Easton's Bible Dictionary A labourer employed on hire for a limited time (Job 7:1; 14:6; Mark 1:20). His wages were paid as soon as his work was over (Leviticus 19:13). In the time of our Lord a day's wage was a "penny" (q.v.) i.e., a Roman denarius (Matthew 20:1-14). Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) One who is hired, or who serves for wages; esp., one whose motive and interest in serving another are wholly gainful; a mercenary. 2. (a.) Serving for hire or wages; venal; mercenary. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia HIRELING hir'-ling (sakhir): Occurs only 6 times in the Old Testament, and uniformly means a laborer for a wage. In Job 7:1 there is reference to the hireling's anxiety for the close of the day. In Isaiah 16:14 and 21:16 the length of the years of a hireling is referred to, probably because of the accuracy with which they were determined by the employer and the employee. Malachi (3:5) speaks of the oppression of the hireling in his wages, probably by the smallness of the wage or by in some way defrauding him of part of it. In the New Testament the word "hireling" (misthotos) occurs only in John 10:12, where his neglect of the sheep is contrasted unfavorably with the care and courage of the shepherd who owns the sheep, who leads them to pasture and lays down his life for their protection from danger and death. William Joseph McGlothlin

Multi-Version Concordance Hireling (17 Occurrences) John 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (KJV ASV WBS YLT RSV) Exodus 22:15 If the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be a hired thing, it came for its hire. (See JPS) Leviticus 19:13 Thou dost not oppress thy neighbour, nor take plunder; the wages of the hireling doth not remain with thee till morning. (YLT) Leviticus 22:10 And no stranger doth eat of the holy thing; a settler of a priest and an hireling doth not eat of the holy thing; (YLT) Leviticus 25:6 And the sabbath of the land hath been to you for food, to thee, and to thy man-servant, and to thy handmaid, and to thy hireling, and to thy settler, who are sojourning with thee; (YLT) Leviticus 25:40 as an hireling, as a settler, he is with thee, till the year of the jubilee he doth serve with thee, -- (YLT) Leviticus 25:50 And he hath reckoned with his buyer from the year of his being sold to him till the year of jubilee, and the money of his sale hath been by the number of years; as the days of an hireling it is with him. (YLT) Leviticus 25:53 as an hireling, year by year, he is with him, and he doth not rule him with rigour before thine eyes. (YLT) Deuteronomy 15:18 It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for to the double of the hire of a hireling has he served you six years: and Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do. (WEB JPS ASV YLT) Deuteronomy 24:14 Thou dost not oppress a hireling, poor and needy, of thy brethren or of thy sojourner who is in thy land within thy gates; (YLT) Nehemiah 6:13 so that he 'is' an hireling, that I may fear and do so, and I had sinned, and it had been to them for an evil name that they may reproach me. (YLT) Job 7:1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV) Job 7:2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages, (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV) Job 14:6 Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV) Isaiah 16:14 But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. (KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT RSV) Isaiah 21:16 For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: (KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT RSV) Malachi 3:5 I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don't fear me," says Yahweh of Armies. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT RSV)