Defrauding the Workers

The hire of the laborers in the law, Lev_19:13, had ordered: The wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning, every day’s labor being paid for as soon as ended. This is more clearly stated in another law, Deu_24:15 : At his day thou shalt give him his hire; neither shall the sun go down upon it; - lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee. And that God particularly resented this defrauding of the hireling we see from Mal_3:5 : I will come near to you in judgment, and will be a swift witness against those who oppress the hireling in his wages. The cries of them who have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts; The Lord of sabaoth - The Apostle James often conceives in Hebrew though he writes in Greek. It is well known that יהוה צבאות Yehovah tsebaoth, Lord of hosts, or Lord of armies, is a frequent appellation of God in the Old Testament; and signifies his power, and the infinitely numerous means he has for governing the world, and defending his followers, and punishing the wicked. (Clarke)