God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 22:7
7A rich person rules poor people, and a borrower is a slave to a lender.
Proverbs 22:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
- New International Version (NIV)The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.
Context of Proverbs 22:7
5A devious person has thorns and traps ahead of him. Whoever guards himself will stay far away from them. 6Train a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not turn away from it. A rich person rules poor people, and a borrower is a slave to a lender. 8Whoever plants injustice will harvest trouble, and this weapon of his own fury will be destroyed. 9Whoever is generous will be blessed because he has shared his food with the poor.
Read all of Proverbs 22Proverbs 22:7 word by word
עָ֭שִׁיר בְּרָשִׁ֣ים יִמְשׁ֑וֹל וְעֶ֥בֶד לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ מַלְוֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 22:7
- Proverbs 22:16Oppressing the poor for profit ⌞or⌟ giving to the rich certainly leads to poverty.
- Proverbs 14:31Whoever oppresses the poor insults his maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors him.
- Proverbs 18:23A poor person is timid when begging, but a rich person is blunt when replying.
- Amos 2:6This is what the Lord says: Because Israel has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The people of Israel sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.
- Amos 4:1Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan who live on Mount Samaria. You women oppress the poor and abuse the needy. You say to your husbands, “Get some wine! Let’s drink!”
- Amos 5:11You trample on the poor and take their wheat from them for taxes. That is why you build houses from hand-cut stones, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.
- Amos 8:4Listen to this, those who trample on the needy and ruin those who are oppressed in the world.
- James 2:6Yet, you show no respect to poor people. Don’t rich people oppress you and drag you into court?
- James 5:1Pay attention to this if you’re rich. Cry and moan about the misery that is coming to you.
- 2 Kings 4:1One of the wives of a disciple of the prophets called to Elisha, “Sir, my husband is dead! You know how he feared the Lord. Now a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.”
- Nehemiah 5:4Others said, “We’ve had to borrow money to pay the king’s taxes on our fields and vineyards.
- Isaiah 24:2The same will happen to people and priests, male slaves and masters, female slaves and masters, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, debtors and creditors.
- Matthew 18:25Because he could not pay off the debt, the master ordered him, his wife, his children, and all that he had to be sold to pay off the account.
Commentaries on Proverbs 22:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7The rich ruieth over the poor - So it is in the order of God, and may be a blessing to both.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7Verse 7 This shows how important it is for every man to keep out of debt. As to the things of this life, there is a difference between the rich and the poor; but let the poor remember, it is the Lord that made the difference.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7This warns against borrowing. Other proverbs advise against guaranteeing others' debts (Proverbs 6:1–2; 20:16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pr 19:6; 21:14, &c.).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 22:7
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
Commentaries