What Does the Bible Say About Slavery 07 Were the Slaves' Families Held Hostage

Raising Children who were slaves
In some cases slaves were allowed to marry and have children. In these instances the slave master was encouraged to raise the child like his own.
Pro 29:21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.
Does this sound like cruel and oppressive slavery? Definitely not. These children were loved, taught and brought up as one of the family. There was no oppression or racism.
Did the slave owner hold a slaves family hostage to keep him from going free?
Exodus 21:2-4 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. (3) If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. (4) If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
Evilbible.com has this to say about Exodus 21:2-4, “ Notice how they can get a male Hebrew slave to become a permanent slave by keeping his wife and children hostage until he says he wants to become a permanent slave. What kind of family values are these”?
Is the Hebrew slave's family being held hostage? No. Let's look at what's going on here in context. What kind of slave is the Hebrew slave who is being set free?
He is a purchased slave who was allowed to go free after the six years of service.
What kind of slaves are the wife and kids?
The only options available are that the wife must have been a slave of war or a foreigner. This explains why she would not be set free after the six years. We know from Deuteronomy 15: