God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 22:16
16Oppressing the poor for profit ⌞or⌟ giving to the rich certainly leads to poverty.
Proverbs 22:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
- New International Version (NIV)One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
Context of Proverbs 22:16
14The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit. The one who is cursed by the Lord will fall into it. 15Foolishness is firmly attached to a child’s heart. Spanking will remove it far from him. Oppressing the poor for profit ⌞or⌟ giving to the rich certainly leads to poverty. 17Open your ears, and hear the words of wise people, and set your mind on the knowledge I give you. 18It is pleasant if you keep them in mind ⌞so that⌟ they will be on the tip of your tongue,
Read all of Proverbs 22Proverbs 22:16 word by word
עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבּ֣וֹת ל֑וֹ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 22:16
- Proverbs 22:22Do not rob the poor because they are poor or trample on the rights of an oppressed person at the city gate,
- Proverbs 14:31Whoever oppresses the poor insults his maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors him.
- Proverbs 28:3A poor person who oppresses poorer people is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
- Job 20:19because he crushed and abandoned the poor. He has taken by force a house that he didn’t build.
- Psalms 12:5“Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will provide safety for those who long for it.”
- Micah 2:2They desire ⌞other people’s⌟ fields, so they seize them. They desire ⌞people’s⌟ houses, so they take them. They cheat a man and his family, a man and his inheritance.
- Zechariah 7:9“This is what the Lord of Armies says: Administer real justice, and be compassionate and kind to each other.
- James 2:13No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- James 5:1Pay attention to this if you’re rich. Cry and moan about the misery that is coming to you.
- Luke 6:33If you help those who help you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners do that too.
- Luke 14:12Then he told the man who had invited him, “When you invite people for lunch or dinner, don’t invite only your friends, family, other relatives, or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they will return the favor.
- Luke 16:24He yelled, ‘Father Abraham! Have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue. I am suffering in this fire.’
Commentaries on Proverbs 22:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16He 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Better, 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.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16Verse 16 We are but stewards, and must distribute what God intrusts to our care, according to his will.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16A person advances through hard work, not by taking advantage of the poor or bribing the wealthy (compare Proverbs 22:29).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 22:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 22
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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