Consideration for People in Need

10 “When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not enter his house to collect what he offers as security. 11 You must stand outside while the man you are making the loan to brings the security out to you. 12 If he is a poor man, you must not sleep in the garment he has given as security. 13 Be sure to return it[a] to him at sunset. Then he will sleep in it and bless you, and this will be counted as righteousness to you before the Lord your God.(A)

14 “Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether one of your brothers or one of the foreigners residing within a town[b] in your land. 15 You are to pay him his wages each day before the sun sets, because he is poor and depends on them.(B) Otherwise he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be held guilty.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 24:13 Lit return what he has given as security
  2. Deuteronomy 24:14 Lit within the gates

10 “If you lend anything to your neighbor, do not enter his house to pick up the item he is giving as security. 11 You must wait outside while he goes in and brings it out to you. 12 If your neighbor is poor and gives you his cloak as security for a loan, do not keep the cloak overnight. 13 Return the cloak to its owner by sunset so he can stay warm through the night and bless you, and the Lord your God will count you as righteous.

14 “Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns. 15 You must pay them their wages each day before sunset because they are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t, they might cry out to the Lord against you, and it would be counted against you as sin.

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