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11:13 relates that Jephthah’s army was composed of “empty ones,” a
term that probably means those emptied of their property. David’s army
was similarly composed of “everyone who has a creditor” (1 Sam. 22:2),
that is, people who had already lost their lands and were fugitives.
It is not clear whether the person of debtors could be seized, but
certainly their children could. Elisha encounters a desperate woman
who cries out that “the creditor is coming to take my two children
as slaves” (2 Kings 4:1–7). Much later, after the return from Babylon,
the people cry out how bad matters have become: “some have eaten
their produce; others have set their fields and houses as security in
order to eat in the famine, some have borrowed money.” As a result,
“we now ‘conquer’ our sons and daughters to be slaves and some
of our daughters have been captured” (Neh. 5:1–5).7.3.5 Deutero-Isaiah uses this familiar situation as a metaphor for
Israel’s exile in Babylon, reminding Israel that they were not sold
offfor debt and will not need silver to be redeemed (Isa. 50:1–2).7.3.6 Remediation
The old woman “cries out” to Elisha; the group in Nehemiah “cries
out” to the people. The debtor who does not get his cloak back will
“cry out” to God (Exod. 22:26). Deuteronomy 15:9 gives the same
warning to one who refuses to lend money near the Sabbatical year.
Crying out is a demand for remediation. Personal remediation takes
the form of ge"ûlah, “redemption,” the right of a kinsman to buy
back land when the original seller sells it. The law may not have
required the redeemer to return the land to the original seller.
Leviticus 25:50–52 prescribes that should one become the debt slave
of a ger, the nearest kinsman is to reckon the amount of labor the
slave has performed and pay back the amount left until the pur-
chase price or amount of debt is reached.7.4 Debt and Social Justice^63
Many of the rules of social justice concern debts and the resultant
debt slavery. Israelites should lend money to the poor even when the
Sabbatical year is approaching and they cannot collect (Deut. 15:7–11).(^63) Weinfeld, Social Justice...
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