Proverbs 22:16
in Proverbs 22Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain, And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want.
KJV
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
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This verse in Proverbs 22
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Foolishness is bound up in the heart
on Proverbs 22:15-16
"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child," the reason the training of verse 6 is needed at all. The rod of discipline drives it far from him. Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich "will surely lead to poverty."
This site's exposition
Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself
The verse names two roads to gain, oppressing the poor and giving gifts to the rich. Both surely lead to poverty. John Gill marks this verse as the close of the book's second part, with a new section opening at verse 17.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
He who oppresses the poor, etc. It is evident that the rapacious, those who take from the poor and also those who seem to justly possess what they have, lose everything equally, when, in the examination of the strict judge, they receive punishment for the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He that oppresseth the poor - He who, in order to obtain the favor of the rich and great, either robs or cheats the poor, to make those men presents; or gives in presents to them, for the sake of honor and reputation, what he should have given to the poor, shall surely come to want.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Better, He who oppresses the poor for his own profit gives. (i. e., will, in the common course of things, be compelled to give) to a rich man, and that only to his own loss. Ill-gotten gains do not prosper, and only expose the oppressor to extortion and violence in his turn.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עֹ֣שֵֽׁק | ʾoshek | [one who] oppresses | H6231 → | 36 times |
| דָּ֭ל | dal | [the] poor | H1800 → | 47 times |
| לְהַרְבּ֣וֹת | leharbot | to increase | H7235 → | 227 times |
| ל֑וֹ | lo | for himself | ||
| נֹתֵ֥ן | noten | [one who] gives | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר | leashir | to a rich [person] | H6223 → | 23 times |
| אַךְ־ | ʾakh- | only | H389 → | 161 times |
| לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃ | lemachsor | to poverty | H4270 → | 13 times |
עֹ֣שֵֽׁק[one who] oppresses
ʾoshekH6231 →36 times
דָּ֭ל[the] poor
dalH1800 →47 times
לְהַרְבּ֣וֹתto increase
leharbotH7235 →227 times
ל֑וֹfor himself
lo
נֹתֵ֥ן[one who] gives
notenH5414 →2011 times
לְ֝עָשִׁ֗ירto a rich [person]
leashirH6223 →23 times
אַךְ־only
ʾakh-H389 →161 times
לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃to poverty
lemachsorH4270 →13 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 12:5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
it leads to
- Psalms 34:6
This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- James 5:4
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
- Psalms 146:7–8
He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
- Micah 7:8–9
Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
- Psalms 34:6
Through
James 2:13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
- Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
- Matthew 5:7
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).