שָׂכִיר (sa.khir)
sa.khir
hired
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew word śāḵîr refers to a hired worker or laborer who performs tasks for wages. It appears sixteen times in the Old Testament, with notable usage in Leviticus, Job, and Isaiah. The term distinguishes temporary, paid service from permanent household members or slaves, highlighting a transactional relationship based on agreed compensation.
In legal contexts like Leviticus 25:39-46, śāḵîr describes foreign laborers who could be kept as property, contrasting with Israelite servants who were to be treated differently. In poetic books such as Job and Isaiah, the word often carries a negative connotation, portraying hired help as unreliable or self-interested. This reflects a cultural skepticism toward those motivated solely by pay rather than loyalty.
The root of śāḵîr relates to hiring or renting, emphasizing the economic nature of the arrangement. Translators typically render it as "hired servant" or "laborer," though some versions use "hireling" to capture its potentially derogatory tone in certain passages. This word underscores ancient Israel's complex social structures and attitudes toward work and compensation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word śāḵîr describes a worker whose relationship with an employer is defined by a specific wage for a set period. In ancient Israel, this distinction mattered greatly because it separated temporary labor from permanent household members or slaves. God’s laws frequently reminded the people that these workers were vulnerable. Leviticus 19:13 commands that their pay must not be held overnight, showing that justice requires promptness and respect for their livelihood.
While some poetic texts use the term to highlight human frailty—comparing life to the restless waiting of a hireling for wages—the legal texts emphasize dignity. The word reminds us that work is sacred and that those who earn their living through labor deserve fair treatment. It invites us to see every employee not just as a transaction, but as a neighbor whose well-being reflects our own integrity.
When we think about our own workplaces or how we treat those who serve us, this word calls for honesty and kindness. Whether you are hiring help or working for wages, the principle remains: honor the agreement and value the person behind the task.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a hired laborer8×
- like/ a hired laborer2×
- and/ a hired laborer2×
- like/ a hired laborer of1×
- hired soldiers/ its1×
- and/ to/ hired laborer/ your1×
- and/ like/ a hired laborer1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שָׂכִ֔יר3×
- שָׂכִ֖יר2×
- כְּ/שָׂכִ֥יר2×
- וְ/שָׂכִ֖יר2×
- שָׂכִ֣יר1×
- שָׂכִ֛יר1×
- שָׂ֠כִיר1×
- שְׂכִרֶ֤י/הָ1×
- כִּ/שְׂכִ֥יר1×
- וּ֝/כְ/שָׂכִ֗יר1×
- וְ/לִ/שְׂכִֽירְ/ךָ֙1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 19:13
“‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. “‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
This verse establishes a strict legal boundary against delaying payment, protecting the hired worker's immediate needs.
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Job 7:1
“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
Here the word illustrates the restless anxiety of life, comparing human existence to the eager waiting for daily wages.
-
Malachi 3:5
I will come near to you to judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says Yahweh of Armies.
God lists the oppression of the hireling alongside other serious sins, showing that withholding pay is a direct violation of justice.
-
Leviticus 25:40
As a hired servant, and as a temporary resident, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee.
This passage limits the duration of service for an Israelite who sells himself, treating him with the dignity of a temporary hired hand rather than a permanent slave.