Contradiction with Leviticus 25:46
It allows the Israelites to have bondmen forever, contradicting the release of servants in the seventh year as stated in Jeremiah 34:14.
Leviticus 25:46: And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them for] a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour. [they...: Heb. ye shall serve yourselves with them]
Contradiction with Exodus 21:2
States that Hebrew servants should be freed after six years, contradicting the seventh-year release mentioned in Jeremiah 34:14.
Exodus 21:2: If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
Paradox #1
The conflict with Jeremiah 34:14 lies in how it mandates the release of Hebrew slaves every seven years, yet throughout different parts of the Bible, there are varying regulations and references to slavery that might not consistently support or align with this rule. This can create confusion or perceived inconsistency in the approach to slavery within the biblical texts.
Paradox #2
Jeremiah 34:14 could seem to contradict other parts of the Bible that discuss servitude or slavery. In this verse, there's a command to release Hebrew servants after six years, which differs from regulations in other books, like Leviticus, where there are different guidelines for servitude. This might appear as a conflict in how rules for servants are applied.
Paradox #3
Jeremiah 34:14 talks about releasing Hebrew slaves every seven years. The contradiction or inconsistency might relate to how often this command was actually followed in history. While the law required freeing slaves, historical records suggest that it was not consistently practiced by the Israelites, leading to conflict between religious teachings and historical actions.
Paradox #4
The contradiction in that verse might arise from the historical acceptance of slavery. On one hand, the Bible recognizes the practice of slavery and sets rules around it. On the other hand, it includes themes of freedom and equality, which can conflict with the acceptance of keeping people as property. This inconsistency can raise questions about the morality of slavery itself.