Jo’s Place

Marriage to a Captive Woman In the book of Deuteronomy Chapter 21: verses 10–14, God instructs the Israelites regarding the treatment of women captives. “Suppose you go out to war, against your enemies …and the Lord, your God, hands them over to you, …and you take some of them as captives.  And suppose you see, among the captives, a beautiful woman, and you are attracted to her …and want to marry her.  If this happens, you may take her to your home, where she must shave her head, cut her nails, and change the clothes she was wearing, when she was captured.  She will stay in your home, but let her mourn, for her father and mother, for a full month.  Then you may marry her, and you will be her husband …and she will be your wife.  But if you marry her and she does not please you, you must let her go free.  You may not sell her or treat her as a slave, for you have humiliated her.  ——————————————- Unfortunately, human trafficking, sexual slavery, and many ...

Release for Hebrew Slaves “If a fellow Hebrew sells himself or herself, to be your ( indentured)  servant (a slave)…and serves you for six years, in the seventh year you must set that servant free.  “When you release a male servant, do not send him away empty-handed.  Give him a generous farewell gift, from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress.  Share, with him, some of the bounty, with which the Lord, your God, has blessed you.  Remember that you were once slaves, in the land of Egypt …and the Lord, your God, redeemed you!  That is why I am giving you this command.  “But suppose your servant says,  ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you.  In that case, take an awl …and push it through his earlobe, into the door.  After that, he will be your  (indentured)  servant (a slave) for life.  And do the same for your female servants.  “You must not consider ...

Redemption of the Poor and Enslaved “If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and cannot support himself, support him as you would a foreigner or a temporary resident and allow him to live with you.  Do not charge interest or make a profit at his expense.  Instead, show your fear of God, by letting him live with you, as your relative.  Remember, do not charge interest, on money you lend him, or make a profit, on food you sell him.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.  “If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell himself to you, do not treat him as a slave.  Treat him instead as a hired worker or as a temporary resident, who lives with you, and he will serve you only until the Year of Jubilee.  At that time, he and his children will no longer be obligated to you, and they will return to their clans and go back, to the land originall...

​ Proper Use of Altars and Fair Treatment of Slaves …the Lord said to Moses,  “Say this to the people of Israel:  You saw for yourselves that I,  (the Lord your God)  spoke to you from heaven.  Remember, you must not make any idols of silver or gold  (or anything else)  to rival Me.  “Build for Me an altar made of earth, and offer your sacrifices to Me—your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats, and your cattle.  Build My altar wherever I cause My name to be remembered, and I will come to you and bless you.  If you use stones to build My altar, use only natural, uncut stones.  Do not shape the stones with a tool, for that would make the altar unfit for holy use.  And do not approach My altar by going up steps.  If you do, someone might look up under your clothing and see your nakedness.  “These are the regulations you must present to Israel  (God instructed Moses) .  If you buy a Hebrew s...

Advice about Widows, Elders, and Slaves Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father.  Talk to younger men as you would to your own (sons or) brothers.  Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.  Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.  But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them.  This is something that pleases God.  Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God.  She prays night and day, asking God for his help.  But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.  Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.  But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own ...