Servant

How Nave’s arranged it

• Distinguish a bondservant (Greek: doulos), who was a slave, from a hired servant (Greek: diakonos), who was not a slave
• BOND
• Laws of Moses concerningExodus 21:1–11Exodus 21:20Exodus 21:21Exodus 21:26Exodus 21:27Exodus 21:32Leviticus 19:20–22Leviticus 25:6Leviticus 25:10Leviticus 25:35–55Deuteronomy 15:12Deuteronomy 15:14Deuteronomy 15:18Deuteronomy 24:7
• Kidnapping forbiddenDeuteronomy 21:10–14Deuteronomy 24:71 Timothy 1:10Revelation 18:13
• Fugitive, not to be returned to his masterDeuteronomy 23:15Deuteronomy 23:16
• David erroneously supposed to be a fugitive slave1 Samuel 25:10
• Instances of fugitive
• Hagar, commanded by an angel to return to Sarah (Sarai), her ownerGenesis 16:9
• Sought by Shimei1 Kings 2:39–41
• Onesimus interceded for, by PaulPhilemon 1:21
• Rights of those born to a masterGenesis 14:14Genesis 17:13Genesis 17:27Exodus 21:4Proverbs 29:21Ecclesiastes 2:7Jeremiah 2:14
• Bought and soldGenesis 17:13Genesis 17:27Genesis 37:28Genesis 37:36Genesis 39:17Deuteronomy 28:68Esther 7:4Ezekiel 27:13Joel 3:6Amos 8:6Revelation 18:13

The passages, in Bible order (235)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 13:7

   And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 13:72 voices

   “Let us now consider who are the shepherds, and what living creatures they shepherd and what was the nature of the dispute between the shepherds of Abraham and those of Lot. Shepherds are those who govern the flocks. They are diligent and wise when they do not allow their animals to trample the farmlands with their feet or to damage the crops with their teeth. [They are] negligent and lazy when they do not invite their cattle to pasture on grassy fields rather than in planted areas but allow them to wander freely through the various garden crops.

   “And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 13:7→

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2. Genesis 14:14

   And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 14:141 voice

   "When Abraham learned of this, he counted his servants born in the house" and with 318 men won a victory and liberated his nephew. This shows that the separation had taken place in friendship, since Abraham's love for his nephew was so great that he was willing to confront even the dangers of war on his behalf. What does it mean "he counted"? It means he "chose." So too what Jesus said in the Gospel refers not only to the knowledge of God but also to the grace of the just: "Even the hairs on your head are all counted."

   Everything gathered on Genesis 14:14→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 16:1

   Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 16:12 voices

   “Therefore Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. She said to her husband, "Behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, so go into my maidservant; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And when he …

   “Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 16:1→

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4. Genesis 16:2

   So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 16:21 voice

   “Some might still be struck by the fact that Abraham had a relationship with his slave girl when he was already conversing with God, as it is written: "Sarah said to Abraham, 'See now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my maid to make children from her.' " And this is exactly what happened. But we should consider first of all that Abraham lived prior to the law of Moses and before the gospel; adultery, it seems, was not yet prohibited at this time.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 16:2→

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5. Genesis 16:6

   “Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 16:61 voice

   “There is a kind of maltreatment of the slave girl that we have likened, by anagogy, to the preparatory exercises (progymnasmata): the shadow [Hagar] of things to come [the generative promise] is transcended. For one who is hastening toward perfection no longer needs that which …

   Everything gathered on Genesis 16:6→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Genesis 16:9

   So the angel of the LORD told her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 16:91 voice

   “As in concrete image, we see here foreshadowed the fact that once the Emmanuel has appeared and his mystery has been shown to the world, the types of the Mosaic cult necessarily disappear, giving way to the evangelical teachings, the better and more perfect precepts. Of what image am I speaking? Because Sarah had not had children, Hagar, after having given birth to Ishmael, began to show arrogant contempt for her owner, the free woman. Sarah was unable to bear that arrogance and began also to mistreat the Egyptian woman.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 16:9→

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7. Genesis 17:13

   Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:132 voices

   God's covenant is "in the flesh" of the person who "does not fight on the terms of the flesh" and who "always carries about in his body the death of Jesus."

   “He that is born in thine house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised,.... Or "in circumcising shall be circumcised" (l), shall certainly be circumcised; this is repeated to denote the necessity of it, and what care should be taken that this be done, because there was to be no uncircumcised male among them, Gen 17:10; nor any conversation and communion to be had among them, especially in a religious way.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Genesis 17:27

   And all the men of Abraham’s household—both servants born in his household and those purchased from foreigners—were circumcised with him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:271 voice

   “Learn fully then, children of love, concerning all things, for Abraham, who first circumcised, did so looking forward in the spirit to Jesus and had received the doctrines of the three letters. For it says, "Abraham circumcised from his household eighteen men and three hundred." …

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:27→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Genesis 21:25

   But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,

   ›Commentary on Genesis 21:252 voices

   “And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water,....

   “Abraham reproved Abimelech - Wells were of great consequence in those hot countries, and especially where the flocks were numerous, because the water was scarce, and digging to find it was accompanied with much expense of time and labor.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 21:25→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Genesis 24:1

    By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 24:12 voices

    “But indeed, we should not fail to notice from these things that are reported by the literal meaning, what generations and of what sort they are, which are propagated from Keturah.For if we remember these things, we will be able to recognize more easily those things that are said about the diverse nations in the Scriptures. For example, as when it is said that Moses took as his wife the daughter of Jethro, priest of Midian, this Midian is found to be a son of Keturah and Abraham.

    “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age,....

    Everything gathered on Genesis 24:1→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Genesis 29:15

    Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”

    ›Commentary on Genesis 29:152 voices

    “And Laban said unto Jacob, because thou art my brother,....

    “Because thou art my brother, etc. - Though thou art my nearest relative, yet I have no right to thy services without giving thee an adequate recompense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the family of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly rendered himself of considerable service. As Laban, who was of a very saving if not covetous disposition, saw that he was to be of great use to him in his secular concerns, he wished to secure his services, and therefore asks him what wages he wished to have.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 29:15→

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12. Genesis 29:24

    And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 29:242 voices

    “And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid, for an handmaid. It was usual to have many given them at this time, as Rebekah seems to have had, Gen 24:59; but Leah had but one, and this was all the portion Jacob had with her. The Targum of Jonathan is,"and Laban gave her Zilpah his daughter, whom his concubine bore unto him:''hence the Jews say (q), that the daughters of a man by his concubines are called maids. (q) Pirke Eliezer, c. 36.

    “And Laban gave - Zilpah his maid - Slaves given in this way to a daughter on her marriage, were the peculiar property of the daughter; and over them the husband had neither right nor power.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 29:24→

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13. Genesis 29:29

    Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 29:291 voice

    “And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. As he had given Leah an handmaid he gave Rachel another; and this in the Targum of Jonathan is said to be a daughter of Laban by a concubine also, as the former.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 29:29→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Genesis 30:3

    Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family.”

    ›Commentary on Genesis 30:31 voice

    “She shall bear upon my knees - The handmaid was the sole property of the mistress, as has already been remarked in the case of Hagar; and therefore not only all her labor, but even the children borne by her, were the property of the mistress. These female slaves, therefore, bore children vicariously for their mistresses; and this appears to be the import of the term, she shall bear upon my knees. That I may also have children by her - ואבנה ממנה veibbaneh mimmennah, and I shall be built up by her.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 30:3→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Genesis 30:9

    When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 30:91 voice

    “When Leah saw that she had left bearing,.... For a little while, for she afterwards bore again, and observing also what her sister had done: she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife: in this she was less excusable than Rachel, since she had four children of her own, and therefore might have been content without desiring others by her maid; nor had she long left off bearing, and therefore had no reason to give up hope of having any more.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 30:9→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Genesis 30:26

    Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.”

    ›Commentary on Genesis 30:261 voice

    “Give me my wives,....

    Everything gathered on Genesis 30:26→

    Verse page →Original language →