the contents of every tent, little heeding such small
matters as domestic privacy, or female seclusion, for
lo! the zeal of his “IMAGES” had eaten
him up! No wonder that slavery, in its Bible-navigation,
drifting dismantled before the free gusts, should scud
under the lee of such a pious worthy to haul up and
refit: invoking his protection, and the benediction
of his “GODS!” “Again, it may be
objected that, servants were enumerated in inventories
of property. If that proves servants property,
it proves wives property. “Thou shalt
not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor’s WIFE, nor his man-servant,
nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor
any thing that is thy neighbor’s.”
Ex. xx. 17. In inventories of mere property
if servants are included, it is in such a way, as to
show that they are not regarded as property.
See Eccl. ii. 7, 8. But when the design is to
show not merely the wealth, but the greatness
of any personage, servants are spoken of, as well
as property. In a word, if riches alone
are spoken of, no mention is made of servants; if
greatness, servants and property. Gen.
xiii. 2. “And Abraham was very rich in
cattle, in silver and in gold.” So in the
fifth verse, “And Lot also had flocks, and herds,
and tents.” In the seventh verse servants
are mentioned, “And there was a strife between
the HERDMEN of Abraham’s cattle and the HERDMEN
of Lot’s cattle.” See also Josh. xxii.
8; Gen. xxxiv. 23; Job xlii. 12; 2 Chron. xxi. 3;
xxxii. 27-29; Job i. 3-5; Deut. viii. 12-17; Gen.
xxiv. 35, xxvi. 13, xxx. 43. Jacobs’s wives
say to him, “All the riches which thou
hast taken from our father that is ours and our children’s.”
Then follows an inventory of property. “All
his cattle,” “all his goods,” “the
cattle of his getting.” He had a large
number of servants at the time but they are not included
with his property. Comp. Gen. xxx. 43, with
Gen. xxxi. 16-18. When he sent messengers to
Esau, wishing to impress him with an idea of his state
and sway, he bade them tell him not only of his RICHES,
but of his GREATNESS; that Jacob had “oxen,
and asses, and flocks, and men-servants, and maid-servants.”
Gen. xxxii. 4, 5. Yet in the present which he
sent, there were no servants; though he seems to have
sought as much variety as possible. Gen. xxxii.
14, 15; see also Gen. xxxvi. 6, 7; Gen. xxxiv. 23.
As flocks and herds were the staples of wealth, a large
number of servants presupposed large possessions of
cattle, which would require many herdsmen. When
servants are spoken of in connection with mere
property, the terms used to express the latter
do not include the former. The Hebrew word Mikne,
is an illustration. It is derived from Kana,
to procure, to buy, and its meaning is, a possession,
wealth, riches. It occurs more than forty
times in the Old Testament, and is applied always
to mere property, generally to domestic animals,