Topical Bible: Commerce of the Jews: Under Strict Laws

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Topical Encyclopedia

The commerce of the Jewish people in biblical times was governed by a comprehensive set of laws and principles that were deeply rooted in their covenantal relationship with God. These laws were designed to ensure fairness, integrity, and justice in all commercial dealings, reflecting the moral and ethical standards expected of God's chosen people.

Biblical Foundations

The foundation for commercial laws among the Jews is primarily found in the Torah, particularly within the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. These laws were given to Moses on Mount Sinai and were intended to guide the Israelites in their daily lives, including their economic activities.

Honesty and Fairness

A central tenet of Jewish commerce was the requirement for honesty and fairness. Leviticus 19:35-36 states, "You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume. You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt." This command underscores the importance of integrity in trade, prohibiting deceitful practices and ensuring that transactions were conducted with transparency and equity.

Prohibition of Usury

The practice of charging interest on loans, known as usury, was strictly regulated. Exodus 22:25 instructs, "If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest." This law was particularly aimed at protecting the vulnerable and ensuring that the poor were not exploited through excessive interest rates, reflecting a broader concern for social justice and compassion.

Sabbath and Jubilee Years

The observance of the Sabbath and Jubilee years also had significant implications for commerce. Every seventh year, known as the Sabbath year, was a time when the land was to lie fallow, and debts were to be forgiven (Leviticus 25:4, Deuteronomy 15:1-2). The Jubilee year, occurring every fiftieth year, was a time of economic reset, where land was returned to its original owners and slaves were freed (Leviticus 25:10). These practices served to prevent the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few and to promote economic equality and social stability.

Weights and Measures

The use of accurate weights and measures was a critical aspect of Jewish commerce. Deuteronomy 25:13-15 commands, "You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light. You shall not have two differing measures in your house, one large and one small. You must maintain accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." This law emphasized the need for consistency and reliability in trade, ensuring that all parties were treated fairly.

Treatment of Workers

The treatment of workers was another important aspect of Jewish commercial law. Employers were required to pay their workers promptly and fairly. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 states, "Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them." This law highlights the importance of compassion and justice in employer-employee relationships, ensuring that workers were not exploited or mistreated.

Conclusion

The commercial laws of the Jews were designed to reflect the character of God and to promote a society marked by justice, equity, and compassion. These laws served as a constant reminder of the Israelites' covenantal obligations and their calling to be a light to the nations, demonstrating the righteousness and holiness of their God through their economic practices.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 19:36,37
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall you have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 25:14,17
And if you sell ought to your neighbor, or buy ought of your neighbor's hand, you shall not oppress one another:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Commerce
... To them, as already shown, commerce would be a ... The immigration of Jews into Egypt
commenced even before ... But the real exodus commenced under Alexander the Great ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 12 commerce.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... were under the Achaemenids, and perhaps even under the hegemony ... order of worship,
loaded with strict observances, is ... at every moment by laws prescribing minute ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

Of Civil Government.
... secure, that men may carry on innocent commerce with each ... then (to begin with it),
being contained under two heads ... The ceremonial law of the Jews was a tutelage ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 20 of civil government.htm

John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians ...
... whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but ... their epistles from Jerusalem to Antioch;
under what characters ... to subject themselves to the laws and government ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/john bunyan on the terms.htm

Bunsen's Biblical Researches.
... reasonings on the development of commerce and government ... apart from omniscience
belonging to the Jews, the proper ... feeling that he has been under the guidance ...
/.../essays and reviews the education of the world/bunsens biblical researches.htm

The Mystery
... the person from the internal and visible commerce with other ... expression in the Hebrew
is trvmh, under which name ... an inferior, but a greater hope than the Jews. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

The Epistle of St. James
... or tenants, perhaps in debt to wealthy pagans or Jews. ... too; for all their size and
speed under stiff winds ... does not raise the questions of commerce and property ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of st james.htm

The First Theban Empire
... Jacob, or at least a band of Jews entering into ... and by their depredations to stop
the commerce between the ... step, till he united immense tracts under his single ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... the mouths of the Nile, and of this commerce the Phoenicians ... those of Southern Canaan
to unite under the leadership ... or to the period when the Jews, without any ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm