Ur- Nammu, Eshnunna, and Hammurabi Laws on Slavery (Case Study Sample)
Description
1. Examine the ancient Near Eastern (ANE) laws concerning slavery from Ur- Nammu, Eshnunna, and Hammurabi (see the attached listing of the ANE laws below). In your examination you are to compare the ANE laws to the OT legal texts governing slavery in Israel. The relevant OT texts to study for the comparison are: Ex 21:1-11; 23:12; Lv 19:20-22; 22:10-11; and Dt 23:15-16.
Discuss the similarities and differences between these sets of laws. What are the most obvious differences and how do these inform us on Israel’s policy towards slaves in comparison to other nations?
2. The passage that is deliberately absent from the list of OT texts in number 1 concerns the laws of the Sabbath and the Year of Jubilee. Both of these laws are presented in Leviticus 25. Study that chapter and reflect on how these laws affect your understanding of Israel’s policies regarding slaves. Note that both of these laws are absent in other ancient Near Eastern laws, so it appears that these laws were unique to Israel. Provide a summary of the laws as well as their significance in this issue.
3. Read the article enitled “The Religious Defense of American Slavery Before 1830” by Larry R. Morrison. This is an article that was published in The Journal of Religious Thought in the Winter of 1980–81 (vol. 37, no. 2). In the article Morrison highlights biblical texts that were used to defend the American institution of slavery before the time of the Civil War. According to his conclusions he is clearly not in favor of such arguments because he believes that they were used to justify the immoral practice of slavery. For this part of the assignment examine the biblical texts that are included in the article and offeryour own explanation regarding their use in this way. Morrison will provide someof his own conclusions but you need to discuss the arguments from your own perspective and (biblical) studies as if someone were trying to defend slavery to you from those texts.
Slavery Assignment
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Question 1
The Ur-Nammu laws concerning slavery are the oldest known legal texts governing slavery. These laws date back to around 2100 BCE and were found inscribed on a tablet discovered in the ancient city of Ur. The laws stipulate that enslaved people must be treated humanely and not be abused. If an enslaved person is abused, the abuser must pay a fine to the slave's owner. These laws also state that if an enslaved person runs away, they can be returned to their owner if they are caught. However, if the slave is not caught, then they are free.
The Eshnunna laws concerning slavery are similar to the Ur-Nammu laws in that they stipulate that enslaved people must be treated humanely and must not be abused. However, the Eshnunna laws are more detailed in their description of what constitutes abuse. These laws also state that if an enslaved person runs away, they can be returned to their owner if they are caught. However, if the slave is not caught, then they are free. The Hammurabi laws concerning slavery are the most detailed and comprehensive of the three legal texts (Morrison, 1980). These laws stipulate that slaves must be treated humanely and not be abused. The punishment for abusing a slave is much harsher than in the other two legal texts. These laws also state that if a slave runs away, they can be returned to their owner if they are caught. However, if the slave is not caught, then they are free.
The OT legal texts governing slavery in Israel are similar to the ANE laws in that they stipulate that slave must be treated humanely and must not be abused. However, the OT laws are more detailed in their description of what constitutes abuse. The punishment for abusing a slave is also much harsher in the OT than in
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