Not a person in their right mind would classify any form of slavery as “charity.” I’m certainly not doing so here.
But this section in Deuteronomy does show the difference between Israelite slavery and how we in America are familiar with the term, especially as it applies to slavery in the American South.
According to Moses, a slave may become a slave due to payment of a debt. The term “is sold to you” could either mean “is sold” or “sells himself,” but the implication is the same. A person may sell themselves to pay off a debt, or a person may be forced to sell off a family member to pay off a household debt.
Neither is ideal, but rather than place the person sold into a form of bondage for life (other passages govern the treatment of slaves), this particular slave is released after six years. On the seventh, just like other debts mentioned in Deuteronomy 15, that person must be set free.
A funny thing happens when you set that slave free, though. Instead of just releasing the chains, the slave owner is to supply them “liberally” from their own resources. This is meant as a reflection of the “liberality” with which God has blessed His people (“as the Lord your God has blessed you”).
In a perfect world, if the person is sold to pay off a debt, not only is that debt repaid via temporary slavery, but you have also provided them with the means with which to restart their life. Prayerfully, they’ll never have to enter this role again.
But what if a slave doesn’t want to leave? What if they prefer the life as a slave in their master’s house, rather than venture out on their own?
There’s more to this than you would think. The Text gives the explicit reason of prosperity here—“since he fares well with you”—but it could also be that the slave prefers the security of his master’s house. Or camaraderie. Or potential for gain.
Whatever the reason, the fact that a slave may actually ask to stay with their master shows that slavery in this time period wasn’t as severe as what we may know of. Rather than leave at the earliest possible chance, some slaves actually decided to stay.
When that happens, the slave is taken to the doorpost of the house, an awl is driven through their ear into the doorpost, and they are made a servant instead of a slave.
Why an awl through the door? No one really knows, but the explanation I like is that it attaches that person—both ceremonially and physically (for a moment)—to the house itself.
That’s the type of slavery I want (Romans 6). Not one where the master mercilessly beats the slave into submission, but one that generates such love and hope that a life lived inside the house is better than one lived outside.
That’s why I choose to stay inside God’s house. I’d rather be his servant than my “own man,” fending for myself. How about you?