Curated semantic-search results from the Bible and early Jewish and Christian writings.
These passages are drawn from a current, full-corpus deep search.
Top matching passages
Best matchLeviticus 22:10–15
4/10 · fair
10 No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired hand eat it. 11 But if a priest buys a slave with his own money, or if a slave is born in his household, that slave may eat his food. 12 If the priest’s daughter is married to a man other than a priest, she is not to eat of the sacred contributions. 13 But if a priest’s daughter with no children becomes widowed or divorced and returns to her father’s house, she may share her father’s food as in her youth. But no outsider may share it. 14 If anyone eats a sacred offering in error, he must add a fifth to its value and give the sacred offering to the priest. 15 The priests must not profane the sacred offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD
Leviticus 25:35–46
6/10 · good
35 Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. 37 You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit. 38 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. 39 If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor. 40 Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers. 42 Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves. 43 You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God. 44 Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them. 45 You may also purchase them from the foreigners residing among you or their clans living among you who are born in your land. These may become your property. 46 You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israel…
Sirach 33:31–33
6/10 · good
31 If you have a slave, treat him like yourself, because you have bought him with blood. (WEB) 32 If you have a slave, treat him like yourself. For like your own soul, you will need him. If you treat him ill, and he departs and runs away, (WEB) 33 which way will you go to seek him? (WEB)
Sirach 33:19–30
6/10 · good
19 Hear me, you great men of the people, and listen with your ears, you rulers of the congregation. (WEB) 20 To son and wife, to brother and friend, don’t give power over yourself while you live, and don’t give your goods to another, lest you regret it and must ask for them. (WEB) 21 While you still live and breath is in you, don’t give yourself over to anybody. (WEB) 22 For it is better that your children should ask from you than that you should look to the hand of your children. (WEB) 23 Excel in all your works. Don’t bring a stain on your honor. (WEB) 24 In the day that you end the days of your life, in the time of death, distribute your inheritance. (WEB) 25 Fodder, a stick, and burdens are for a donkey. Bread, discipline, and work are for a servant. (WEB) 26 Set your slave to work, and you will find rest. Leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty. (WEB) 27 Yoke and whip will bow the neck. For an evil slave there are racks and tortures. (WEB) 28 Send him to labor, that he not be idle, for idleness teaches much mischief. (WEB) 29 Set him to work, as is fit for him. If he doesn’t obey, make his fetters heavy. (WEB) 30 Don’t be excessive toward any. Do nothing unjust. (WEB)
Testament of Joseph 2:9–20
5/10 · good
9 And when I came to the Indocolpitae with the Ishmaelites, they asked me, saying: (T12) 10 Art thou a slave? And I said that I was a home-born slave, that I might not put my brethren to shame. (T12) 11 And the eldest of them said unto me: Thou art not a slave, for even thy appearance doth make it manifest. (T12) 12 But I said that I was their slave. (T12) 13 Now when we came into Egypt they strove concerning me, which of them should buy me and take me. (T12) 14 Therefore it seemed good to all that I should remain in Egypt with the merchant of their trade, until they should return bringing merchandise. (T12) 15 And the Lord gave me favour in the eyes of the merchant, and he entrusted unto me his house. (T12) 16 And God blessed him by my means, and increased him in gold and silver and in household servants. (T12) 17 And I was with him three months and five days. (T12) 18 And about that time the Memphian woman, the wife of Pentephris came down in a chariot, with great pomp, because she had heard from her eunuchs concerning me. (T12) 19 And she told her husband that the merchant had become rich by means of a young Hebrew, and they say that he had assuredly been stolen out of the land of Canaan. (T12) 20 Now, therefore, render justice unto him, and take away the youth to thy house; so shall the God of the Hebrews bless thee, for grace from heaven is upon him. (T12)
Testament of Joseph 2:21–32
5/10 · good
21 And Pentephris was persuaded by her words, and commanded the merchant to be brought, and said unto him: (T12) 22 What is this that I hear concerning thee, that thou stealest persons out of the land of Canaan, and sellest them for slaves? (T12) 23 But the merchant fell at his feet, and besought him, saying: I beseech thee, my lord, I know not what thou sayest. (T12) 24 And Pentephris said unto him: Whence, then, is the Hebrew slave? (T12) 25 And he said: The Ishmaelites entrusted him unto me until they should return. (T12) 26 But he believed him not, but commanded him to be stripped and beaten. (T12) 27 And when he persisted in this statement, Pentephris said: Let the youth be brought. (T12) 28 And when I was brought in, I did obeisance to Pentephris for he was third in rank of the officers of Pharaoh. (T12) 29 And he took me apart from him, and said unto me: Art thou a slave or free? (T12) 30 And I said: A slave. (T12) 31 And he said: Whose? (T12) 32 And I said: The Ishmaelites'. (T12)
Leviticus 25:47–55
5/10 · good
47 If a foreigner residing among you prospers, but your countryman dwelling near him becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner or to a member of his clan, 48 he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his brothers may redeem him: 49 either his uncle or cousin or any close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself. 50 He and his purchaser will then count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale will be determined by the number of years, based on the daily wages of a hired hand. 51 If many years remain, he must pay for his redemption in proportion to his purchase price. 52 If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he is to calculate and pay his redemption according to his remaining years. 53 He shall be treated like a man hired from year to year, but a foreign owner must not rule over him harshly in your sight. 54 Even if he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he and his children shall be released in the Year of Jubilee. 55 For the Israelites are My servants. They are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Parables 55:2–11
4/10 · fair
2 A certain man had an estate, and many slaves, and a portion of his estate he planted as a vineyard; and choosing out a certain slave who was trusty and well-pleasing (and) held in honor, he called him to him and saith unto him; "Take this vineyard [which I have planted], and fence it [till I come], but do nothing else to the vineyard. Now keep this my commandment, and thou shalt be free in my house." Then the master of the servant went away to travel abroad. (HER) 3 When then he had gone away, the servant took and fenced the vineyard; and having finished the fencing of the vineyard, he noticed that the vineyard was full of weeds. (HER) 4 So he reasoned within himself, saying, "This command of my lord I have carried out I will next dig this vineyard, and it shall be neater when it is digged; and when it hath no weeds it will yield more fruit, because not choked by the weeds." He took and digged the vineyard, and all the weeds that were in the vineyard he plucked up. And that vineyard became very neat and flourishing, when it had no weeds to choke it. (HER) 5 After a time the master of the servant [and of the estate] came, and he went into the vineyard. And seeing the vineyard fenced neatly, and digged as well, and [all] the weeds plucked up, and the vines flourishing, he rejoiced [exceedingly] at what his servant had done. (HER) 6 So he called his beloved son, who was his heir, and the friends who were his advise… (HER)
2 Maccabees 8:11–15
4/10 · fair
11 Immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves, promising to deliver seventy slaves for a talent, not expecting the judgment that was to overtake him from the Almighty. (WEB) 12 News came to Judas concerning Nicanor’s invasion. When he communicated to those who were with him the presence of the army, (WEB) 13 those who were cowardly and distrustful of God’s judgment ran away and left the country. (WEB) 14 Others sold all that they had left, and at the same time implored the Lord to deliver those who had been sold as slaves by the impious Nicanor before he ever met them, (WEB) 15 if not for their own sakes, then for the covenants made with their ancestors, and because he had called them by his holy and glorious name. (WEB)
Testament of Joseph 2:33–44
5/10 · good
33 And he said: How didst thou become their slave? (T12) 34 And I said: They bought me out of the land of Canaan. (T12) 35 And he said unto me: Truly thou liest; and straightway he commanded me to be stripped and beaten. (T12) 36 Now, the Memphian woman was looking through a window at me while I was being beaten, for her house was near, and she sent unto him saying: (T12) 37 Thy judgement is unjust; for thou dost punish a free man who hath been stolen, as though he were a transgressor. (T12) 38 And when I made no change in my statement, though I was beaten, he ordered me to be imprisoned, until, he said, the owners of the boy should come. (T12) 39 And the woman said unto her husband: Wherefore dost thou detain the captive and wellborn lad in bonds, who ought rather to be set at liberty, and be waited upon? (T12) 40 For she wished to see me out of a desire of sin, but I was ignorant concerning all these things. (T12) 41 And he said to her: It is not the custom of the Egyptians to take that which belongeth to others before proof is given. (T12) 42 This, therefore, he said concerning the merchant; but as for the lad, he must be imprisoned. (T12) 43 Now after four and twenty days came the Ishmaelites; for they had heard that Jacob my father was mourning much concerning me. (T12) 44 And they came and said unto me: How is it that thou saidst that thou wast a slave? and lo, we have learnt that thou art the son of a mighty man in the land of Canaan, and thy father still mourneth for thee in sack… (T12)