You asked

what did 'servant' mean in an ancient near eastern debt context compared to modern terms?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Exodus 21:2

““If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.””

This verse is part of a collection of laws given to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt, found in the Book of Exodus. These laws, often called the 'Book of the Covenant,' immediately follow the Ten Commandments and detail practical aspects of community life, justice, and property, including regulations concerning different forms of servitude.

How does understanding the temporary and regulated nature of this ancient 'servitude' challenge or clarify our modern assumptions about freedom and obligation?

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Read alongside it

Deuteronomy 15:12-18
This passage reiterates and expands on the laws regarding Hebrew servants, emphasizing their release and even provision.
Leviticus 25:39-43
This text further clarifies that an Israelite should not be treated as a slave, but as a hired worker or temporary resident if they sell themselves due to poverty.
Nehemiah 5:1-13
This narrative describes a situation where Israelites had to sell themselves or their children into servitude due to debt and how Nehemiah intervened.

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