Servants
1. Early mention of. Ge 9:25,26.
2. Divided into
a. Male. Ge 24:34; 32:5.
b. Female. Ge 16:6; 32:5.
c. Bond. Ge 43:18; Le 25:46.
d. Hired. Mr 1:20; Lu 15:17.
3. Persons devoted to the service of another so called. Ps 119:49; Isa 56:6.
4. The subjects of a prince or king so called. Ex 9:20; 11:8.
5. Persons of low condition so called. Ec 10:7.
6. Persons devoted to God so called. Ps 119:49; Isa 56:6; Ro 1:1.
7. The term often used to express humility. Ge 18:3; 33:5; 1Sa 20:7; 1Ki 20:32.
8. Hired
a. Called hireling. Job 7:1; Joh 10:12,13.
b. Engaged by the year. Le 25:53; Isa 16:14.
c. Engaged by the day. Mt 20:2.
d. Not to be oppressed. De 24:14.
e. To be paid without delay at the expiration of their service. Le 19:13; De 24:15.
f. To be esteemed worthy of their hire. Lu 10:7.
g. To partake of the produce of the land in the sabbatical year. Le 25:6.
h. If foreigners not allowed to partake of the passover or holy things. Ex 12:45; Le 22:10.
i. Anxiety of, for the end of their daily toil, alluded to. Job 7:2.
j. Hebrew slaves serving their brethren to be treated as. Le 25:39,40.
k. Hebrew slaves serving strangers to be treated as. Le 25:47,53.
l. Often stood in the market place waiting for employment. Mt 20:1-3.
m. Often will fed and taken care of. Lu 15:17.
n. Often oppressed and their wages kept back. Mal 3:5; Jas 5:4.
9. Slaves or bond
a. Called bondmen. Ge 43:18; 44:9.
b. By birth. Ge 14:14; Ps 116:16; Jer 2:14.
c. By purchase. Ge 17:27; 37:36.
d. Captives taken in war often kept as. De 20:14; 2Ki 5:2.
e. Strangers sojourning in Israel might be purchased as. Le 25:45.
f. Persons belonging to other nations might be purchased as. Le 25:44.
g. Persons unable to pay their debts liable to be sold as. 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:4,5; Mt 18:25.
h. Thieves unable to make restitution were sold as. Ex 22:3.
i. More valuable than hired servants. De 15:18.
j. When Israelites not to be treated with rigour. Le 25:39,40,46.
k. When Israelites to have their liberty after six years service. Ex 21:2; De 15:12.
l. Israelites sold as, refusing their liberty, to have their ears bored to the door. Ex 21:5,6; De 15:16,17.
m. Israelites sold to strangers as, might be redeemed by their nearest of kin. Le 25:47-55.
n. All Israelites sold as, to be free at the jubilee. Le 25:10,40,41,54.
o. Could not when set free demand wives or children procured during servitude. Ex 21:3,4.
p. To be furnished liberally, when their servitude expired. De 15:13,14.
q. When foreigners to be circumcised. Ge 17:13,27; Ex 12:44.
r. To be allowed to rest on the Sabbath. Ex 20:10.
s. To participate in all national rejoicings. De 12:18; 16:11,14.
t. Persons of distinction had many. Ge 14:14; Ec 2:7.
u. Engaged in the most menial offices. 1Sa 25:41; Joh 13:4,5.
v. Maimed of injured by masters to have their freedom. Ex 21:26,27.
w. Masters to be recompensed for injury done to. Ex 21:32.
x. Laws respecting the killing of. Ex 21:20,21.
y. Of others not to be coveted or enticed away. Ex 20:17; De 5:21.
z. Seeking protection not to be delivered up to masters. De 23:15.
A. Custom of branding, alluded to. Ga 6:17.
B. Sometimes rose to rank and station. Ec 10:7.
C. Sometimes intermarried with their master’s family. 1Ch 2:34,35.
D. Laws respecting marriage with female. Ex 21:7-11.
E. Seizing and stealing of men for, condemned and punished by the law. Ex 21:16; De 24:7; 1Ti 1:10.
F. Laws respecting, often violated. Jer 34:8-16.
10. Bond, illustrative
a. Of Christ. Ps 40:6; Heb 10:5; Php 2:7,8.
b. Of saints. 1Co 6:20; 7:23.
c. Of the wicked. 2Pe 2:19; Ro 6:16,19.
11. Christ condescended to the office of. Mt 20:28; Lu 22:27; Joh 13:5; Php 2:7.
12. Are inferior to their masters. Lu 22:27.
13. Should follow Christ’s example. 1Pe 2:21.
14. Duties of, to masters
a. To pray for them. Ge 24:12.
b. To honour them. Mal 1:6; 1Ti 6:1.
c. To revere them the more, when they are believers. 1Ti 6:2.
d. To be subject to them. 1Pe 2:18.
e. To obey them. Eph 6:5; Tit 2:9.
f. To attend to their call. Ps 123:2.
g. To please them well in all things. Tit 2:9.
h. To sympathise with them. 2Sa 12:18.
i. To prefer their business to their own necessary food. Ge 24:33.
j. To bless God for mercies shown to them. Ge 24:27,48.
k. To be faithful to them. Lu 16:10-12; 1Co 4:2; Tit 2:10.
l. To be profitable to them. Lu 19:15,16,18; Phm 1:11.
m. To be anxious for their welfare. 1Sa 25:14-17; 2Ki 5:2,3.
n. To be earnest in transacting their business. Ge 24:54-56.
o. To be prudent in the management of their affairs. Ge 24:34-49.
p. To be industrious in labouring for them. Ne 4:16,23.
q. To be kind and attentive to their guests. Ge 43:23,24.
r. To be submissive even to the froward. Ge 16:6,9; 1Pe 2:18.
s. Not to answer them rudely. Tit 2:9.
t. Not to serve them with eye-service, as men-pleasers. Eph 6:6; Col 3:22.
u. Not to defraud them. Tit 2:10.
15. Should be contented in their situation. 1Co 7:20,21.
16. Should be compassionate to their fellows. Mt 18:33.
17. Should serve
a. For conscience towards God. 1Pe 2:19.
b. In the fear of God. Eph 6:5; Col 3:22.
c. As the servants of Christ. Eph 6:5,6.
d. Heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men. Eph 6:7; Col 3:23.
e. As doing the will of God from the heart. Eph 6:6.
f. In singleness of heart. Eph 6:5; Col 3:22.
g. With good will. Eph 6:7.
18. When patient under injury are acceptable to God. 1Pe 2:19,20.
19. When Good
a. Are the servants of Christ. Col 3:24.
b. Are brethren beloved in the Lord. Phm 1:16.
c. Are the Lord’s freemen. 1Co 7:22.
d. Are partakers of gospel privileges. 1Co 12:13; Ga 3:28; Eph 6:8; Col 3:11.
e. Deserve the confidence of their masters. Ge 24:2,4,10; 39:4.
f. Often exalted. Ge 41:40; Pr 17:2.
g. Often advanced by master. Ge 39:4,5.
h. To be honoured. Ge 24:31; Pr 27:18.
i. Bring God’s blessing upon their masters. Ge 30:27,30; 39:3.
j. Adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. Tit 2:10.
k. Have God with them. Ge 31:42; 39:21; Ac 7:9,10.
l. Are prospered by God. Ge 39:3.
m. Are protected by God. Ge 31:7.
n. Are guided by God. Ge 24:7,27.
o. Are blessed by God. Mt 24:46.
p. Are mourned over after death. Ge 35:8.
q. Shall be rewarded. Eph 6:8; Col 3:24.
20. The property of masters increased by faithful. Ge 30:29,30.
21. Characteristics of wicked servants
a. Eye-service. Eph 6:6; Col 3:22.
b. Men-pleasers. Eph 6:6; Col 3:22.
c. Deceit. 2Sa 19:26; Ps 101:6,7.
d. Quarrelsomeness. Ge 13:7; 26:20.
e. Covetousness. 2Ki 5:20.
f. Lying. 2Ki 5:22,24.
g. Stealing. Tit 2:10.
h. Gluttony. Mt 24:49.
i. Unmerciful to their fellows. Mt 18:30.
j. Will not submit to correction. Pr 29:19.
k. Do not bear to be exalted. Pr 30:21,22; Isa 3:5.
l. Shall be punished. Mt 24:50.
22. Good-Exemplified
a. Eliezer. Ge 24:1-67.
b. Deborah. Ge 24:59; 35:8.
c. Jacob. Ge 31:36-40.
d. Joseph. Ge 39:3; Ac 7:10.
e. Servants of Boaz. Ru 2:4.
f. Jonathan’s armour bearer. 1Sa 14:6,7.
g. David’s servants. 2Sa 12:18.
h. Captive maid. 2Ki 5:2-4.
i. Servants of Naaman. 2Ki 5:13.
j. Servants of Centurion. Mt 8:9.
k. Servants of Cornelius. Ac 10:7.
l. Onesimus after his conversion. Phm 1:11.
23. Bad-Exemplified
a. Servants of Abraham and Lot. Ge 13:7.
b. Servants of Abimelech. Ge 21:25.
c. Absalom’s servants [Absalom’s servants obeyed a bad master; they were bad men rather than bad servants]. 2Sa 13:28,29; 14:30.
d. Ziba. 2Sa 16:1-4.
e. Servants of Shimei. 1Ki 2:39.
f. Jeroboam. 1Ki 11:26.
g. Zimri. 1Ki 16:9.
h. Gehazi. 2Ki 5:20.
i. Servants of Amon. 2Ki 21:23.
j. Job’s servants. Job 19:16.
k. Servants of the High Priest. Mr 14:65.
l. Onesimus before his conversion. Phm 1:11.