In biblical times, the concept of hire, or wages, was integral to the economic and social structures of ancient Israel and the surrounding cultures. The term "hire" refers to the payment or compensation given for services rendered or labor performed. This entry explores the biblical understanding of hire, its regulations, and its implications within the scriptural context.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament provides numerous references to the concept of hire, emphasizing fair treatment and timely payment for laborers. In Leviticus 19:13, the law explicitly commands, "You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand." This directive underscores the importance of justice and integrity in economic transactions.

Deuteronomy 24:14-15 further elaborates on this principle: "Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or a foreigner residing in your land. You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise, he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin." Here, the emphasis is on the vulnerability of the laborer and the moral obligation to provide timely compensation.

The account of Jacob and Laban in Genesis 29-31 illustrates the complexities of hire and labor agreements. Jacob worked for Laban for seven years to marry his daughter Rachel, only to be deceived into marrying Leah. This narrative highlights issues of fairness and the potential for exploitation in labor arrangements.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of hire is addressed in the context of parables and teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 20:1-16, the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard illustrates the kingdom of heaven through the lens of labor and wages. The landowner hires workers at different times of the day but pays them all the same wage, challenging conventional notions of fairness and emphasizing divine grace.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, also touches on the subject of hire. In 1 Timothy 5:18, he writes, "For the Scripture says, 'Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,' and 'The worker is worthy of his wages.'" This passage affirms the right of workers, including those in ministry, to receive fair compensation for their labor.

Cultural and Theological Implications

The biblical treatment of hire reflects broader theological themes of justice, mercy, and the dignity of work. The consistent call for fair treatment of laborers aligns with the biblical understanding of humanity created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), deserving of respect and equitable treatment.

The biblical laws concerning hire also serve as a reminder of God's concern for the marginalized and vulnerable. The frequent mention of the poor and needy in the context of labor laws underscores the divine mandate to protect and uplift those who are economically disadvantaged.

In summary, the biblical concept of hire encompasses not only the economic transaction of wages but also the ethical and theological dimensions of justice, fairness, and compassion. The scriptures call for a community where labor is honored, and workers are treated with dignity and respect, reflecting the character of God in economic relationships.1. (pron.) See pron.

2. (n.) The price, reward, or compensation paid, or contracted to be paid, for the temporary use of a thing or a place, for personal service, or for labor; wages; rent; pay.

3. (n.) A bailment by which the use of a thing, or the services and labor of a person, are contracted for at a certain price or reward.

4. (n.) To procure (any chattel or estate) from another person, for temporary use, for a compensation or equivalent; to purchase the use or enjoyment of for a limited time; as, to hire a farm for a year; to hire money.

5. (n.) To engage or purchase the service, labor, or interest of (any one) for a specific purpose, by payment of wages; as, to hire a servant, an agent, or an advocate.

6. (n.) To grant the temporary use of, for compensation; to engage to give the service of, for a price; to let; to lease; -- now usually with out, and often reflexively; as, he has hired out his horse, or his time.

HIRE

hir: Two entirely different words are translated "hire" in the Old Testament:

(1) The most frequent one is sakhar, verb sakhar, and verbal adjective sakhir.

(a) As a verb it means "to hire" for a wage, either money or something else; in this sense it is used with regard to ordinary laborers (1 Samuel 2:5 2 Chronicles 24:12), or mercenary soldiers (2 Samuel 10:6 2 Kings 7:6 1 Chronicles 19:6 2 Chronicles 25:6), or a goldsmith (Isaiah 46:6), or a band of loose followers (Judges 9:4), or a false priest (Judges 18:4), or Balaam (Deuteronomy 23:4 Nehemiah 13:2), or hostile counselors (Ezra 4:5), or false prophets (Nehemiah 6:12 f). As a verbal adjective it refers to things (Exodus 22:15 Isaiah 7:20)or men (Leviticus 19:13 Jeremiah 46:21).

(b) As a noun it denotes the wage in money, or something else, paid to workmen for their services (Genesis 30:32; Genesis 31:8 Deuteronomy 24:15 1 Kings 5:6 Zechariah 8:10), or the rent or hire paid for a thing (Exodus 22:15), or a work-beast (Zechariah 8:10). In Genesis 30:16 Leah hires from Rachel the privilege of having Jacob with her again, and her conception and the subsequent birth of a son, she calls her hire or wage from the Lord for the gift of her slave girl to Jacob as a concubine (Genesis 30:18).

(2) The other word translated hire is 'ethnan, once 'ethnan. It is rather a gift (from root nathan, "to give") than a wage earned by labor, and is used uniformly in a bad sense. It is the gift made to a harlot (Deuteronomy 23:18), or, reversing the usual custom, made by the harlot nation (Ezekiel 16:31, 41). It was also used metaphorically of the gifts made by Israelites to idols, since this was regarded as spiritual harlotry (Isaiah 23:17 Micah 1:7; compare also Hosea 8:9 f).

In the English New Testament the word occurs once as a verb and 3 times as a noun as the translation of misthos, and its verbal form. In Matthew 20:1, 8 and James 5:4 it refers to the hiring of ordinary field laborers for a daily wage. In Luke 10:7 it signifies the stipend which is due the laborer in the spiritual work of the kingdom of God. It is a wage, earned by toil, as that of other laborers. The word is very significant here and absolutely negatives the idea, all too prevalent, that money received by the spiritual toiler is a gift. It is rather a wage, the reward of real toil.

William Joseph McGlothlin

3409. misthoo -- to let for hire, to hire
... to let for hire, to hire. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: misthoo Phonetic
Spelling: (mis-tho'-o) Short Definition: I hire out, hire, engage Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3409.htm - 6k

3408. misthos -- wages, hire
... wages, hire. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: misthos Phonetic Spelling:
(mis-thos') Short Definition: wages, reward Definition: (a) pay, wages ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3408.htm - 6k

1554. ekdidomi -- to give up, give out, let out for hire
... to give up, give out, let out for hire. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekdidomi
Phonetic Spelling: (ek-did-o'-mee) Short Definition: I give out, let, let ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1554.htm - 6k

2052. eritheia -- rivalry, hence ambition
... seeking; a feud, faction. 2052 (from , "work for hire") -- properly, work
done (as a ), referring therefore to (). Ancient Greek uses ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2052.htm - 7k

7936. sakar -- to hire
... 7935, 7936. sakar. 7937 . to hire. Transliteration: sakar Phonetic Spelling:
(saw-kar') Short Definition: hired. ... earn wages, hire out self, reward, surely. ...
/hebrew/7936.htm - 6k

8566. tanah -- to hire
... tanah. 8567 . to hire. Transliteration: tanah Phonetic Spelling: (taw-naw') Short
Definition: hire. ... root Definition to hire NASB Word Usage hire (1), hired (1) ...
/hebrew/8566.htm - 5k

7939. sakar -- hire, wages
... 7938, 7939. sakar. 7940 . hire, wages. Transliteration: sakar Phonetic Spelling:
(saw-kawr') Short Definition: wages. ... hire, price, rewarded, wages, worth. ...
/hebrew/7939.htm - 6k

4242. mechir -- price, hire
... 4241, 4242. mechir. 4243 . price, hire. Transliteration: mechir Phonetic Spelling:
(mekk-eer') Short Definition: price. ... gain, hire, price, sold, worth. ...
/hebrew/4242.htm - 6k

7938. seker -- hire, wages
... 7937, 7938. seker. 7939 . hire, wages. Transliteration: seker Phonetic
Spelling: (seh'-ker) Short Definition: hired. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/7938.htm - 6k

5534b. sakar -- to hire
... sakar. 5535 . to hire. Transliteration: sakar Short Definition: hired. Word Origin
a prim. root Definition to hire NASB Word Usage hired (1). ...
/hebrew/5534b.htm - 5k

868. ethnan -- the wages (of a harlot)
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition the wages (of a harlot) NASB Word Usage
earnings (4), harlot's wages (2), hire (1), lovers (1), money (3). ...
/hebrew/868.htm - 6k

7809. shachad -- to give a present, bribe
... hire, give a reward. A primitive root; to donate, ie Bribe -- hire, give
a reward. 7808, 7809. shachad. 7810 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7809.htm - 6k

On the Mission of the Seventy Disciples, and Christ's Charge to ...
... from, the Creator. "The labourer is worthy of his hire." [4433] Who could
better pronounce such a sentence than the Judge? For to ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xxiv on the mission of.htm

But Lest any Should Fancy that this was Granted Only to the Twelve ...
... And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as are with them:
for the workman is worthy of his hire." [2494] Here it appears that these ...
/.../augustine/of the work of monks /section 7 but lest any.htm

Delivered on the Lord's Day, on that which is Written in the ...
... xx. 1, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went
out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.". [LXXXVII. ...
/.../sermon xxxvii delivered on the.htm

The Testament of Issachar Concerning Simplicity.
... who are beloved of the Lord. I was the fifth son born to Jacob, even the
hire of the mandrakes. [124] For Reuben [125] brought in ...
/.../v the testament of issachar concerning.htm

The vineyard Labourers.
... "For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went
out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/ix the vineyard labourers.htm

Matthew xx. 1, and C.
... 1, & c. For the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man that is an Housholder, which
went out early in the Morning to hire Labourers into his Vineyard, & c. ...
/.../sermon xviii matthew xx 1.htm

Matt. xix. 27
... "For the kingdom of Heaven," He said, "is like to a man that is an householder,
which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxiv matt xix 27.htm

The Social Challenge to the Church
... The schools cannot assume charge of community center activities without danger either
of overworking the teachers or of having to hire special assistance for ...
/.../vogt/church cooperation in community life/chapter iv the social challenge.htm

And He Comes Back Again, and in all Ways...
... above he said of his fellow-apostles; of whom the Lord Himself saith, "The workman
is worthy of his meat;" and, "The workman is worthy of his hire." This meat ...
/.../augustine/of the work of monks /section 10 and he comes.htm

Sermon for Septuagesima Sunday
... Matthew 20:1.""The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder,
which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.". ...
/.../ix sermon for septuagesima sunday.htm

Hire (48 Occurrences)
... or estate) from another person, for temporary use, for a compensation or equivalent;
to purchase the use or enjoyment of for a limited time; as, to hire a farm ...
/h/hire.htm - 27k

Wage (39 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To adventure, or lay out, for hire or reward; to hire out. 5. (vt)
To put upon wages; to hire; to employ; to pay wages to. ...
/w/wage.htm - 18k

Wages (52 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) A compensation given to a hired person for services;
price paid for labor; recompense; hire. See Wage, n., 2. Int. ...
/w/wages.htm - 28k

Hack (1 Occurrence)
... 9. (n.) A kick on the shins. 10. (n.) A horse, hackneyed or let out for common hire;
also, a horse used in ... 15. (vt) To use as a hack; to let out for hire. 16. ...
/h/hack.htm - 8k

Hireling (17 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A labourer employed on hire for a limited time (Job
7:1; 14:6; Mark 1:20). ... 2. (a.) Serving for hire or wages; venal; mercenary. Int. ...
/h/hireling.htm - 13k

Labourers (11 Occurrences)
... Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder,
which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. ...
/l/labourers.htm - 9k

Earnings (6 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 23:18 You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of
a dog, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow: for even both these are ...
/e/earnings.htm - 8k

Prostitution (48 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 16:34 You are different from other women in your prostitution, in that no
one follows you to play the prostitute; and whereas you give hire, and no ...
/p/prostitution.htm - 22k

Prostitute (83 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To offer, as a woman, to a lewd use;
to give up to lewdness for hire. 2. (vt) To devote to base ...
/p/prostitute.htm - 33k

Goats (134 Occurrences)
... This will be my hire. ... Genesis 30:33 So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter,
when you come concerning my hire that is before you. ...
/g/goats.htm - 37k

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