New Living Translation
Proverbs 22:23
23For the Lord is their defender. He will ruin anyone who ruins them.
Proverbs 22:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
- New International Version (NIV)for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
Context of Proverbs 22:23
21In this way, you may know the truth and take an accurate report to those who sent you. 22Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court. For the Lord is their defender. He will ruin anyone who ruins them. 24Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, 25or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
Read all of Proverbs 22Proverbs 22:23 word by word
כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יָרִ֣יב רִיבָ֑ם וְקָבַ֖ע אֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם נָֽפֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 22:23
- Proverbs 23:11For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you.
- 1 Samuel 24:12“May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.
- 1 Samuel 25:39When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.
- Psalms 12:5The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.”
- Psalms 35:1O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me.
- Psalms 43:1Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars.
- Psalms 68:5Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
- Psalms 140:12But I know the Lord will help those they persecute; he will give justice to the poor.
- Jeremiah 50:34But the one who redeems them is strong. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He will defend them and give them rest again in Israel. But for the people of Babylon there will be no rest!
- Jeremiah 51:36This is what the Lord says to Jerusalem: “I will be your lawyer to plead your case, and I will avenge you. I will dry up her river, as well as her springs,
- Micah 7:9I will be patient as the Lord punishes me, for I have sinned against him. But after that, he will take up my case and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies. The Lord will bring me into the light, and I will see his righteousness.
- Malachi 3:5“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
- Isaiah 33:1What sorrow awaits you Assyrians, who have destroyed others but have never been destroyed yourselves. You betray others, but you have never been betrayed. When you are done destroying, you will be destroyed. When you are done betraying, you will be betrayed.
- Habakkuk 2:8Because you have plundered many nations, now all the survivors will plunder you. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence.
Commentaries on Proverbs 22:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23For the Lord will plead their cause - Wo therefore to them that oppress them, for they will have God, not the poor, to deal with.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-23Verses 22-23 He that robs and oppresses the poor, does so at his peril. And if men will not appear for them, God will.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-23Saying 1: God protects the weak, including the poor. Those who are wealthy should be generous to the poor (Proverbs 11:24–26; 21:13; 22:9, 16; 28:27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2322-23. Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pr 17:5; Psa 12:5). in the gate--place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Psa 69:12).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 22:23
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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries