“‘ Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they sell themselves to you. Then do not make them work as slaves.

“你的弟兄若在你那里渐渐穷乏，将自己卖给你，不可叫他像奴仆服侍你。

“你的弟兄在你那里若渐渐贫穷，将自己卖给你，你不可叫他像奴仆服事你。

“你的弟兄在你那里若渐渐贫穷，将自己卖给你，你不可叫他像奴仆服事你。

“如果你们的同胞穷得把自己卖给你们，不可把他当作奴隶，

“你的兄弟在你那里若是贫穷了，卖身给你，你不可逼他作奴仆的工作。

「你的弟兄若在你那裏漸漸窮乏，將自己賣給你，不可叫他像奴僕服事你。

「你的弟兄在你那裏若漸漸貧窮，將自己賣給你，你不可叫他像奴僕服事你。

「你的弟兄在你那裏若漸漸貧窮，將自己賣給你，你不可叫他像奴僕服事你。

「如果你們的同胞窮得把自己賣給你們，不可把他當作奴隸，

“你的兄弟在你那裡若是貧窮了，賣身給你，你不可逼他作奴僕的工作。

『你的族弟兄在你那裏若變成貧乏，將自己賣給你，你不可叫他作奴隸的工：

如宗族中、有匱乏者、自鬻於爾、勿視若奴、

如宗族貧乏、自鬻於爾、勿視若奴、

若爾族中人貧乏、鬻己於爾、毋役之如奴、

“‘ If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.

“ If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave:

“ If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell himself to you, do not treat him as a slave.

“ If your brother among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, you must not force him to do slave labor.

‘ Now if a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service.

‘ And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave.

And if thy brother be waxed poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee; thou shalt not make him to serve as a bond- servant.

“ If your brother among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, you must not force him to do slave labor.

And if thy brother[ that dwelleth] by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:

“‘ If your brother becomes impoverished with regard to you so that he sells himself to you, you must not subject him to slave service.

“‘ If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you, you shall not make him to serve as a slave.

“ Suppose you buy a Hebrew servant. He must serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, you must set him free. He does not have to pay anything.

But Solomon didn’t force any of the Israelites to work as his slaves. Instead, some were his fighting men. Others were his government officials, his officers and his captains. Others were commanders of his chariots and chariot drivers.

We belong to the same family lines as the rest of our people. Our children are as good as theirs. But we’ve had to sell them off as slaves. Some of our daughters have already been made slaves. But we can’t do anything about it. That’s because our fields and vineyards now belong to others.”

The wife of a man from the group of the prophets cried out to Elisha. She said,“ My husband is dead. You know how much respect he had for the Lord. But he owed money to someone. And now that person is coming to take my two boys away. They will become his slaves.”

You can leave them to your children as their share of your property. You can make them slaves for life. But when you rule over your own people, you must be kind to them.

Suppose any Hebrew men or women sell themselves to you. If they do, they will serve you for six years. Then in the seventh year you must let them go free.But when you set them free, don’t send them away without anything to show for all their work.Freely give them some animals from your flock. Also give them some of your grain and wine. The Lord your God has blessed you richly. Give to them as he has given to you.

All the nations will serve him and his son and grandson. After that, I will judge his land. Then many nations and great kings will make him serve them.

‘ Every seventh year you must set your people free. Each of you must set free all the Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. Let them serve you for six years. Then you must let them go free.’( Deuteronomy 15:12) But your people of long ago did not listen to me. They did not pay any attention to me.

“‘ At that time I will break the yoke off their necks,’ announces the Lord who rules over all.‘ I will tear off the ropes that hold them. People from other lands will not make them slaves anymore.

But suppose it happens after the sun has come up. Then you are guilty of murder.“ Anyone who steals must pay for whatever they steal. But suppose the thief does not have anything. Then the thief must be sold to pay for what was stolen.

The people suffered because of their hard labor. The slave drivers forced them to work with bricks and mud. And they made them do all kinds of work in the fields. The Egyptians didn’t show them any pity at all. They made them work very hard.

The people of Babylon will become slaves of many other nations and great kings. I will pay them back for what they have done.’ ”