42. Does God approve of slavery?

Yes, God approves of slavery.

Bible stories that show God's approval of slavery:
After the flood, the "just and righteous" Noah (Genesis 6:9, 7:1) got drunk, and lay around naked in his tent. When his son, Ham, saw his father in this condition, Noah cursed not Ham, but Ham's son, Canaan, and all of Canaan's descendants, saying, "A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." This is one of many Bible passages that have been used to justify slavery.
God blessed Abraham by giving him lots of slaves ("servants" in the KJV), insisting that all the male slaves be circumscised.
And the LORD hath blessed my master [Abraham] greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. Genesis 24:35


When Sarah's slave Hagar flees from Sarah who is mistreating her (with Abraham's blessing), God sends an angel to tell her to go back to her abusive owner.
Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. ... And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her. hands. Genesis 16:8-9
God cursed the Gibeonites to be slaves of the Jews forever.
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. ... And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day. Joshua 9:23-27
Rules for slave owners from the Hebrew Scriptures:
Don't let any of your uncircumcised slaves eat the Passover meal.
Don't covet your neighbor's slaves. (It's one of the the Ten Commandments.)


When buying slaves, be sure to follow God's instructions. Espeically if you are a priest, buying a poor brother, or selling your daughter. Although special rules apply for Hebrew slaves, it's always OK to buy foreigners, who can be inherited from one generation to another forever.
If thou buy a Hebrew servant.... Exodus 21:2

And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman be sold unto thee.... Deuteronomy 15:12

If the priest buy any soul with his money.... Leviticus 22:11

And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee.... Leviticus 25:39

And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant.... Exodus 21:7


But don't get caught stealing a slave, or you'll be put to death.
He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. Exodus 21:16




If your ox gores ("pushes" in the KJV) someone's slave, pay the slave owner thirty shekels of silver.
If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver. Exodus 21:32
Sell poor thiefs as slaves to pay for their theft.
If a man has sex with an engaged slave woman, scourge the woman, but don't punish the man, because she was a slave.
Rules for obtaining slaves during wartime.


Some of Jesus's parables seem to approve of slavery and beating slaves.


The New Testament's epistles approve of slavery and command slaves to obey their masters.





Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Titus 2:9-10


No, God disapproves of slavery.

Love your neighbors. (Don't enslave them.)
Love thy neighbor as thyself. Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:31, Matthew 22:39
Don't do anything wrong to strangers. (Like enslave them.) Love strangers as yourself.
The stranger ... you shall not do him wrong. . . . you shall love him as yourself. Leviticus 19:33-34
Pay workers a fair (nonzero) wage for their labors.


And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against ... those that oppress the hireling in his wages. Malachi 3:5

Proclaim liberty throughout the land. (In a land of liberty, everyone is free.)
Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. Leviticus 25:10
Don't oppress one another. (Slavery is the untimate oppression.)
Ye shall not therefore oppress one another. Leviticus 25:17
Don't rob or oppress the poor. (By making them slaves.)
Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. Proverbs 22:22-23


Don't return runaway slaves to their owners.
Don't call anyone your master. (Except for Jesus.)
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. Matthew 23:10
Don't serve other men. Serve only God.
Instead of fasting, God want us to set slaves free.
Jesus said that his followers cannot "excercise lordship" over one another. (As a slave owner does to his slave.)

Christian Responses
Evidence for God
Information about God

Bible-based advocacy of slavery

Why does God hate amputees?
Why does God love slavery?

Pro-Slavery Links
Thorton Stringfellow: A Scriptural View of Slavery
Credenda Agenda: Moses and the XIII Amendment

Anti-Slavery Links
George Bourne: Anti-Slavery Bible Argument
Acts of the Anti-Slavery Apostles
The Biblical Studies Foundation: Slavery