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# bondman

noun

«bondman» in the English dictionary: in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In Jewish tradition

A slave in Torah law, who must rest on Shabbat and must be treated humanely. Israel is told to remember it was once a bondman in Egypt. The Prophets also use it for a nation made to serve a stronger one, and say God will break that yoke.

**Interpretation.** The rabbis made Hebrew servitude short and gentle, and said a master must treat his servant as himself. Remembering Egypt is a reason for kindness. The prophets' promise that Israel will no longer be a bondman is read as a hope of redemption.

### Meaning

A male slave or servant, a man who is owned or bound to serve. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/#m1)

### Examples

- Thou shalt not deliver unto his master a bondman that is escaped from his master unto thee; (Torah DEU.23.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/#x1)
- And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes. (Torah DEU.16.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/#x2)
- And if he smite out his bondman's tooth, or his bondwoman's tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. (Torah EXO.21.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/#x3)
- but he shall say: 'I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondman from my youth.' (Prophets ZEC.13.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/#x4)
- And all the nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the time of his own land come; and then many nations and great kings shall make him their bondman. (Prophets JER.27.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/#x5)
- And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bands; and strangers shall no more make him their bondman; (Prophets JER.30.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/#x6)

### Note

A record of the Judaism dictionary, written from the corpus.

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

A man who is owned by another and must work for him. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/B/bondman/#m1)

### Then and now

No longer used; today we say slave or servant.

### Examples

- Thou shalt not deliver unto his master a bondman that is escaped from his master unto thee; (Torah DEU.23.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/B/bondman/#x1)
- And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes. (Torah DEU.16.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/B/bondman/#x2)
- And if he smite out his bondman's tooth, or his bondwoman's tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. (Torah EXO.21.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/B/bondman/#x3)

### Note

Today: slave; servant.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «bondman» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bondman/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«bondman» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/bondman.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «bondman» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/B/bondman/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«bondman» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/bondman.html) on Mova free.