Deuteronomy 24:14

“You shall not exploit a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether of your brothers or of your resident aliens who are in your land, within your gates.”
Deuteronomy 24:14 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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The law: pay the poor hired worker his wages each day, so he won't cry out to YHWH against youGenerosity and Money

With the Hebrew beneath

You shall notלֹאexploitתַעֲשֹׁקa hired workerשָׂכִירwho is poorעָנִיand needy,וְאֶבְיוֹןwhether of your brothersמֵאַחֶיךָorאוֹof your resident aliensמִגֵּרְךָwhoאֲשֶׁרarein your land,בְּאַרְצְךָwithin your gates.בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ

Theme · James 5:4

Go to James 5:4

James says that the wages withheld from the workers cry out to the Lord; Deuteronomy 24:14-15 commands paying the hired worker his wages the same day, so that he does not cry out against you to YHWH.

The same term appears in both passages.

שְׂכָרsejarH7939μισθὸςmisthosG3408“wages, reward”

Deuteronomy 24:14, word by word

exploitתַעֲשֹׁקtaashok

oppress, defraud

Oppress, defraud: take advantage of someone by taking what is his; crush.

Where else “taashok” appears

a hired workerשָׂכִירsachir

hired worker

Hired worker: a laborer paid by the day or by the year.

Where else “sachir” appears

who is poorעָנִיani

poor, afflicted

Poor, afflicted: one who suffers need and has no one to defend him; also humble.

Where else “ani” appears

and needyאֶבְיוֹןevyon

needy

Needy: one who depends on the help of others.

Where else “evyon” appears

whether of your brothersאַחֶיache

brother

A son of the same father or the same mother.

Where else “ache” appears

of your resident aliensגֵּרְger

resident alien

Foreigner who lives in a land that is not his own, without the rights of those who belong to the place.

Where else “ger” appears

in your landאַרְצְarts

land

A region or nation, above all Israel's.

Where else “arts” appears

within your gatesשְׁעָרֶיsheare

gate

The entrance of a city or house, with doors that close.

Where else “sheare” appears

The context

13You shall surely return the pledge to him when the sun goes down, so that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before YHWH your Elohim.

14 · This verse (above)

15On his day you shall give him his wages, and the sun shall not go down on him, for he is poor and to it he lifts up his soul; so that he does not cry out against you to YHWH, and it be sin in you.

Read all of Deuteronomy 24

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