Leviticus 19:13 · Bible study
Leviticus 19:13 Commentary: No Oppression, Prompt Wages
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the command against oppression and the requirement to pay hired workers before nightfall, revealing God's protection of the vulnerable.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Prohibition of both open robbery and covert oppression, with a specific requirement to pay day laborers before nightfall.
- Key words: oppress (H6231 ashaq), rob (H1497 gazal), wages (H6468 pe'ullah), hired (H7916 sakhir), remain overnight (H3885 lin).
- Main debate: Whether the command applies only to day laborers or extends to all forms of delayed payment; closely tied to whether it is a moral law or part of Israel's civil code.
- Theological theme: God's justice for the poor and the sacredness of fair labor practices within the covenant community.
- Best use: Teaching on economic ethics, employer-employee relationships, and the practical shape of neighbor love.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“‘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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor rob him: the wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Thou dost not oppress thy neighbour, nor take plunder; the wages of the hireling doth not remain with thee till morning.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbour, neither rob him. The wages of the hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not calumniate thy neighbour, nor oppress him by violence. The wages of him that hath been hired by thee shall not abide with thee until the morning.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No oprimirás á tu prójimo, ni le robarás. No se detendrá el trabajo del jornalero en tu casa hasta la mañana.
Não oprimirás a teu próximo, nem lhe roubarás. Não se deterá o trabalho do assalariado em tua casa até a manhã.
Tu n’ opprimeras point ton prochain, et tu ne raviras rien par violence. Tu ne retiendras point jusqu’ au lendemain le salaire du mercenaire.
Du sollst deinem Nächsten nicht unrecht tun noch ihn berauben. Es soll des Tagelöhners Lohn nicht bei dir bleiben bis an den Morgen.
Gij zult uw naaste niet bedriegelijk verdrukken, noch beroven; des dagloners arbeidsloon zal bij u niet vernachten tot aan den morgen.
Non opprimerai il tuo prossimo, e non gli rapirai ciò ch’è suo; il salario dell’operaio al tuo servizio non ti resti in mano la notte fino al mattino.
Nie uciskaj gwałtem bliźniego twego, ani go odzieraj; nie zostanie zapłata najemnika u ciebie do jutra.
Не обижай ближнего твоего и не грабительствуй. Плата наемнику не должна оставаться у тебя до утра.
「不可 欺壓 你的鄰舍，也不可 搶奪他的物。雇工人的 工價，不可 在你那裡 過夜，留到 早晨。
Do not be cruel to your neighbour or take what is his; do not keep back a servant's payment from him all night till the morning.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 19:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse addresses two forms of economic injustice. The first clause forbids both open robbery (the verb gazal implies seizing property by force) and covert oppression (the verb ashaq includes extortion and taking advantage of another's weakness). Barnes notes that verse 11 forbids injuries by craft, while verse 13 forbids those by violence or power, the conversion of might into right.
The second clause moves to a concrete example: a day laborer's wages must be paid before nightfall. Gill observes that this applies specifically to a day hireling, whose wages are due at night and who needs the money immediately for food. Clarke states plainly: 'It is the support of the man's life and family, and they need to expend it as fast as it is earned.' The Cambridge Bible ties this command to Deuteronomy 24:14-15 and James 5:4, showing its enduring moral force.
The consensus is clear: God's law protects the most vulnerable by demanding that the powerful do not use delay or deception to exploit those who depend on daily wages.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The command forbids withholding a day laborer's wages overnight, reflecting God's concern for the livelihood of the vulnerable.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of 'oppress' | All traditions agree it forbids using power to exploit the vulnerable, including economic coercion. | Some limit it to physical force and open fraud; others extend it to verbal abuse, unjust contracts, or any manipulation that takes advantage of need. |
| Application to modern salaried workers | The principle of prompt payment protects workers who depend on income for basic needs. | Some argue the command is specifically about daily wage earners; others apply it to any withholding of due payment (e.g., delayed paychecks, unpaid overtime) that causes hardship. |
| Moral vs. civil law | The command reflects God's character of justice and mercy. | Catholic and some Protestant traditions treat it as part of the moral law binding all people; others see it as part of Israel's civil law, with the permanent principle applied by conscience and the New Testament (e.g., James 5:4). |
| Obligation of the worker | The command addresses the employer who holds power. | A minority question whether workers also have a duty to not take advantage of employers (e.g., by slacking), drawing from the wider context of honest dealing. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, most people lived close to subsistence. Day laborers (sakhir) were among the poorest, hired by the morning and paid at sunset. They had no savings, no safety net. If an employer withheld that day's wage, the worker’s family could not buy bread that night. Such delay was not a mere inconvenience, it was a threat to survival.
The command sits within the Holiness Code of Leviticus 17, 26, which applies God's holiness to everyday social life. The surrounding verses protect the poor (allow gleaning, v.9-10), the deaf and blind (v.14), and insist on impartial judgment (v.15). Verse 13 extends this pattern to the employer-employee relationship.
Israel's own history colors the law. Exodus 22:21 reminds them: 'You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.' Having been exploited, they were not to become exploiters. The command also echoes God's character: He is the one who hears the cry of the oppressed (Exodus 22:24-27).
Ellicott's Commentary points out that the command is repeated and expanded in Deuteronomy 24:14-15, which adds that the worker may cry to the LORD against the employer, a sobering warning. The law thus created a culture where the powerful did not hold the vulnerable in suspense but extended dignity through prompt payment.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 19:13. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with no disputed readings affecting interpretation.
Reception History
Jewish tradition elaborated on this command in the Mishnah (Bava Metzia, chapter 9), which specifies that a day laborer's wages must be paid by the end of the day, while a night laborer's wages are due by morning. The early church fathers, including John Chrysostom and Augustine, cited this verse to condemn usury and rich landowners who delayed pay. Medieval canon law extended the principle to clergy stipends and tithes. Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin treated it as part of the moral law, emphasizing that Christian masters should pay servants fairly and promptly. In modern times, the verse has been used by labor advocates to argue for timely payment and a living wage. Its consistent force across Jewish and Christian tradition is as a divine protection for those whose income is immediate and fragile.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Open Oppression and Secret Fraud, The first half of the verse forbids robbery (taking by force) and oppression (taking by deceit or pressure). Both are sins against God and neighbor.
- The Worker’s Dignity Requires Timely Payment, The second half gets specific: pay before nightfall. A delay is a form of oppression when the worker lives hand to mouth.
- God Protects the Vulnerable, The command is backed by the divine name. God stands with the powerless, and He holds the powerful accountable.
Five-point outline
- Do not oppress, using position to pressure the weak.
- Do not rob, taking what belongs to another by force.
- Pay wages daily, the urgency of the worker’s need.
- This is part of loving your neighbor, see Leviticus 19:18.
- God identifies with the poor, He hears their cry (Exodus 22:23).
Illustration hooks
- A contractor finishes a job but tells the crew they'll be paid in two weeks, while they need cash for groceries that night.
- A restaurant server depends on tips to pay rent, but the shift manager holds them for payroll processing.
- The discomfort of waiting for a refund when you need the money now, multiplied for those whose survival depends on it.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this apply to salaried workers, or only to daily wage earners?
- What if my employer is late on payroll for legitimate reasons, is that sin?
- How do we lovingly advocate for fair wages in our workplaces and communities?
Leading a Discussion
This short command is a window into God's heart for economic justice. It addresses not just overt theft but the subtle ways we can exploit the vulnerable, including by simply delaying what we owe.
Discussion questions
- What do the verbs 'oppress' and 'rob' suggest about the kinds of injustice this verse targets?
- Why does the law specify that wages must be paid 'all night until the morning'? What does the timing reveal about the worker's situation?
- How does this command connect to the surrounding verses about gleaning (v.9-10), justice in judgment (v.15), and loving your neighbor (v.18)?
- In what ways does a society still 'oppress' or 'rob' workers today, even unintentionally?
- How might our attitudes toward money, power, and time change if we took this command seriously?
- What does this verse teach us about God's character and His concern for the vulnerable?
- How can this passage shape our prayers for employers, employees, and the wider economy?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 22:8 | If the thief isn’t found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out whether or not he has put his hand on his neighbor’s goods. |
| Exodus 22:9 | For every matter of trespass, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, ‘This is mine,’ the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor. |
| Exodus 22:13 | If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn. |
| Exodus 22:15 | If its owner is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease. |
| Exodus 22:21 | “You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. |
| Exodus 22:24 | and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. |
| Exodus 22:27 | for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious. |
| Leviticus 6:3 | or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions— |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke's point is straightforward: a laborer's wages are not extra income but the daily support of life and family. They need to spend it as soon as it is earned, which is why withholding payment even overnight is unjust. The command is rooted in practical necessity.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a clear distinction between two kinds of wrongdoing: injuries committed by trickery and those done by open force or power. He argues that the word "defraud" in this verse is better translated as "oppress," highlighting the abuse of strength against the weak.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary stresses that the command is given in the singular, making each person individually responsible. Uttering a curse against the deaf remains a sin even though they cannot hear it. The blind's helplessness demands active protection, removing obstacles rather than exploiting their weakness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note draws a direct link between the command against robbery and the specific sin of delaying a hired worker's pay. Withholding wages until morning is treated as a form of theft, not merely a financial oversight. The command applies the general principle of neighborly justice to the concrete, daily duty of prompt payment.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes between day laborers, who must be paid each evening, and those hired by the week or year, whose payment is due only at the end of their term. He notes that Jewish tradition carefully applies this law only to day workers, and that withholding wages from them is a serious sin.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch see these laws as concrete expressions of unselfish love, not abstract rules. The commands to leave gleanings for the poor, pay wages daily, and protect the vulnerable all flow from a single root: love your neighbor as yourself. The underlying motive is reverence for God, who sees every act of injustice.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry sees God's command against theft and fraud as protecting the very order of providence, since God himself appoints every person's property. He adds a practical warning: lying to others teaches them to lie to us, so truthfulness is not only a matter of personal integrity but also of preserving honest community.