clothing; but servants were taken in no instance. 2. Servants were never given as pledges. Property of all sorts was pledged for value received; household furniture, clothing, cattle, money, signets, personal ornaments, &c., but no servants. 3. Servants were not put into the hands of others, or consigned to their keeping.  The precept giving directions how to proceed in a case where property that has life is delivered to another “to keep,” and “it die or be hurt or driven away,” enumerates oxen, asses, sheep or “any beast,” but not “servants.”  Ex. xxii. 10. 4. All lost property was to be restored.  Oxen, asses, sheep, raiment, and “all lost things,” are specified—­servants not.  Deut. xxii 1-3.  Besides, the Israelites were forbidden to return the runaway servant.  Deut. xxiii, 15. 5. Servants were not sold.  When by flagrant misconduct, unfaithfulness or from whatever cause, they had justly forfeited their privilege of membership in an Israelitish family, they were not sold, but expelled from the household.  Luke xvi. 2-4; 2 Kings v. 20, 27; Gen. xxi. 14. 6 The Israelites never received servants as tribute.  At different times all the nations round about them were their tributaries and paid them annually large amounts.  They received property of all kinds in payment of tribute.  Gold, silver, brass, iron, precious stone, and vessels, armor, spices, raiment, harness, horses, mules, sheep, goats, &c., are in various places enumerated, but servants, never. 7. The Israelites never gave away their servants as presents.  They made costly presents, of great variety.  Lands, houses, all kinds of domestic animals, beds, merchandize, family utensils, precious metals, grain, honey, butter, cheese, fruits, oil, wine, raiment, armor, &c., are among their recorded gifts.  Giving presents to superiors and persons of rank, was a standing usage. 1 Sam. x. 27; xvi. 20; 2 Chron. xvii. 5.  Abraham to Abimelech, Gen. xxi. 27; Jacob to the viceroy of Egypt, Gen. xliii. 11; Joseph to his brethren and father, Gen. xlv. 22, 23; Benhadad to Elisha, 2 Kings viii. 8, 9; Ahaz to Tiglath Pilezer, 2 Kings vi. 8; Solomon to the Queen of Sheba, 1 Kings x. 13; Jeroboam to Ahijah, 1 Kings xiv. 3; Asa to Benhadad, 1 Kings xv. 18, 19.  Abigail the wife of Nabal to David, 1 Sam. xxv. 18.  David to the elders of Judah, 1 Sam. xxx. 26.  Jehoshaphat to his sons, 2.  Chron. xxi. 3.  The Israelites to David, 1.  Chron. xii. 39, 40.  Shobi Machir and Barzillai to David, 2 Sam. xvii. 28, 29.  But no servants were given as presents, though it was a prevailing fashion in the surrounding nations.  Gen. xii. 16, xx. 14.  In the last passage we are told that Abimelech king of the Philistines “took sheep and oxen and men servants and women servants and gave them unto Abraham.”  Not long after this Abraham made Abimelech a present, the same kind with that which he had received from him except that he