9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed; For he shares his food with the poor.
He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; He will reward him.
But don't forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' "The King will answer them, 'Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers{The word for "brothers" here may be also correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}, you did it to me.'
For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.
Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work. As it is written, "He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever." Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; you being enriched in everything to all liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God.
Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia; how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.
But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind;
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, Even as your Father is also merciful. Don't judge, And you won't be judged. Don't condemn, And you won't be condemned. Set free, And you will be set free. "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you.{literally, into your bosom.} For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."
If there be with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need [in that] which he wants. Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you. You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.
Isn't it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?'
Isn't it to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? when you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Yahweh shall by your rearward. Then shall you call, and Yahweh will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am. If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly; and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity be as the noonday; and Yahweh will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don't fail. Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
But the noble devises noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.
Cast your bread on the waters; For you shall find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; For you don't know what evil will be on the earth.
The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself.
He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.
> Blessed is he who considers the poor: Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil. Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive, He shall be blessed on the earth, And he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies. Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed, And restore him from his bed of illness.
"If I have withheld the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless has not eaten of it (No, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, Her have I guided from my mother's womb); If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering; If his heart hasn't blessed me, If he hasn't been warmed with my sheep's fleece;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 22
Commentary on Proverbs 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Pr 22:1-29.
1. A good name—(Job 30:8, Hebrew); "good" is supplied here from Ec 7:1.
loving favour—kind regard, that is, of the wise and good.
2. Before God all are on the same footing (Pr 14:31; 17:5).
3. are punished—that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.
4. humility and the fear of the Lord—are in apposition; one produces the other. On the results, compare Pr 3:16; 8:18.
5. he that … them—Those who properly watch over their own souls are thus preserved from the dangers which attend the way of perverse men (Pr 16:17).
6. Train—initiate, or early instruct.
the way—literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.
7. The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pr 19:6; 21:14, &c.).
8. (Compare Pr 11:18; Ps 109:16-20; Ga 6:7, 8).
the rod … fail—His power to do evil will be destroyed.
9. a bountiful eye—that is, a beneficent disposition.
for he giveth … poor—His acts prove it.
10. Cast out—or drive away. Scorners foster strife by taunts and revilings.
11. (Compare Margin).
pureness of heart—and gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.
12. preserve—or guard.
knowledge—its principles and possessors.
overthroweth—utterly confounds and destroys the wicked.
13. Frivolous excuses satisfy the indolent man's conscience.
14. The mouth—or flattering speeches (Pr 5:3; 7:5) ensnare man, as pits, beasts. God makes their own sin their punishment.
15. is bound—or firmly fixed. Chastisement deters from crime and so leads to reformation of principle.
16. These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.
17. Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pr 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).
18. These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and
fitted—or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.
19. That … Lord—This is the design of the instruction.
20. excellent things—or probably of former times.
counsels and knowledge—both advice and instruction.
21. Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.
22, 23. Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pr 17:5; Ps 12:5).
in the gate—place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Ps 69:12).
24, 25. (Compare Pr 2:12-15; 4:14).
25. a snare … soul—The unsuspecting are often misled by bad company.
26, 27. (Compare Pr 6:1; 17:18).
27. should he take, &c.—that is, the creditor.
28. (Compare Pr 23:10). Do not entrench on others (De 19:14; 27:17).
29. Success rewards diligence (Pr 10:4; 21:5).