Leviticus 19:13 You shall not defraud your neighbor, neither rob him… I. WORK IS A JUST BASIS FOR AN EQUITABLE CLAIM. Therefore it should be paid for, not patronisingly, nor grudgingly, but as a due. The labourer has given you his time, strength, ability, and ingenuity; he has a right to an equivalent from you, and should not be treated ignominiously, but respectfully, in asking a just return. II. WAGES CANNOT RIGHTEOUSLY RE DEFERRED AFTER WORK IS DONE. During a day of toil the labourer has put his capital into your service, spent his life for that period for your advantage and gain. You are to that extent his debtor; to detain his wages is to make yourself more his debtor, and delay in payment should be compensated with increment. "Short reckonings make long friends." III. MASTERS SHOULD STUDY THE POSITION AND COMFORT OF THOSE THEY EMPLOY. A poor man has no capital, wants prompt settlement; he lives day by day upon his hard earnings. His strength — expended by the day's toil — must be replenished for the morrow's work. To hold back the means for his nourishment is to rob him of the morrow's capital, his replenished energy. And he may have dependants in his lowly home waiting to share in the earnings of the day. Hold not back his dues "all night until the morning," lest your inconsiderateness inflict privation and embitter poverty (Deuteronomy 24:14, 15; Jeremiah 32:13; Malachi 3:5; James 5:4). (W. H. Jellie.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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