136 Torah Book & Portion, Book of Exodus, Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18), Source Book Keys, OXFORD EXODUS | 21:2 free — EXOD521 The legal and moral distinction between I... EXOD521 The legal and moral distinction between Israelites and others is also made in the case of slaves. The term of service of a Hebrew slave is limited to six years, and he is manumitted in the seventh (Exodus 21:2, Deuteronomy 15:12). This restriction of slavery is surely based on Israel's own experience of harsh servitude in Egypt. Leviticus 25:39-42 goes further and effectively abolishes slavery for the Israelite; his status is rather as "a hired or bound labor" who sells his capacity for labor, but not as person, and he is manumitted in the fiftieth year of a fixed cycle, the Jubilee year. (Continued at [[LEV1093]] Leviticus 25:45 property OXFORD 47) (By Elaine Adler Goodfriend, “Ethical Theory and Practice in the Hebrew Bible) Share Print Source KeyOXFORDVerse21:2Keyword(s)freeSource Page(s)47 Switch article EXODUS | 21:1 them — EXOD520 The basis of Jewish social life being the... Previous Article EXODUS | 21:2 servant — EXOD522 Observe the laws of the Hebrew servant. H... Next Article