Deuteronomy 24:13

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.)

Deuteronomy 24:13 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 24:13

In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again, when the
sun goeth down
If it was a night covering, as Jarchi remarks; but if it was his day clothes, he was to return it in the morning, when the sun arose; and this was to be done every day, which resist occasion a great deal of trouble, and the pledge of little use; so that it seems as though they might as well be without it as have it, and lend freely; but the Jews say, that there was an advantage by it; for it is said in answer to such a question,

``of what profit is the pledge? by this means the debt is not released on the seventh year, (when all other debts were released, ( Deuteronomy 15:1 Deuteronomy 15:2 ) ) nor could the borrower dispose of his goods to his children, but payment was made from the pledge after his death ^F13:''

now this delivery of the pledge at sun setting was ordered,

that he may sleep in his own raiment;
have his night covering to sleep in, his pillow, and bolster, and bedding to lie on, and bed clothes to cover him; and indeed the clothes they wore were made in such form, as would serve for covering to sleep in at night, as well as to wear in the day; and such is the clothing of the Arabs now, which they call "hykes".

``The usual size of them (Dr. Shaw says ^F14), is six yards long, and five or six feet broad, serving the Arab for a complete dress in the day; and as they "sleep in their raiment", it serves likewise for his bed and covering by night:''

and bless thee:
for using him so mercifully and kindly, as to return him his pledge, which is so necessary to his comfortable repose in the night; and not only will he praise him, and speak well of him for it, and give him thanks; but will pray to God to bless him in soul, body, and estate, for such kindness shown him:

and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God;
not his justifying righteousness before God, for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh living be justified in his sight; but it shall be owned and approved of as a good and righteous action, and answerable to the intention of this law, which is, that mercy should be shown to persons in distress; in which sense the word "righteousness" is sometimes used, even for a merciful action, ( Psalms 112:9 ) ( Daniel 4:27 ) ; so alms is called (dikaiosunh) , "righteousness", ( Matthew 6:1 ) , in some copies.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Maimon Hilchot Milvah Velovah, c. 3. sect. 5.
F14 Travels, p. 224. Ed. 2.

Deuteronomy 24:13 In-Context

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.)