Old Testament slavery laws contained extensive humanitarian protections radically superior to surrounding cultures and incompatible with chattel slavery

Mike lists specific protections: (1) Command to love slaves and sojourners. (2) Deuteronomy's sanctuary city provision — any slave who flees to you cannot be returned, must be housed decently (like an underground railroad). (3) Freed slaves must be generously provisioned, not sent away empty-handed. (4) Killing a slave = death penalty for the master. (5) If greatly harmed, the slave goes free automatically. (6) Kidnapping (the foundation of chattel slavery) = death penalty for the kidnapper and possessor. Also: Israelites enslaved to fellow Israelites must be freed every seven years because God redeemed Israel from Egypt — they cannot be perpetual slaves to one another.