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You asked

what was the common practice for paying workers in ancient near eastern societies?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

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 your foreigners who are in your land within your gates. You shall give him his hire in his day, before the sun goes down, for he is poor, and sets his heart on it; lest he cry against you to Yahweh, and it be sin to you.

This passage is part of Moses' address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land. It lays out laws for a just society, covering various aspects of daily life, including how they should treat vulnerable members of their community.

How does urgency around someone's basic needs influence our understanding of what justice requires?

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Read alongside it

  • Leviticus 19:13

    This verse reinforces the same principle of timely payment and not defrauding a hired worker.

  • James 5:4

    This New Testament passage condemns those who withhold wages from workers, showing a consistent biblical theme.

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