Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
The call is the Lord's rebuke to those who swallow up the needy and cause the poor of the land to fail by exploiting them for selfish profit. It exposes acting for self and serving self instead of serving and honoring God, and despising His work. The condemned oppression includes oppressing the hireling in his wages. It includes carrying on business by unsanctified, worldly methods that create burdens and perplexities.
Those condemned grudged sacred time, treating the Sabbath and the new moon as obstacles to trade while eager to set forth corn and sell wheat. Their fraud included making the ephah small and the shekel great, using dishonest measures and false balances falsified by deceit. They bought the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sold inferior grain, even the refuse of the wheat. God sees these works of fraud and oppression, will punish them, will not forget them, and will not work with such iniquitous practices. Instead He requires justice and mercy, faithful dealing by both employer and hireling, and walking humbly with God.
The call is the Lord's rebuke to those who swallow up the needy and cause the poor of the land to fail by exploiting them for selfish profit. It exposes acting for self and serving self instead of serving and honoring God, and despising His work. The condemned oppression includes oppressing the hireling in his wages. It includes carrying on business by unsanctified, worldly methods that create burdens and perplexities.
Those condemned grudged sacred time, treating the Sabbath and the new moon as obstacles to trade while eager to set forth corn and sell wheat. Their fraud included making the ephah small and the shekel great, using dishonest measures and false balances falsified by deceit. They bought the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sold inferior grain, even the refuse of the wheat. God sees these works of fraud and oppression, will punish them, will not forget them, and will not work with such iniquitous practices. Instead He requires justice and mercy, faithful dealing by both employer and hireling, and walking humbly with God.