In Deuteronomy 15, laws are laid out for the forgiveness of Debts, including indentured servitude. The law essentially offered a reset every seven years. At that time, all was forgiven and all servants (who wished to) were set free.
Debts were pretty straightforward though there are stipulations about price setting in the year preceding this reset to ensure the poor were supported this year as well as others. Likewise, tithes were set aside for the priests and poor to be given every three years, allowing a hand up in the middle of the 7 year period.
A Note about Servants
There is an interesting clause when this passage discusses servants. In it, the servant is allowed to deny his freedom and become joined to the family in service. What began as a way to climb out of poverty or repay a debt becomes a lifelong commitment to the master. This requires a public proclamation and a joining of the two into one household. The word used for these servants in the Septuagint is “oiketēs,” is interesting as it aligns best to the English concept of a butler. This differs from a “dulos” which is the word used in other parts of the same chapter, and even in Revelation, to mean an involuntary slave. There are parallels here to our faith. We are to choose to submit ourselves to our master, Jesus, and be joined to him forever. At that point, we move from a stranger or begrudging assistant to a member of the family of God. Paul and John, however, take this even further saying we should be a full-on slave to Christ, turning all autonomy to the LORD, else we will remain a slave to sin - unable to rule our own lives. Either way you dice it, choose your master wisely!
Links:
Slave Paul, a slave to all servants Jubilee Choose life
202503301237