What does God have against slaves?

Question

Ex 21:20-21

When a slave-owner strikes a male of female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. But if the slave survives for a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner's property.

What does the all wise and powerful God mean by this?

...so, here we have God-condoned beating of slaves, where the slave-owner is merely to be "punished" for murder (whatever that means).
Does the all wise creator need to get into slave-beating politics?

Answer 1

That passage (even up into the New Testament, the book of Philemon is written to a slave owner) has more to do about the interactions between people of different classes. Back then the owning of slaves was completely acceptable, and the Bible created a code of conduct between slave and owner that wasn't as iron-fisted as 'anything goes'.

Answer 2

God had nothing against slaves - He does talk about them in the Old and New testament - but in the days of the early Bible, things were different - Exodus 21 is telling Slave owners how to handle their slaves. If an owner strikes a slave and the slave dies - the owner is to be punished.

This wise and powerful God created everything you see - man may have actually put it together - but God created all. If you study the Bible - you would have known what you are reading was in the Old Testament - knowing and understanding the whole Bible is up most important - please do not ever pick a few versus from the Bible and find fault:

For more information on the Bible
go to http://www.johnfourteen.com
click on "Studies in the Bible"

Answer 3

Nothing. The punishment was for the owner.
We have all been slaves. Just a few short years ago people belonged to the land they lived on. My ancestors are from Europe. If a rich man bought the land, we went with the land. We have always been slaves. Most of the world has been free only about 250 years.

Answer 4

The Bible says that slaves should serve their masters as unto God, but he also says that the slave owners should treat their slaves well. God isn't a respecter of persons, whether someone is a slave or master, he will bless anyone who follows and obeys Him. Those that mistreat their slaves have to answer to God because he is the Master of everything.

Ephesians 6:5-9
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

Answer 5

If we believe that God is wise, then we should not even suspect that God can punish the innocent. Conversely, if we believe God punishes the innocent, then we should not call God wise, we should not even call Him God. Something is common with this slave case and the Crucifixion of Jesus. That something is the missing dimension in many religions.

Answer 6

again....last time I checked, God never said this either. You shouldn't believe all you read. Those books and prints have been re-written several hundred times over the ages, do you think they still say the same thing god once said......no. Plus books that are written during a certain age comment on things that are important in that time. My guess is that the book you are looking at was published when slavery was still legal or atleast discrimination was still abundant. Try living in the modern age and not the past, although there are good things to learn from it, you shouldn't relive it.

Answer 7

Times have changed. This is referring to anyone in authority over another. Today, the slave owner is considered to be the boss of the employed person. This translates today as meaning that if a boss is mean and treats his employer badly, the boss will be punished for treating their employees unjustly.

Answer 8

well in my religion, God doesn't like slavery that he said if any master lets the slave free from slavery then he'll be rewarded in heaven sooooo good and be in higher place in heaven.. that's why when there was a great Islamic world there were a very very few slaves..
and even if there r slaves, God ordered masters to treat them well as if they r normal people. otherwise, they'll be punished cuz God is not cruel..
so i think God has nothing bad at all against slaves..
People r the ones who disobeyed God and do their own stuff..
God says I forbid cruelty to me, so it's the most forbidden thing to all people..
at least, this is our religion ( Islam ).. dunno if urs has rules that lets masters be hard on slaves..

Answer 9

He has nothing against them. God's laws protected slaves at that time. The other nations was terrible concerning slavery.
Slavery is wrong and soon all will be free under Jesus Christ's Kingdom of God.

Answer 10

In Old Testament days, slavery was commonplace, and slaves were usually foreigners or debtors. That doesn't mean God is in favor of it. Like divorce, it was allowed "for the hardness of your hearts."

Slaves were supposed to be freed in the Jubilee (50th) Year. I believe that those who are in Christ are in a jubilee mode and should try to pay to free a slave in Sudan.