New King James Version
Proverbs 22:16
16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come 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 Living Translation (NLT)A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.
Context of Proverbs 22:16
14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there. 15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. 17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; 18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
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 he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
- Proverbs 14:31He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
- Proverbs 28:3A poor man who oppresses the poor Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
- Job 20:19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor, He has violently seized a house which he did not build.
- Psalms 12:5“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”
- Micah 2:2They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.
- Zechariah 7:9“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother.
- James 2:13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- James 5:1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
- Luke 6:33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
- Luke 14:12Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.
- Luke 16:24“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries