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 (Gen 43:18; Gen 44:9; Gen 44:33; Lev 25:44; Lev 25:46) or Hebrew (Lev 25:42; 2 Kgs 4:1). Hebrews were forbidden to enslave Hebrews, but did it nevertheless. It also refers to the Israelites in the bondage of Egypt (Deut 15:15, and often), and in the exile of Babylonia (Ezra 9:9). The intended treatment of the men of Judah in Samaria (2 Chr 28:10) was apparently to sell them into ordinary slavery or bondage. The word is used once in the New Testament (Rev 6:15) to translate doulos, where it evidently means a slave in contrast with a freeman.

See Slavery.

William Joseph McGlothlin