Bondman

bond'-man: One of the translations of the word `ebhedh, very common in the Old Testament. It refers to the ordinary slave, either foreign (Ge 43:18; 44:9,33; Le 25:44,46) or Hebrew (Le 25:42; 2Ki 4:1). Hebrews were forbidden to enslave Hebrews, but did it nevertheless. It also refers to the Israelites in the bondage of Egypt (De 15:15, and often), and in the exile of Babylonia (Ezr 9:9). The intended treatment of the men of Judah in Samaria (2Ch 28:10) was apparently to sell them into ordinary slavery or bondage. The word is used once in the New Testament (Re 6:15) to translate doulos, where it evidently means a slave in contrast with a freeman.

See SLAVERY.

William Joseph McGlothlin