Slavery in the Bible

     In the Bible, there are 7 different kinds of slavery. They go as follows:

1. Servant:  A hireling, as in Leviticus 19.  Servants were wage slaves -- someone else hired them to complete certain tasks, but were not owned by their masters.In modern terms: A servant. 
2. Indenture:  Contractor (Deuteronomy 15) -- A servant who is bound for a specific period of time to a particular master in exchange for money.  (In modern terms: an apprentice)
3. Servile: A debtor (Proverbs 22) -- One who contracts to borrow money or goods for a time, but pays repays the debt in a timely.  Modern equivalent: the receiver of a land loan.
4. Bondsman: Restitor (Exodus 32) -- one who has stolen and is required to pay the owner; make restitution.  Modern equivalent: community service man.
5. Vassal: Peasant yeoman (Deuteronomy 20) -- one who lives on a large estate and agrees to work for the landlord in exchange for free housing and garden plot.  Modern equivalent: Host houses.
6. Doulas: Covenantally bound (Exodus  21) -- volunteer who decides to serve a master for life in a covenantal relationship.  Example:  Samwise Gamgee.
7. Chattel: Property (Leviticus 25). Prisoners of war and certain criminals; did not loose all freedom.  The had the option of redemption during the Year of Jubilee.