Deuteronomy 24:11-21

11 but thou shalt stand withoutforth, and he shall bring forth to thee that that he hath.
12 And if he is poor, his wed shall not abide by night with thee (his pledge shall not stay with thee all night),
13 but anon thou shalt yield his wed to him before the going down of the sun, that he sleep in his cloth, and bless thee, and thou have rightwiseness before thy Lord God. (but at once thou shalt yield his pledge back to him, yea, before the going down of the sun, so that he can sleep in his own cloak, and bless thee, and then thou shalt have righteousness before the Lord thy God.)
14 Thou shalt not deny the hire of thy brother (who is) needy and poor, either of the comeling that dwelleth with thee in thy land, and is within thy gates; (Thou shalt not withhold the wages of thy servant who is needy and poor, whether he be a fellow Israelite, or a newcomer who dwelleth with thee in thy land, within thy gates;)
15 but in the same day thou shalt yield to him the price of his travail, before the going down of the sun, for he is poor, and sustaineth thereof his life; lest he cry against thee to the Lord, and it be reckoned to thee into sin. (but thou shalt yield to him the wages for his work on the same day, before the going down of the sun, for he is poor, and sustaineth his life with them; lest he cry against thee to the Lord, and it be reckoned unto thee as a sin.)
16 The fathers shall not be slain for the sons, neither the sons for the fathers, but each man shall die for his own sin.
17 Thou shalt not waywardly turn, or mis-deem, the doom of the comeling, or of the fatherless, either motherless child; neither thou shalt take away instead of a wed the cloth of a widow. (Thou shalt not waywardly turn, or pervert, justice for the newcomer, or for the fatherless or the motherless child; nor shalt thou take away the cloak of a widow in place of a pledge.)
18 Have thou mind (Remember), that thou servedest in Egypt, and thy Lord God delivered thee from thence; therefore I command to thee that thou do this thing.
19 When thou reapest corn in thy field, and forgettest, and leavest a reap, thou shalt not turn again to take it, but thou shalt suffer that a comeling, and a fatherless, either motherless child, and a widow take it away, that thy Lord God bless thee in all the work of thine hands. (When thou reapest corn in thy field, and forgettest, and leavest a sheaf, thou shalt not return to get it, but thou shalt allow the newcomer, the fatherless or the motherless child, and the widow, to take it, so that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hands.)
20 If thou gatherest the fruits of olives, whatever thing leaveth in the trees, thou shalt not turn again to gather it, but thou shalt leave it to a comeling, a fatherless, either motherless [child], and to a widow. (When thou gatherest the fruits of olives, whatever thing be left in the trees, thou shalt not return to gather it, but thou shalt leave it for the newcomer, the fatherless or the motherless child, and the widow.)
21 If thou gatherest grapes of thy vinery, thou shalt not gather [the] raisins that leave, but those shall fall into the uses of the comeling, of the fatherless, either motherless [child], and of the widow. (When thou gatherest grapes from thy vineyard, thou shalt not gather the raisins that be left, but they shall be left for the newcomer, the fatherless or the motherless child, and the widow.)

Deuteronomy 24:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 24

This chapter contains various laws concerning divorces, De 24:1-4; the discharge of a newly married man from war and business, De 24:5; about taking pledges, De 24:6,10-13; man stealing, De 24:7; the plague of leprosy, De 24:8,9; and giving servants their hire in due time, De 24:14,15; concerning doing justice in capital cases, and towards the stranger, fatherless, and widow, De 24:16-18; and of charity to the poor, in allowing them the forgotten sheaf, and the gleanings of their oliveyards and vineyards, De 24:19-22.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.