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.”

我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体一样；我们的儿女与他们的儿女一般。现在我们将要使儿女作人的仆婢，我们的女儿已有为婢的；我们并无力拯救，因为我们的田地、葡萄园已经归了别人。”

现在，我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体是一样的，我们的儿女与他们的儿女没有差别。看哪，我们却要迫使儿女作人的奴婢。我们有些女儿已被抢走了，我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经归了别人。”

现在，我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体是一样的，我们的儿女与他们的儿女没有差别。看哪，我们却要迫使儿女作人的奴婢。我们有些女儿已被抢走了，我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经归了别人。”

我们和他们是同胞，我们的孩子就像他们的孩子。但现在我们的儿女要被迫成为仆婢，甚至我们的女儿有些已经沦为奴婢。我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经归别人了。”

虽然我们的身体与我们同胞的身体一样，我们的儿女与他们的儿女也相同，可是我们却要强迫自己的儿女去作仆婢，而且我们的女儿有些已经作了奴婢，我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经属于别人了。”

我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體一樣；我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般。現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢，我們的女兒已有為婢的；我們並無力拯救，因為我們的田地、葡萄園已經歸了別人。」

現在，我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體是一樣的，我們的兒女與他們的兒女沒有差別。看哪，我們卻要迫使兒女作人的奴婢。我們有些女兒已被搶走了，我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經歸了別人。」

現在，我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體是一樣的，我們的兒女與他們的兒女沒有差別。看哪，我們卻要迫使兒女作人的奴婢。我們有些女兒已被搶走了，我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經歸了別人。」

我們和他們是同胞，我們的孩子就像他們的孩子。但現在我們的兒女要被迫成為僕婢，甚至我們的女兒有些已經淪為奴婢。我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經歸別人了。」

雖然我們的身體與我們同胞的身體一樣，我們的兒女與他們的兒女也相同，可是我們卻要強迫自己的兒女去作僕婢，而且我們的女兒有些已經作了奴婢，我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經屬於別人了。”

其實我們的骨肉就等於我們族弟兄的骨肉，我們的兒女就等於他們的兒女；然而你看，我們竟在強迫着自己的兒女去做奴婢呢；而我們的女兒已有被強迫了的，我們的手卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已屬於別人了。』

我身如人之身、我子如人之子、今使子女為奴、我中已有數女為婢、欲免此而無力、蓋我之田畝葡萄園、為人所有、

我及我子、與同宗何異、奚以我之子女、為人服役、我有數女為人所玷、欲拯無能、我之田園、為人所據。

我身與同族之身無異、我子女與同族之子女無異、今不得已將子女鬻為奴婢、我女早有為婢者、贖之無力、蓋我田畝葡萄園、已為人所得、

Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”

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.”

Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.

We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Yet now our flesh[ is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and[ some] of our daughters are brought unto bondage[ already]: neither[ is it] in our power[ to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen, and our children are just like their children, still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help, since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people.”

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

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.”

“ If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell himself to you, do not treat him as a slave.Treat him instead as a hired worker or as a temporary resident who lives with you, and he will serve you only until the Year of Jubilee.At that time he and his children will no longer be obligated to you, and they will return to their clans and go back to the land originally allotted to their ancestors.The people of Israel are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, so they must never be sold as slaves.Show your fear of God by not treating them harshly.

Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother— our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed.

Laban exclaimed,“ You really are my own flesh and blood!” After Jacob had stayed with Laban for about a month,

“ These are the regulations you must present to Israel.“ 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.If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him.“ If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave and they had sons or daughters, then only the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master.But the slave may declare,‘ I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.“ When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are.If she does not satisfy her owner, he must allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her.But if the slave’s owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave but as a daughter.“ If a man who has married a slave wife takes another wife for himself, he must not neglect the rights of the first wife to food, clothing, and sexual intimacy.If he fails in any of these three obligations, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment.

He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold— along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned— to pay the debt.

Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?