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

“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.

“‘ Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they sell themselves to you. Then 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 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.

“ If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom.

But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for forced labor. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, government officials, officers and captains in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.

We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others.”

One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out,“ My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.”

passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat them as slaves, but you must never treat your fellow Israelites this way.

“ If a fellow Hebrew sells himself or herself to be your servant and serves you for six years, in the seventh year you must set that servant free.“ When you release a male servant, do not send him away empty handed.Give him a generous farewell gift from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Share with him some of the bounty with which the Lord your God has blessed you.

All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up. Then many nations and great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon.

I told them that every Hebrew slave must be freed after serving six years. But your ancestors paid no attention to me.

For in that day,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,“ I will break the yoke from their necks and snap their chains. Foreigners will no longer be their masters.

But if it happens in daylight, the one who killed the thief is guilty of murder.“ A thief who is caught must pay in full for everything he stole. If he cannot pay, he must be sold as a slave to pay for his theft.

They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands.

Many nations and great kings will enslave the Babylonians, just as they enslaved my people. I will punish them in proportion to the suffering they cause my people.”