Originally Posted By: jack maloney
Interesting thing was, the slaves I saw were better dressed, better fed and better treated than most 'free' Mauritanians, because they were considered valuable property! Desert people were eager to sell their children, not just for the cash, but because slavery might give their kids a better life.


That's not too far off what was crossing my mind in regards to the Bible about the "buying" of others regardless of the term being used such as servant, bondman, slave, etc. How many were similar to being indentured servants vs. captivity against one's will? No doubt there were those held in captivity by Israel against their will that were likely captured during wars with the Phillistines and other nations just as Israel was taken into captivity by the Babylonians.