Leviticus 19:13
“You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights that oppression isn't just about violence; it also includes the insidious act of withholding a day laborer's wages, their immediate lifeline, from them overnight. This isn't merely about delayed payment; it's about recognizing the profound vulnerability of those who rely on daily earnings for survival, making their prompt payment a matter of basic justice and compassion.
This passage sits within Leviticus chapter 19, a collection of laws designed to guide ancient Israel in living a holy life as God's chosen people. Immediately before this verse, the text addresses honesty in business dealings and forbids bearing false witness, emphasizing integrity in all interactions. This prohibition against oppressing or robbing a neighbor, and specifically the prompt payment of wages, flows directly from the call to holiness, highlighting that true devotion to God must manifest in just and compassionate treatment of others, especially the vulnerable.
Leviticus doesn't just forbid outright theft. It also calls out more subtle forms of injustice that can deeply wound people.
Oppression's Many Faces
This verse starts with a broad prohibition: "You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him." While outright robbery is clearly wrong, 'oppression' can take many forms.
God cares deeply about how we treat one another, especially the vulnerable.
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Why the specific command about paying workers before morning? This isn't just about good accounting; it's about basic human need.
Wages for Survival
The second part of the verse zeroes in on a critical aspect of justice: promptly paying those who work for you. "The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning."
Why the Rush?
Understand the original words
ashaq · Hebrew Verb
To exploit, defraud, or treat someone harshly through the abuse of power; often directed toward the vulnerable or those with less influence.
gazal · Hebrew Verb
To take by violence or force; this goes beyond mere theft to include a direct act of seizing another’s property or livelihood.
This passage directly reiterates the command from Leviticus, emphasizing the importance of not oppressing a hired worker and paying them promptly, highlighting this as a vital aspect of justice.
James 5:4The New Testament letter of James directly quotes and applies this Leviticus command, condemning those who withhold wages, showing that this concern for the laborer's rights carries through to the New Covenant era.
Malachi 3:5The prophet Malachi lists withholding wages as a significant sin, showing it as a form of oppression and injustice that provokes God's judgment, underscoring the seriousness of this command.
Luke 3:14During John the Baptist's ministry, soldiers were told to be content with their wages, reflecting an understanding of fair compensation that aligns with the principles found in Leviticus.
pulpitLeviticus 19:13: "Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning."
Verse 13. - Cheating and stealing are again forbidden, and, together with these, other forms of oppression although legal. The command to pay labourers their hire promptly - which covers also the case of paying tradesmen promptly - is repeated in Deuteronomy 24:14 (cf. James 5:4).
ellicottLeviticus 19:13: "Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning."
(13) Thou shalt not defraud. —Here oppression by fraud and oppression by violence are forbidden. It is probably in allusion to this passage that John the Baptist warned the soldiers who came to him: “And he said to them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” ( Luke 3:14 ). The wages of him tha…
This verse highlights that oppression isn't just about violence; it also includes the insidious act of withholding a day laborer's wages, their immediate lifeline, from them overnight. This isn't merely about delayed payment; it's about recognizing the profound vulnerability of those who rely on daily earnings for survival, making their prompt payment a matter of basic justice and compassion.
This passage sits within Leviticus chapter 19, a collection of laws designed to guide ancient Israel in living a holy life as God's chosen people. Immediately before this verse, the text addresses honesty in business dealings and forbids bearing false witness, emphasizing integrity in all interactions. This prohibition against oppressing or robbing a neighbor, and specifically the prompt payment of wages, flows directly from the call to holiness, highlighting that true devotion to God must manifest in just and compassionate treatment of others, especially the vulnerable.
This passage sits within Leviticus chapter 19, a collection of laws designed to guide ancient Israel in living a holy life as God's chosen people. Immediately before this verse, the text addresses honesty in business dealings and forbids bearing false witness, emphasizing integrity in all interactions. This prohibition against oppressing or robbing a neighbor, and specifically the prompt payment of wages, flows directly from the call to holiness, highlighting that true devotion to God must manifest in just and compassionate treatment of others, especially the vulnerable.
"“You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning." — This verse highlights that oppression isn't just about violence; it also includes the insidious act of withholding a day laborer's wages, their immediate lifeline, from them overnight. This isn't mer…
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