The eighth commandment

Exodus 22.26, 27

“If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.”

Leviticus 19.13

“You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.”

Deuteronomy 24.14, 15

“‘You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin.’”

James 5.1-4

In ancient Israel it was considered a form of oppression either to withhold wages that were due or to cause a man to suffer because of his temporary need for assistance involving a pledge. In the case of a pledge, both the lender and the borrower might be careful about such an arrangement, since it involved a high degree of trust on the part of the borrower and a certain amount of inconvenience to the lender. Nevertheless, the Law provided for arrangements where a loan could be made which, if it were of sufficient value, might require a pledge regarded by the borrower of equal value. Satisfaction of the loan would see the pledge – collateral – returned.

Wages, of course, were expected when they were due, according to what had been agreed on by employers and employees. In ancient Israel it seems the practice was to pay wages every day, whether in the form of goods or money. Whatever the schedule, it was to be honored consistently, lest guilt be incurred before the Lord.

This series of In the Gates we present a detailed explanation of the Law of God, beginning with the Ten Commandments, and working through the statutes and rules that accompany each commandment. For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the practice of ethics, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.