Deuteronomy 24:14
“You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse reveals that "oppression" isn't just about outright theft; it specifically includes detaining a worker's wages, especially for those poor and needy. The law insists on immediate payment, highlighting how a single day's delay could plunge a vulnerable person into severe hardship.
This verse appears within a section of instructions for how the Israelites are to live justly and compassionately within the land God is giving them. Following laws about divorce and remarriage, it shifts focus to economic ethics, specifically concerning the vulnerable. The immediate context emphasizes timely payment for workers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living among them, highlighting that God hears their cries when they are wronged.
God’s people are called to a higher standard of justice, one that flows from a heart of compassion. This isn't just about following rules; it's about reflecting God's character.
Deuteronomy 24:14 isn't just a labor law; it's a spiritual command. It addresses the 'poor and needy' hired worker, highlighting their vulnerability. Oppression here isn't just harsh treatment, but critically, the withholding of wages. The commentary points out that delaying payment, even overnight, could cause severe hardship for those who depend on their daily earnings for survival. This principle underscores that our interactions with others, especially those in weaker positions, should be guided by empathy and a desire to uphold their dignity and well-being, mirroring God's own merciful heart.
God’s justice extends beyond His chosen people. Who is included in this command to treat workers fairly, and why?
The verse explicitly includes 'whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners.' This means the command to fair treatment applies not only to fellow Israelites but also to foreigners living within the community. The commentaries highlight that 'strangers' or 'sojourners' (often translated as 'strangers' or 'aliens') were not to be disadvantaged. This broad inclusion reflects God's universal concern for justice and His desire for His people to be a blessing to all nations, demonstrating His own gracious character towards all who dwell in His land.
Understand the original words
‘āšaq · Hebrew Verb
To treat someone harshly, unjustly, or to take advantage of them, especially those who are vulnerable, powerless, or dependent.
śākîr · Hebrew Noun
A person who works for hire or wages; distinct from a slave or family member, they live by the daily payment for their labor.
’eḇyôn · Hebrew Adjective
One who lacks everything necessary for life, representing the extreme end of the social and economic spectrum; those entirely dependent on God and the generosity of others.
gēr · Hebrew Noun
A foreigner or temporary resident living in a land not their own; in Israel, they were under the protection of the covenant law and commanded to be treated with justice.
This passage reiterates the command not to oppress a hired worker, emphasizing that their wages must not be withheld overnight, highlighting the immediate need of the poor.
Malachi 3:5The prophet Malachi warns that God will be a swift witness against oppressors, specifically mentioning sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, and those who defraud laborers of their wages.
James 5:4The apostle James strongly condemns those who withhold wages from their workers, declaring that the outcry of the laborers has reached the Lord of Hosts and will be judged.
Jeremiah 22:13Jeremiah denounces leaders who build their palaces by unrighteousness and injustice, exploiting workers and withholding their wages, showing that this command extends to leaders and systemic oppression.
ellicottDeuteronomy 24:14: "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:"
(14, 15) Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant. —So Leviticus 19:13 . “The wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.” (Comp. also Jeremiah 22:13 ; Malachi 3:5 ; James 5:4 .)
bensonDeuteronomy 24:14: "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:"
Deuteronomy 24:14-15 . Not oppress a hired servant — By detaining his wages from him when due, which is the meaning of oppression here, as appears from the next verse. At his day thou shalt give him his hire — That is, at the time appointed, weekly or daily. He speaks of a hireling who was so poor as not to be able to prov…
This verse reveals that "oppression" isn't just about outright theft; it specifically includes detaining a worker's wages, especially for those poor and needy. The law insists on immediate payment, highlighting how a single day's delay could plunge a vulnerable person into severe hardship.
This verse appears within a section of instructions for how the Israelites are to live justly and compassionately within the land God is giving them. Following laws about divorce and remarriage, it shifts focus to economic ethics, specifically concerning the vulnerable. The immediate context emphasizes timely payment for workers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living among them, highlighting that God hears their cries when they are wronged.
This verse appears within a section of instructions for how the Israelites are to live justly and compassionately within the land God is giving them. Following laws about divorce and remarriage, it shifts focus to economic ethics, specifically concerning the vulnerable. The immediate context emphasizes timely payment for workers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living among them, highlighting that God hears their cries when they are wronged.
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"“You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns." — This verse reveals that "oppression" isn't just about outright theft; it specifically includes detaining a worker's wages, especially for those poor and needy. The law insists on immediate payment, h…
