BRAGADAYJAH 130

Now Joseph was in Egypt and he was a servant in the household of one Potiphar, a captain of the guard to the Pharaoh of Egypt; and in the course of his service to Potiphar, Joseph rose to some position of importance even as a servant; more particularly, he was prosperous, “for the Lord was with him.” Many through ignorance or more often than not mere hypocrisy try to equate modern slavery with servitude in biblical times, and point to the bible as supporting slavery; but in reality, there is a vast difference between, say, the Egyptian and even the Roman institution, and that brand of inhumane wickedness that was practiced in America. As can be clearly seen, servants such as Joseph was, could grow rich even wealthy while being in the service of another, especially if they possessed a valuable skill. While the master benefitted from the servant’s industry, the servant himself benefitted, and was allowed to save and exercise thrift. In many cases an indentured servant could regain his freedom by literally buying his freedom from his master. The Romans to use another example, thought that slavery as defined above was indeed part of the “jus naturale” the law of nature, as well as the “jus civile;” in either case the slave had rights which were bother exercisable and enforceable against his master, including the right to purchase his freedom; although with regard to the nature of Roman contract law, the master had to agree. The one category of a slave that could never obtain his freedom, “manumitted,” was the slave captured in war, called “dedicii.” But be that as it may, retuning to Joseph in Potiphar’s house, he was prosperous and his master saw that Joseph was prosperous because the Lord was with him; and everything he touched turned to gold; so his master made him overseer over all his house, including everything that he had. And from thence forth the Lord blessed everything to do with Potiphar; his fields, his crops, everything that he had. Joseph’s master was so pleased with him that he totally lost track of his wealth, leaving everything into the hands of Joseph, his trusted servant. More