The Hebrew terms used in reference to this subject are #AUVADH#,
_auvadh_, "to serve;" the noun, #EVEDH#, _evedh_, "servant" or
"bondman," one contracting service for a term of years; #SAUKIR#,
_saukir_, a "hired servant" daily or weekly; #AUMAU#, _aumau_, and
#SHIPHECHAU#, _shiphechau_, "maid-servant" or "handmaid;" but there is _no_
term in Hebrew synonymous with our word _slave_, for all the terms
applied to servants are, as we shall show, equally applicable and
applied to free persons.
The verb #AUVADH#, _auvadh_, according to Gesenius, signifies primarily,
to labor; then, to labor for one's self, for hire, or compulsory labor
as a captive or prisoner of war. Gen. 2:5, 15; 3:23; 29:15. Ex. 20:9;
21:2. Next, national servitude as tributary to others; as Sodom and the
cities of the plain to Chedorlaomer, Gen. 14:4; Esau to Jacob, Gen.
25:23; the Israelites in Canaan to surrounding nations, Moabites,
Philistines, and others, Judg. 3:8; Jer. 27:7, 9. Next, national and
personal servitude or serfdom, as of the Israelites in Egypt. Lastly,
the service of God or idols, Judg. 3:7, &c. From these and similar
passages we see that neither the generic nor specific meaning of the
term, taken in its connections, implies chattel slavery, but labor,
voluntary, hired, or compulsory, as of tributary nations or prisoners of
war, whose claim to regain, if possible, their freedom and rights, is
ever admitted and acted on; showing that freedom is the normal state of
man, subjection and compulsory servitude the abnormal and unnatural.
But it is objected that, though the proper meaning of the verb "to
serve" does not imply chattel slavery, it is certain that the derived
noun #EVEDH#, _evedh_, translated "servant" and "bondman" in our
version, is frequently used to designate involuntary servitude, the
service of one "bought with money," and therefore a chattel slave. We
reply, By far the most frequent use of this term, as is well known,
represents either the common deferential mode of address of inferiors to
superiors, or equals to equals, used then and to-day in the East, or the
political subordination of inferior to superior rank invariably existing
in Eastern governments. Otherwise we have Jacob saying to Esau, "The
children which God hath graciously given thy" _slave_; and Joseph's
brethren saying to him, "Thou saidst to thy _slaves_, Bring him down to
me." "When we came up to thy _slave_ my father." Saul's officers and
soldiers are his slaves, David is Jonathan's, and _vice versa_; Abigail,
David's wife, is his slave; his people, officers, and even embassadors
are all his slaves; all are slaves to each other, and none are masters,
unless it be the king.
How, then, can we properly define the meaning and status of the term
"servant" in any particular passage? We answer, only by the context and
the usage of the particular time and place, so far as known.