John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 24:14

"Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy sojourners that are in thy land within thy gates:" — Deuteronomy 24:14 (ASV)

You shall not oppress a hired servant. This precept is similar to the previous one. Moses declares that whoever has hired a poor person for wages oppresses him unless he gives him immediate payment for his labor, since the two admonitions, “you shall not oppress,” and “you shall give him his hire,” are to be read in connection with each other. Therefore, it follows that if a hired worker suffers from need because we do not pay him what he has earned, we are by our very delay alone convicted of unrighteousness. The reason is now more clearly expressed, namely, because he sustains his life by his daily labors.¹⁰¹

Although this provision refers only to the poor, so that they should not suffer hunger from the negligence or pride of the rich, still, humanity in general is enforced. This is so that while the poor labor for our profit, we should not arrogantly abuse them as if they were our slaves, or be too ungenerous and stingy towards them. Indeed, nothing can be more disgraceful than that, when they are in our service, they should not at least have enough to live on frugally.

Finally, Moses admonishes us that this tyranny on the part of the rich will not go unpunished if they do not supply their workmen with the means of subsistence, even though no account may be rendered of it before human courts.

From this, we infer that this law is not political but entirely spiritual, and binding on our consciences before the judgment seat of God. For although the poor man may not sue us at law, Moses teaches us that it is sufficient for him to appeal to the faithfulness of God. Therefore, even if an earthly judge absolves us a hundred times over, let us not think that we have escaped, since God will always require from us from heaven whatever has been unjustly excused for us on earth.

The question, however, arises here: if the one who has been oppressed does not cry out, will the criminality cease because of his silence? For the words of Moses seem to imply this when he says that the rich will be guilty if the poor cry to God and complain of their wrongs. The reply is easy: Moses had no other intention than to overthrow the vain confidence of those who despise others, by which they are stimulated to greater audacity in sin and are hardened in iniquity.

He says, therefore, that although, as far as men are concerned, they may allow us to pillage and rob, a more awful judgment is still to be dreaded, for God hears the complaints of the poor who find no protector or avenger on earth. And surely, the more patiently the one who is despoiled bears his wrong, the more ready God will be to undertake his cause; nor is there any louder cry to Him than patient endurance.

If, however, anyone should object that the cry spoken of here is at variance with Christ’s command that we should pray for our enemies, we answer at once that God does not always approve of the prayers which He nevertheless answers. The imprecation of Jotham, the son of Gideon, took effect upon the Shechemites (Judges 9:20), although it was plainly the offspring of immoderate anger. Besides, it sometimes happens that the miserable, although they endure their injuries with pious meekness, still do not cease to lay their sorrows and their groans in the bosom of God.

Nor is this a slight consolation for the poor: that if no one on earth relieves them because their condition is low and abject, God will still take cognizance of their cause hereafter.

¹⁰¹ The expression on which C. founds this statement is translated by himself “ea (founds this statement is translated by himself “ea (i..e., mercede) sustentat animam suam;” in our ., mercede) sustentat animam suam;” in our A. . V., “setteth his heart upon it;“ margin, “., “setteth his heart upon it;“ margin, “Heb., lifteth his soul unto it.” Dathe has, “eam anhelat;” Ainsworth, “and unto it he lifteth up his soul,” and his note is, “that is, hopeth for and desireth it for the maintenance of his life. So the Greek here translateth, ., lifteth his soul unto it.” Dathe has, “eam anhelat;” Ainsworth, “and unto it he lifteth up his soul,” and his note is, “that is, hopeth for and desireth it for the maintenance of his life. So the Greek here translateth, he hath hope; and in. ; and in. Jeremiah 22:27, and , and 44:14, the lifting up of the soul signifieth a desire; and the , the lifting up of the soul signifieth a desire; and the soul is often put for the is often put for the life. Hereupon the Hebrews say, Whosoever with-holdeth the hireling’s wage, is as if he took away his soul (or life) from him” etc.. Hereupon the Hebrews say, Whosoever with-holdeth the hireling’s wage, is as if he took away his soul (or life) from him” etc.