Deuteronomy 24:15
At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.
Original Language Analysis
בְּיוֹמוֹ֩
At his day
H3117
בְּיוֹמוֹ֩
At his day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
1 of 23
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
תִתֵּ֨ן
thou shalt give
H5414
תִתֵּ֨ן
thou shalt give
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
2 of 23
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
שְׂכָר֜וֹ
him his hire
H7939
שְׂכָר֜וֹ
him his hire
Strong's:
H7939
Word #:
3 of 23
payment of contract; concretely, salary, fare, maintenance; by implication, compensation, benefit
וְֽלֹא
H3808
וְֽלֹא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
4 of 23
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
עָלָ֣יו
H5921
עָלָ֣יו
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
6 of 23
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ
neither shall the sun
H8121
הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ
neither shall the sun
Strong's:
H8121
Word #:
7 of 23
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e., (architectural) a notched battlement
כִּ֤י
H3588
כִּ֤י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
8 of 23
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
ה֔וּא
H1931
ה֔וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
10 of 23
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
וְאֵלָ֕יו
H5921
וְאֵלָ֕יו
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
11 of 23
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
ה֥וּא
H1931
ה֥וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
12 of 23
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
נֹשֵׂ֖א
and setteth
H5375
נֹשֵׂ֖א
and setteth
Strong's:
H5375
Word #:
13 of 23
to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
14 of 23
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
נַפְשׁ֑וֹ
his heart
H5315
נַפְשׁ֑וֹ
his heart
Strong's:
H5315
Word #:
15 of 23
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
וְלֹֽא
H3808
וְלֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
16 of 23
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
יִקְרָ֤א
upon it lest he cry
H7121
יִקְרָ֤א
upon it lest he cry
Strong's:
H7121
Word #:
17 of 23
to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙
H5921
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
18 of 23
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יְהוָ֔ה
against thee unto the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֔ה
against thee unto the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
20 of 23
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
Cross References
Leviticus 19:13Thou 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.James 5:4Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.Jeremiah 22:13Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;Deuteronomy 15:9Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.Job 35:9By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.Job 34:28So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.Isaiah 5:7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.Psalms 86:4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.Psalms 25:1Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.Psalms 24:4He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Historical Context
The immediacy of payment requirement reflects the harsh reality of subsistence economies. Day laborers lived hand-to-mouth; no payment meant no food. The phrase "setteth his heart upon it" captures desperate waiting—will the employer pay fairly, or find excuses? Archaeological evidence from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Israel shows workers often received rations (bread, beer, oil) as wages. This law protected both monetary and in-kind payment. The theological grounding ("lest he cry... unto the LORD") elevates labor justice to covenant relationship with God.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the phrase "setteth his heart upon it" deepen your empathy for those whose economic survival depends on timely and fair payment, and what responsibility does this create for employers and consumers?
- What does God's attentiveness to the oppressed worker's cry reveal about His character and priorities, and how should this shape our engagement with economic justice issues?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it—Be-yomo titten sekharo ve-lo tavo alav ha-shemesh ("on his day you shall give his wages, and not shall set on it the sun") mandates immediate payment before sunset. The day laborer's survival depends on daily wages; delayed payment equals oppression. This echoes Leviticus 19:13's parallel command.
For he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it—Ki ani hu ve-elav hu nose et-nafsho ("for poor he is, and to it he lifts up his soul") reveals the psychological and spiritual weight of wages for the poor. Nose et-nafsho (literally "lifts up his soul/life") describes desperate longing and dependency—these wages represent not just money but survival, dignity, provision for children. Withholding them crushes hope.
Lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee—God hears the oppressed worker's cry (yiqra alekha el-YHWH). This echoes Exodus 22:23-24: the cries of the oppressed reach God's ears and provoke His judgment. Haya bekha chet ("it shall be sin in you") makes wage theft a serious covenantal violation, not merely an economic dispute. James 5:4 declares such cries "have entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth."