Law permitted that through stress of
poverty a man might sell his son or daughter. This is shown by the
very words of the Law, where we read: "If any man sell his daughter
to be a servant, she shall not go out as bondwomen are wont to go
out." Moreover, in this way a man might sell not only his son, but
even himself, rather as a hireling than as a slave, according to Lev.
25:39, 40: "If thy brother, constrained by poverty, sell himself to
thee, thou shalt not oppress him with the service of bondservants:
but he shall be as a hireling and a sojourner."

Reply Obj. 5: As the Philosopher says (Ethic. x, 9), the paternal
authority has the power only of admonition; but not that of coercion,
whereby rebellious and headstrong persons can be compelled. Hence in
this case the Lord commanded the stubborn son to be punished by the
rulers of the city.

Reply Obj. 6: The Lord forbade them to marry strange women on account
of the danger of seduction, lest they should be led astray into
idolatry. And specially did this prohibition apply with respect to
those nations who dwelt near them, because it was more probable that
they would adopt their religious practices. When, however, the woman
was willing to renounce idolatry, and become an adherent of the Law,
it was lawful to take her in marriage: as was the case with Ruth whom
Booz married. Wherefore she said to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16):
"Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." Accordingly it
was not permitted to marry a captive woman unless she first shaved
her hair, and pared her nails, and put off the raiment wherein she
was taken, and mourned for her father and mother, in token that she
renounced idolatry for ever.

Reply Obj. 7: As Chrysostom says (Hom. xlviii super Matth.), "because
death was an unmitigated evil for the Jews, who did everything with a
view to the present life, it was ordained that children should be
born to the dead man through his brother: thus affording a certain
mitigation to his death. It was not, however, ordained that any other
than his brother or one next of kin should marry the wife of the
deceased, because" the offspring of this union "would not be looked
upon as that of the deceased: and moreover, a stranger would not be
under the obligation to support the household of the deceased, as his
brother would be bound to do from motives of justice on account of
his relationship." Hence it is evident that in marrying the wife of
his dead br