Featured Old Testament — okay to beat your slave as long as they don’t die in a day or two ? ! ?

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 21 - New Living Translation

Fair Treatment of Slaves - “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...

www.biblegateway.com

10 "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. 11 If he fails in any of these three obligations, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment.”

— New Living Translation

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 21 - English Standard Version

Laws About Slaves - “Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If...

www.biblegateway.com

10 “If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.”

— English Standard Version

— — —

Okay, so not every version uses the jarring phrase “slave wife,” but still!

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

King James Version —

verse 10 “If he take him another wife; . . . ”

— — —

New International Version, abbreviated NIV —

10 “If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one . . . ”

— — —

It looks like most versions do not use the jarring phrasing.

The “Living Bible” is a paraphrase. But I think the “New Living Translation” is more of a translation which leans more on "thought for thought" side.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

So far I've only found that the New Living Translation includes that part about "slave wife". I don't know if that's just adding too much to the text or if it would matter if it's already implied.

This does not mean the women were actual slaves, but purchased to be wives

are you sure?

I'm sure some female slaves eventually became wives. That's what concubines were back then. But not all female slaves were wives since it seems even women could have female slaves, like in this story about Leah in Genesis 30:9.

9 Meanwhile, Leah realized that she wasn’t getting pregnant anymore, so she took her servant, Zilpah, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

It's clear here that Zilpah at some point was a slave and not a wife. Later on she was given to Jacob.

 

[Scooter]

This does not mean the women were actual slaves, but purchased to be wives

are you sure?

Look at the context. It is speaking of the woman becoming the purchaser’s wife or his son’s wife.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

It's clear here that Zilpah at some point was a slave and not a wife. Later on she was given to Jacob.

almost sounds like a porn movie . . . or a soap opera. *

The literalists can try to put the best face on it, but Holy Cow!

* people tend to have wild fantasies

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Most practicing, devout Christians —

the lesson of the Old Testament is about God making a Covenant with the people, and God leading the Israelites out of bondage.

The people pull away from God many times. But each and every time God sends a prophet.

———

The modern lesson ...

God is alway there waiting patiently. It's we that pull away, not God.

————

Most Christians think it's a mistake to rabbit-hole too deeply. And they don't get hung up about whether Jonah was really in the fish's belly for 3 days, etc, etc.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

So far I've only found that the New Living Translation includes that part about "slave wife".

If you've looked at additional versions, please tell me which ones so I won't have to duplicate the work.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

It is speaking of the woman becoming the purchaser’s wife or his son’s wife.

But the part in verse 11 in which the woman goes free without payment in some circumstances. And by implication, not in other circumstances.