Figuratively, like the blood of Abel (see on Gen. 4:10), the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Gen. 18:20; 19:13), and the souls of the martyrs, under the altar (see Rev. 6:9, 10). No injustice escapes the attention of the omniscient God.

The Greek implies that the wages have been and continue to be withheld.

That is, by you. Any effort to take advantage of another’s labor, either by overt fraud or by the payment of meager wages, is here condemned.

Here, representative of any type of service for which wages are paid.

By whose toil the rich have become wealthy.

Or, “wages.”

 James vividly pictures one method by which some of the “rich” have amassed their fortunes. Dishonesty or delay in the payment of wages is specifically forbidden in the OT (see on Deut. 24:14, 15). The rich think they are treasuring up “gold,” when in reality they may be storing up “fire” for themselves in the day of judgment (see on James 5:3).

Joined with the inarticulate cry of the fraud itself are the personal pleadings of those who have been oppressed and as a result are in distress.

 Or, “Lord of hosts” (see on Jer. 7:3; Rom. 9:29). The omnipotent God will not ignore the cry for justice, and oppressed laborers are assured that one day justice will prevail and that the wrongs they have suffered will be righted (see Luke 16:19-25).