Deuteronomy 24:14-15
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This verse isn't just about paying people on time; it highlights that oppression can happen even if you pay someone, by overburdening them with work. The emphasis on "poor and needy" isn't just describing the worker but highlighting their vulnerability, making any form of exploitation, even subtle, a serious offense against God.
“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. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse emerges within a section of Deuteronomy outlining regulations for social justice and care for the vulnerable within the community. It follows laws about divorce and remarriage, and immediately precedes a command to allow the poor to glean fields and to pay hired laborers their wages promptly. The focus here is on protecting the dignity and livelihood of those who are economically dependent, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living among them.
God's commands aren't just rules; they reveal His heart. This verse shows us who He cares about most and why.
This isn't just a suggestion; it's a divine mandate. The command 'You shall not oppress' is about preventing the exploitation of those who are vulnerable.
Who is Vulnerable?
This law highlights a core principle of God's kingdom: His people are to actively protect and care for the most vulnerable among them, reflecting His own compassionate nature.
Think about the relief of getting paid right when you expect it. For the ancient Israelite, this wasn't just about convenience; it was about survival.
The context of this commandment points to a specific form of oppression: the withholding or delaying of wages.
The Weight of Waiting
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This teaches us that financial integrity and timely payment are not optional extras but fundamental aspects of justice.
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.
śākār · Hebrew Noun
Payment given in return for work performed; recognized in Scripture as a right that should not be withheld or delayed.
ḥēṭ’ · Hebrew Noun
A moral failing, an act of rebellion against God, or a state of being in violation of His holy law.
This passage directly echoes the prohibition against oppressing a hired worker, emphasizing that their wages must not be withheld overnight, highlighting the immediate nature of justice for the poor.
Malachi 3:5Malachi prophesies God's judgment against those who oppress workers by withholding their wages, directly linking unjust labor practices to divine retribution and reinforcing the seriousness of Deuteronomy's command.
James 5:4The New Testament letter of James strongly condemns employers who defraud laborers of their wages, showing how this ancient command against oppression continues to be a vital ethical concern for followers of God.
Jeremiah 22:13Jeremiah denounces those who build their wealth by unjustly withholding wages, illustrating the severe sin of oppression and its consequences, similar to the warning found in Deuteronomy.
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 isn't just about paying people on time; it highlights that oppression can happen even if you pay someone, by overburdening them with work. The emphasis on "poor and needy" isn't just describing the worker but highlighting their vulnerability, making any form of exploitation, even subtle, a serious offense against God.
This verse emerges within a section of Deuteronomy outlining regulations for social justice and care for the vulnerable within the community. It follows laws about divorce and remarriage, and immediately precedes a command to allow the poor to glean fields and to pay hired laborers their wages promptly. The focus here is on protecting the dignity and livelihood of those who are economically dependent, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living among them.
This verse emerges within a section of Deuteronomy outlining regulations for social justice and care for the vulnerable within the community. It follows laws about divorce and remarriage, and immediately precedes a command to allow the poor to glean fields and to pay hired laborers their wages promptly. The focus here is on protecting the dignity and livelihood of those who are economically dependent, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living among them.
"“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. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is p…" — This verse isn't just about paying people on time; it highlights that oppression can happen even if you pay someone, by overburdening them with work. The emphasis on "poor and needy" isn't just des…
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Last reviewed October 2026
