English Standard Version
Proverbs 31:9
9Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
- New International Version (NIV)Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Context of Proverbs 31:9
7let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. 8Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. 10An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
Read all of Proverbs 31Proverbs 31:9 word by word
פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפָט־צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 31:9
- Proverbs 16:12It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness.
- Proverbs 20:8A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.
- Leviticus 19:15"You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.
- Deuteronomy 1:16And I charged your judges at that time, 'Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.
- Deuteronomy 16:18"You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
- 2 Samuel 8:15So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.
- Psalms 58:1Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
- Psalms 72:1Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
- Job 29:12because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
- Isaiah 1:17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
- Isaiah 11:4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
- Isaiah 32:1Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.
- Jeremiah 5:28they have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of evil; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy.
- Jeremiah 22:3Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
- Jeremiah 23:5"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
- Daniel 4:27Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity."
Commentaries on Proverbs 31:9
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9Instead of drinking wine (Proverbs 31:4–7), the king should defend those who cannot protect themselves.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-93-9. Succinct but solemn warnings against vices to which kings are peculiarly tempted, as carnal pleasures and oppressive and unrighteous government are used to sustain sensual indulgence. strength--mental and bodily resources for health and comfort. thy ways--or course of life. to that ... kings--literally, "to the destroying of kings," avoid destructive pleasures (compare Pr 5:9; 7:22, 27; Ho 4:11).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 31:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries