Bible Commentary

James 5:4

James 5:4

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain

accounts for the miseries that are coming upon them. Their sins are the cause. The language is modeled upon the Old Testament, and the special sin denounced is one that is expressly forbidden in the Law (see , , "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy.

At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it: for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee;" cf. , "I will be a swift witness … against those that oppress the hireling in his wages (LXX.

, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστεροῦντας μισθὸν μισθωτοῦ)" Later allusions to the same sin are found in Tobit 4:14; Ecclesiasticus 34:22. Which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth. For ἀπεστερημένος of the Received Text, read ἀφυστερημένος ( א, B).

It is possible to join the words ἀφ ὑμῶν with κράζει, but it is more natural to take them as the A.V. with ἀφυστερημένος. Reaped … reaped ( ἀμησάντων … θερισάντων); R.V., "mowed … reaped." But it would seem that the words should have been reversed, as, judging by Old Testament usage, ἀμάω is always used of corn (Le 25:11; ; ; ; ); while θερίζειν is the wider word, including all "harvesting," and used of χόρτος in .

(127) 7; . Into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. These words are adopted from , κύριος σαβαώθ, a Grecized form of the Hebrew תואבץ הוהי, frequent in the LXX. Found in the New Testament only here and (in a quotation); elsewhere, e.

g. in the Apocalypse, it is represented by παντοκράτωρ (, etc); so also in 2 Corinthians 6:18 (equivalent to 2 Samuel 7:8).

The Daily Devotional

One devotional. Every morning.

The full reading, the passage behind it, and where to go deeper — in your inbox before the day starts. No ads, ever.

We'll send one email to confirm it's really you. Unsubscribe in one tap, any time.

Continue tomorrow

Turn Bible study into a daily habit

Read today's devotional, save your progress, and receive a gentle daily reminder.

Recommended reading

More for James 5:4

Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.

Other commentaries

James 5 — OverviewJames 5 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleIn this chapter the apostle denounces the judgments of God upon those rich men who oppress the poor, showing them how great their sin and folly are in the sight of God, and how grievous the punishments would be…James 5 — OverviewJames 5 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJames 5:1, Wicked rich men are to fear God’s vengeance; James 5:7, We ought to be patient in afflictions, after the example of the prophets, and Job; v.12, to forbear swearing; v.13, to pray in adversity, to sing in…James 5 — OverviewJames 5 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIn this chapter the apostle reproves the vices of rich men, and denounces the judgments of God upon them; exhorts the saints to patience under sufferings; warns them from vain and profane swearing, and presses to…James 5:1-11James 5:1-11 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThe apostle is here addressing first sinners and then saints. I. Let us consider the address to sinners; and here we find James seconding what his great Master had said: Woe unto you that are rich; for you have…James 5:1-6James 5:1-6 · The Pulpit CommentaryDENUNCIATION OF THE RICH FOR The whole section resembles nothing so much as an utterance of one of the old Jewish prophets. It might almost be a leaf torn out of the Old Testament.James 5:1-6James 5:1-6 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe judgment on selfishness. Selfishness lay at the root of the sinfulness of the rich men, whose conduct is so sternly denounced. The sin