Proverbs 29:13
in Proverbs 29The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The poor man and the oppressor meet together; Jehovah lighteneth the eyes of them both.
KJV
The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the Lord lighteneth both their eyes.
⋯
This verse in Proverbs 29
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Better, The poor and the oppressor. “Usurer,” as in the margin expresses the special form of oppression from which the poor suffer most at the hands of the rich. God has made them both and bestows His light equally on both.
This site's exposition
A fool vents all his anger
on Proverbs 29:11-13
"A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back" contrasts the man who pours out everything with the one who restrains. Verse 12 states a principle of leadership: "If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked."
This site's exposition
The poor man and the oppressor
Albert Barnes takes the oppressor as a usurer, the form of oppression the poor suffer most. God made both and gives His light to both alike. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown read the light as life sustained, so both depend on the LORD, who will do justice.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
The poor man and creditor meet each other, etc. The poor man is the humble listener of the word of God; the creditor, however, is he who commits the money of the same word by preaching to him; they meet each other when they converge …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The poor and the deceitful man meet together,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
(Compare Pr 22:2). deceitful man--literally, "man of vexations," an exactor. the Lord . . . their eyes--sustains their lives (1Sa 14:27; Ps 13:3); that is, both depend on Him, and He will do justice.
The poor and the deceitful man - It is difficult to fix the meaning of תככים techachim, which we here render the deceitful man. The Targum has, “The poor and the man of Little Wealth.” The Septuagint, “The usurer and the Debtor.” The Vulgate, “The poor and Creditor.” Coverdale, “The poor and the Lender.” Others, “The poor and the Rich;” “The poor and the Oppressors.” I suppose the meaning may be the same as in Pro 22:2 (note): “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.” Where see the note.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
and a man of deep thoughts A man of thoughts, a Torah scholar. And our Sages explained it concerning a disciple who said to a teacher, “Teach me.”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רָ֤שׁ | rash | a poor [person] | H7326 → | 24 times |
| וְאִ֣ישׁ | veish | and a person of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| תְּכָכִ֣ים | tekhakhim | oppression<s> | H8496 → | |
| נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ | nifgashu | they meet together | H6298 → | 14 times |
| מֵ֤אִיר־ | meir- | [is] giving light to | H215 → | |
| עֵינֵ֖י | ʾeinei | [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם | sheneihem | both of them | H8147 → | 768 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
רָ֤שׁa poor [person]
rashH7326 →24 times
וְאִ֣ישׁand a person of
veishH376 →1663 times
תְּכָכִ֣יםoppression<s>
tekhakhimH8496 →
נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּthey meet together
nifgashuH6298 →14 times
מֵ֤אִיר־[is] giving light to
meir-H215 →
עֵינֵ֖י[the] eyes of
ʾeineiH5869 →887 times
שְׁנֵיהֶ֣םboth of them
sheneihemH8147 →768 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Ephesians 2:1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
it leads to
- Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
- Ephesians 2:5–6
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
- Colossians 3:1–4
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
- Ephesians 4:18
They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
- Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
- Colossians 2:13
Through
Matthew 5:45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
it leads to
- Psalms 145:9
The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made.
- Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is…
- Acts 14:17
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
- Psalms 145:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.