KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
You must not cheat your neighbor or steal from him. Don't hold back the wages of someone you've hired—pay them before the day is over, not the next morning.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is commanding fair treatment of workers and neighbors—no cheating, stealing, or withholding earned wages overnight.
📚 Historical Context
This command was given to the Israelites as part of the holiness code in Leviticus, establishing ethical standards for their new society. In ancient agricultural economies, day laborers depended on daily wages to buy food for their families that very day. Withholding payment even overnight could mean a worker's family would go hungry.
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