The Proverbs and the Poor

Interpretive Question.

What insight does Proverbs give the reader into what it means to be either rich or

poor?

Word Study

Poor

There are number of Hebrew words employed in the Hebrew that are translated as

“poor.”

Hebrew Repeated Translated As..

dal (Blue Letter, Strong’s 14x NASB; 14x KJV Translates exclusively as
1800) poor
machcowr (Blue Letter, 8x NASB; 8x KJV Want - 6:11; 21:5; 22:16;
Strong’s 4270) 24:34
Not lack - 28:27
Poor – 21:17
Poverty – 11:24
Penury – 14:23
yarash (Blue Letter, 4x NASB; 4x KJV Heir – 30:23
Strong’s 3423) Poverty – 20:13, 21
Poor – 30:9
aniy (Blue Letter, Strong’s 6x NASB; 8x KJV Poor – 14:21; 30:14; 31:9,
6041) 20
Afflicted – 15:15; 22:22;
Lowly – 3:34; 16:19;

The NASB translates 3:34

as “afflicted” instead of
lowly and 14:21 as “on the
poor” and the NASB as “to
the poor.” Both are
combined with the Hebrew
anav.
anav (Blue Letter, Strong’s 3x NASB; 3x KJV Lowly – 3:34; 16:19
6035) Poor – 14:21
 Rich

There are two Hebrew words in Proverbs pertaining to the rich.

Hebrew Repeated Translated As..

‘ashar (Blue Letter,
Strong’s 6238)
‘ashiyr (Blue Letter,
Strong’s 6223)
14x NASB; 16x KJV
Rich – 10:4, 15, 22; 13:7;
14:20; 18:11, 23; 21:17;
22:2, 7, 16; 23:4; 28:6, 11,
20, 22
The rich [man] – 10:15;
18:22; 28:11
But the rich – 10:4; 14:20;
18:23; 28:11
Though he be rich – 28:6

What Proverbs Tells Us About The Rich…

• Hands that are diligent in work (10:4)

• God’s blessings make rich (10:22)

• Someone who wants to be rich must not love wine, oil or pleasure (21:17)

• Faithfulness and time will bring riches (28:20)

• The rich man’s wealth is a strong city (10:15; 18:11)

• Rich man has many friends (14:20)

• Answers harshly (18:23)

• Made in the image of God (22:2)

• Rules over the poor (22:7)

• Better to be upright than a rich liar (28:6)

• Wise in his own conceit (28:11)

Comparisons/Contrasts of Verses Using Both Rich and Poor Together

Comparison/Contrasting the “Rich” and “Poor” in Proverbs (All verse reference are from
 NIV.)

Verse Rich Poor Observations

Reference
10:15 Wealth is his Poverty is ruin This seems to imply the
defense rich man can find his
security in what he
possesses. The poor man;
however, assumes his
poverty can never end
causing his ruin
14:20 Has many friends Shunned by This illustrates a common
neighbors malady of human nature
but what are the
implications? Does the
rich man really know who
his friends are? Does the
poor man take pride in
having only a select group
of friends? This implies
the neighbor might also be
showing pride or lack of
wisdom by choosing
friends based on the
temporal or material. What
does this say about who
the rich or poor allow to
influence them?
18:23 Answers roughly Pleads for mercy Suggests those who are
needy/poor/hungry have
learned to act graciously.
Implies humility or a
putting away of pride. The
rich has no needs and is
not hungry so feels no
obligation to act with
grace. The verse appears
to be speaking to attitude.

21:17 Lover of wine and Lovers of This verse is more of a

oil will never be pleasure will stated observation by the
become writer. It is a
generalization about what
will happen to those who
act this way. Observation
also tells us that the
 wicked prosper but
judgment comes to all who
trust in pleasure and not
God.
22:2 God is his maker God is his maker 22:2, 7, 16 need to be
22:7 Rule over poor with Serve because of connected to get the full
22:16 wealth debt to rich picture being painted
v. 2 – rich & poor have
commonality as they are
made in the image of God.
v. 7 – even though there is
commonality those who
have rule because life has
given them what the poor
need. The poor serve
because they are in need.
This might imply that
some rule with a heavy
hand and without equality.
v. 16 – continues to speak
to commonality between
rich and poor. If the rich
continues to lend he will
come to poverty and if the
poor continues to be
dependent on the rich and
has to payback the loans
both will eventually come
into poverty.

28:6 May be wise in his Discerns the rich v. 6 tells us it is better to

28:11 own eyes who are like this be poor and whole than to
be a rich liar
v. 11 tell us that the rich
might deceive themselves
because of their wealth.
This could suggest the rich
are self-deceived and the
poor can take advantage of
it. Or it might suggest the
poor are able to see
through the arrogance of
the rich.

Both speak to the idea of

being whole (integrity)
 whether one is rich or
poor.

“Better than” sayings in Proverbs Relating to Rich or Poor

Verse Observations
Better a poor man whose walk is blameless The KJV uses the term “integrity” whereas
than a fool whose lips are perverse. (19:1) the NIV uses “blameless.” Both translations
imply wholeness and being compared with
“perverseness” which would seem to be the
opposite. Perverseness seems to speak of
something hidden or dishonest. Blameless
implies an openness or honest. So it seems
it is better to be an honest poor man than a
fool who tells lies whether rich or poor is of
no concern here. A fool is a fool!
What a man desires is unfailing love; better Again we see the idea of integrity. That is,
to be poor than a liar (19:22). better to be poor, in need or hungry than to
be a liar, crooked or dishonest. The NIV
What is desirable in a man is his kindness, translation here is difficult when compared
And {it is} better to be a poor man than a to KJV or NASB where the terminology is
liar. (NASB) a about “kindness.” Both seem to suggest
that “kindness” is a desirable trait or virtue
The desire of a man [is] his kindness: and a found in a man rather than something a man
poor man [is] better than a liar. (KJV) longs after. It appears then the writer is
comparing the virtue of kindness to the vice
of being a liar. It is better to poor and show
kindness than to be someone who makes
promises to be kind and doesn’t keep them
– again it is about integrity!
Better a poor man whose walk is blameless See notes on 19:1 as it is a repeated Proverb
than a rich man whose ways are perverse
(28:6).

To be poor seems to mean someone who lacks sufficient resources in order to live

a self-sustaining life. Thus the poor depends on the rich but it is a relationship that ends in

servitude or slavery. There is an idea of the poor being “afflicted” which may possibly

infer they are either physically or emotionally incapable of living a self-sustaining life.

To be rich seems to mean someone who has the resources not only to sustain his
or her own life but also the lives of others (i.e. the poor). It also appears these definitions

imply a responsibility on behalf of the rich who are in power to those who have no

power. The writer suggests the rich must be careful not to trust in their own wealth.

Conclusion

I am left with the impression that the real point of the writer of Proverbs is not

necessarily about being rich or poor but how one handles his or her situation. In other

words, it is not about being either rich or poor its about having integrity with whatever

God has given (19:1; 28:6). It is better, says the writer, to live a life of wholeness because

all have a common Creator (14:31; 22:2) who will punish all liars (19:5, 9) no matter

their economic status.

 References

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for `aniy (Strong's 6041)". Blue Letter
Bible. 1996-2010. 7 Feb 2010. < http://
www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H6041&t=KJV >

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for `anav (Strong's 6035)". Blue Letter
Bible. 1996-2010. 7 Feb 2010. < http://
www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H6035&t=KJV >

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for `ashar (Strong's 6238)". Blue Letter
Bible. 1996-2010. 7 Feb 2010. < http://
www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H6238&t=KJV >

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for `ashiyr (Strong's 6223)". Blue Letter
Bible. 1996-2010. 7 Feb 2010. < http://
www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H6223&t=KJV >

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for dal (Strong's 1800)". Blue Letter
Bible. 1996-2010. 7 Feb 2010. < http://
www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H1800&t=KJV >

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for machcowr (Strong's 4270)". Blue
Letter Bible. 1996-2010. 7 Feb 2010.
<http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H4270&t=KJV >

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for yarash (Strong's 3423)". Blue Letter
Bible. 1996-2010. 7 Feb 2010. < http://
www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H3423&t=KJV >