This is a most humane and merciful addition to the law in "If¹ thou buyª° an Hebrewª servant,ª sixª yearsª he shall serve:ª° and in the seventhª he shall go outª° freeª for nothing.ª ... And if¹ he doª° not¹ these¹ threeª unto her, then shall she go outª° freeª without¹ money.ª" {Exd 21:2-11}; enforced upon the Israelites by the consideration of their Egyptian bondage. As a faithful servant has made no property for himself while honestly serving his master, so now, when he quits his service, he has nothing to begin the world with except what the kindness of his master may bestow upon him as a remuneration for his zeal and fidelity. Though what was to be bestowed upon servants is not fixed, yet they were to be liberally supplied ("Thou shalt furnish²° him liberallyª° out of thy flock,ª¹ and out of thy floor,ª¹ and out of thy winepress:ª¹ [of that] wherewith¹ the LORDª thy Godª hath blessedª° thee thou shalt giveª° unto him." {Deu 15:14}). "Exceptª the Godª of my father,ª the Godª of Abraham,ª and the fearª of Isaac,ª had been¹ with me, surely¹ thou hadst sent me awayª° now¹ empty.ª Godª hath seenª°¹ mine afflictionª and the labourª of my hands,ª and rebukedª° [thee] yesternight.ª" {Gen 31:42} + "And I will giveª° this¹ peopleª¹ favourª in the sightª of the Egyptians:ª and it shall come to pass,¹ that, when¹ ye go,²°¹ ye shall not¹ go²°¹ empty:ª" {Exd 3:21} + "For¹ they¹ [are] my servants,ª which¹ I brought forthª° out of the landª¹ of Egypt:ª they shall not¹ be soldª° as² bondmen.ª¹ ... Both thy bondmen,ª and thy bondmaids,ª which¹ thou shalt have,¹ [shall be] of¹¹ the heathenª that¹ are round aboutª you; of¹ them shall ye buyª° bondmenª and bondmaids.ª" {Lev 25:42-44} + "Withholdª° not¹ goodª from them to whom it is due,ª¹ when it is¹ in the powerª of thine handª to doª° [it]. ... Sayª° not¹ unto thy neighbour,ª Go,²°¹ and come again,ª° and to morrowª I will give;ª° when thou hastª it by¹ thee." {Prv 3:27-28} + "Woeª unto him that buildethª° his houseª by² unrighteousness,ª¹ and his chambersª by wrong;ª¹ [that] useth his neighbour'sª serviceª° without wages,ª and givethª° him not¹ for his work;ª" {Jer 22:13} + "And I will come nearª° to¹ you to judgment;ª and I will be¹ a swiftª° witnessª against the sorcerers,ª° and against the adulterers,ª° and against falseª swearers,ª° and against those that oppressª° the hirelingª in [his] wages,ª the widow,ª and the fatherless,ª and that turn asideª° the strangerª [from his right], and fearª° not¹ me, saithª° the LORDª of hosts.ª" {Mal 3:5} + "Masters,ª giveª° unto [your] servantsª that which is justª andª equal;ª knowingª° thatª yeª alsoª haveª° a Masterª inª heaven.ª" {Col 4:1}