also may become your possession [achuzzah].
46 ‘You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession [achuzzah]; you can
use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule
with severity over one another.”
There a several key things to note. First of all, the Old Testament did not establish slavery. It
acknowledged its reality and sought to work to curb its practice. Inherited slaves existed, as did poverty
and war, none of which were what God had prescribed for mankind. He allowed slavery just as He
allowed poverty and war to exist due to our rebellion against Him.
Nevertheless, we find in this section of Scripture (Lev. 25:44-46) the concept of perpetual slavery of non-
Jews. The Hebrew people born in Israel could become indentured servants but were released in the year
of Jubilee (Lev. 25:10, 13). This did not apply to the non-Jews. Apparently, they did not have the same
rights as the Israelites did in this regard and could become inherited slaves passed from one generation
to the next.
Of course, when we use the word “slave,” we are not accurately representing the concept that existed in
Ancient Israel. Unfortunately, too many people think of Old Testament slavery as the same as kind as
chattel slavery where the person was considered mere property and had absolutely no rights. But that’s
not the slavery of the Old Testament. Even inherited slaves had lots of rights.

Both Jewish and Gentile slaves had many of the same rights

There was no differentiation between Jewish slaves and non-Jewish slaves in several areas. Both were
under the same law (Numbers 15:15–16), could be beaten as punishment (Deut. 25:1-3; Exod. 21:20-
21; Prov. 22:15; 23:13-14; 26:3), could not be murdered (Leviticus 24:21–22), and were to be treated
properly (Exodus 23:9). They would be set free if they were injured (Exodus 21:26-27). Furthermore,
they were not considered property in the same sense as an ox or coat because escaped slaves were not to
be returned (Deut. 23:15-16) as was property (Exodus 23:4; Deut. 22:1–4).
“…when property is spoken of, oxen, sheep, &c., the term owner is always used, master never; when
servants and masters are spoken of, master is always used, owner never.”
Allen, Isaac. Is Slavery Sanctioned by the Bible? (p. 13). Kindle Edition.

Some of the permanent slaves could own property and even prosper above those of the Israelites (Lev.
25:47). A woman bought as a wife for his son was to be treated as a daughter (Exodus 21:8-9), and those
who were women who were taken captive from war and became wives were allowed a month to mourn
their families (Deut. 21:10-13). Such women, if they were divorced, were set free (Deut. 21:14). There
“inherited slaves” had many legal protections not typically associated with conceptions of slavery in
other parts of the world or times in history.

No Intermingling allowed: Inherited slaves and Isrealite bloodlines

I suspect that the Gentile slaves’ permanent condition was because God wanted to keep the people of
Israel intact so the Messiah can be born through them as had been prophesied (Num. 24:17; 2 Sam. 7:12-
16; Deut. 18:15-19; Daniel 9:24-27). But the existence of slaves within the Jewish culture had the
potential of thwarting the messianic line through intermarriage and the introduction of false gods from
those who were captives. This would explain why all slaves were required to follow Jewish religious
practices (Gen. 17:13; Exodus 12:44; Lev. 22:11). Therefore, non-Jewish slaves were not to be set free
and thereby intermingle with the people of Israel. In light of this, it would make sense why non-Jewish
slaves could be kept as slaves permanently, and Jewish families could inherit them. But, since they were
not considered strict property, it must be that the work these inherited slaves produced was considered
the property of the master.

To where would a freed non-Jewish slave go?

Furthermore, non-Jewish slaves were mostly captured in war and sold to Jews or captured by the Jews.
If the slaves were freed, they would have no immediate families within Israel to which they could go and
be economically sustained. Plus, travel back to their original land could be costly and once they were
there, there was no guarantee they could survive since the land and people had been desolated.
Furthermore, they may not have been allowed to return to their original homeland lest they regather and
become a threat again to the nation of Israel.

Conclusion: Looking at ancient inherited slaves in context

Where Jewish slaves were to be set free the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:10, 13), non-Jewish slaves were kept
perpetually. Gentiles could be inherited slaves. But, they were not considered property the way an ox or
a cloak would have been since property was to be returned to the owner (Exodus 23:4; Deut. 22:1–4),
but escaped slaves were not (Deut. 23:15-16). Therefore, it makes sense to say that the work produced
by the slaves was considered property. Furthermore, both Jew and non-Jewish slaves were under the
same law (Numbers 15:15–16). Both could be beaten as punishment (Deut. 25:1-3; Exod. 21:20-
21; Prov. 22:15; 23:13-14; 26:3), but not murdered (Leviticus 24:21–22). Both were to be treated
properly (Exodus 23:9). Both were freed if they were injured (Exodus 21:26-27). Finally, since Gentile
slaves were often obtained via war, they were not to be set free lest they intermingle the people of Israel
and threaten the messianic line through whom Christ was born.