Page:The Bible Against Slavery (Weld, 1838).djvu/35

33 III. As persons became servants from, we argue that they were compensated, since they frequently owned property, and sometimes a large amount. Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, gave David a princely present, "An hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine." 2 Sam. xvi. 1. The extent of his possessions can be inferred from the fact, that though the father of fifteen sons, he had twenty servants. In Lev. xxv .57—59, where a servant, reduced to poverty, sold himself, it is declared that he may be redeemed, either by his kindred, or by. Having been forced to sell himself from poverty, he must have acquired considerable property after he became a servant. If it had not been common for servants to acquire property over which they had the control, the servant of Elisha would hardly have ventured to take a large sum of money, (nearly $3000 ) from Naaman, 2 Kings v. 22, 23. As it was procured by deceit, he wished to conceal the means used in getting it; but if servants, could "own nothing, nor acquire any thing," to embark in such an enteprise would have been consummate stupidity. The fact of having in his possession two talents of silver, would of itself convict him of theft. But since it was common for servants to own