II. SERVANT. The Hebrews had two Levit. xxv. 44, 45, &c.sorts of Servants or Slaves. Some were Strangers, either bought, or taken in the Wars, and their Masters kept them, exchanged them, or sold them; in a Word, dispos’d of them as their own Goods. The others were Hebrew Slaves, who being poor, sold themselves, or were sold to pay their Debts; or were deliver’d up for Slaves by their Parents, in Cases of Necessity. This sort of Hebrew Slaves continued in Slavery but to the Year of Jubilee; then they might return to Liberty again, and their Masters could not retain them against their Wills. If they would continue voluntarily with their Masters, they were brought before the Judges; there they made a Declaration, that for this Time they disclaim’d the Privilege of the Law, had their Ears bored with an Awl, by applying them to the
Exod. xxi. 2, 5, 6, 7, &c.Door-posts of their Master; and after that they had no longer any Power of recovering their Liberty, except at the next Year of Jubilee, which was at the end of nine and forty Years.