All the relatives of the poor shun him: how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.
Parallel Translations
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All the relatives of the poor shun him: how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.
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All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
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All the brethren of the poor do hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He that pursueth words, they turn against him.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Proverbs 19:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 88:8 You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.
- Psalms 38:11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.
- Proverbs 18:23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
- Proverbs 19:4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.
- James 2:15-16 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
- 1 John 3:17-18 But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him? My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
- Psalms 88:18 You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
- Proverbs 21:13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
- Ecclesiastes 9:15-16 Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
- Proverbs 14:20 The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor, but the rich person has many friends.
- Luke 18:38-40 He cried out, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!” Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,
- James 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain To have comfort of them.
To have comfort of them.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 19:7 All the brethren of the poor do…
Pro 19:7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth [them with] words, [yet] they [are] wanting [to him].
Ver. 7. All the brethren of the poor do hate him.] How much more then his hired friends? These are like crows to a dead carcase, which if they flock to it, it is not to defend but to devour it; and no sooner have they bared the bones, but they are gone. {See Trapp on "Pro 14:20"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Brethren; his nearest and dearest relations, who are oft…
Brethren; his nearest and dearest relations, who are oft called brethren in Scripture, by a common synecdoche.
Hate him, i.e. despise and shun him, as men do any thing which they hate, and as the following words explain it.
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His friends; his former companions, who in his prosperity professed friendship to him.
He pursueth them with words, earnestly imploring their pity; or, he urgeth (Heb. pursueth) their words, i.e. allegeth their former promises and professions of friendship. Or, without any supplement, he seeketh words, as the preacher sought to find out acceptable words, Ecc 12:10, wherewith he might prevail or move them to pity.
They are wanting to him, Heb. they are not; either,
1. His friends are not, to wit, what they pretended to be, friends to him. Or,
2. Their words are vain, and without effect; there is no reality in them.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain All the brethren of the poor do hate him,....…
All the brethren of the poor do hate him,.... They despise him on account of his poverty; they neglect him, and do not take care of him; they reckon him a reproach unto them, and do not choose to own him; all which may be interpreted an hatred of him;
how much more do his friends go far from him? or "his friend", every one of his friends; or "his neighbour" (l): for if his brethren, who are his own flesh and blood, show so much disrespect unto him; much more will those who are only his neighbours, or were in friendship with him while in prosperity; these wilt stand at a distance from him, and not come near him, now he is poor and in distress; see Job 19:13;
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he pursueth them with words; yet they are wanting to him; or, "they are not" (m); he presses them with earnest entreaties to relieve him; he urges their own words and promises, and fetches arguments from them, and uses them as far as they will go; but all signifies nothing; his own words and petitions are to no purpose; and their words and promises are all smoke and vapour, vain and empty. Some understand this, as Gersom, not of the poor man that follows vain words (n) and empty promises, and buoys himself up with them that such an one and such an one has promised to be his friend, of which nothing comes; but of the friend that separates from the poor man, and pursues him with words of accusation, charging it on him as hit own fault that he is poor; which accusations are not true. This is one of the fifteen places observed by the Masoretes, in which it is written "not", and read "to him": both may be retained, and read, "they are not to him" (o); not profitable to him; either his own words, his petitions; or the words of others, their promises.
(l) "amicus ejus", Vatablus; "ominis amicus", Cocceius; i.e. "quisque amicorum ejus", Michaelis. (m) "non sunt ii", Junius & Tremillius; "et non sunt, Mercerus. (n) "Nihil illa", Cocceius, Schultens. (o) Vid. Amamae Antibarb. Bibl. l. 3. p. 742.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Brethren - His nearest relations. Hate - Despise and…
Brethren - His nearest relations. Hate - Despise and shun him. Pursueth - Earnestly imploring their pity.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 7. Do hate him] They shun him as…
Verse 7. Do hate him] They shun him as they do the person they hate. They neither hate him positively, nor love him: they disregard him; they will have nothing to do with him. שנא sana signifies not only to hate, but to show a less degree of love to one than another. So Jacob loved Rachel, but hated Leah-showed her less affection than he did to Rachel.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain It seems best to follow the Vulgate in taking…
It seems best to follow the Vulgate in taking the last clause as a separate maxim, He who pursues words, nought are they; i. e., the fair speeches and promises of help come to nothing. A various reading in the Hebrew gives, “he pursues after words, and these he shall have” - i. e., these, and nothing else.
This and other like maxims do not in reality cast scorn and shame on a state which Christ has pronounced “blessed.” Side by side with them is Pro 19:1, setting forth the honor of an upright poverty. But as there is an honorable poverty, so there is one which is altogether inglorious, caused by sloth and folly, leading to shame and ignominy, and it is well that the man who wishes to live rightly should avoid this. The teaching of Christ is, of course, higher than that of the Book of Proverbs, being based upon a fuller revelation of the divine will, pointing to a higher end and a nobler standard of duty, and transcending the common motives and common facts of life.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Only. Hebrew has lo, and the margin lu, with…
Only. Hebrew has lo, and the margin lu, with the Vulgate. (Calmet) --- The former word intimates that the words have no solidity, and the latter that they shall be his only portion who is so foolish as to trust in them. Sequens dicta non ispa; (Montanus) or ei ipsa, if we follow the margin. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 7. The brethren of the poor — This is…
7. The brethren of the poor — This is probably to be understood as applying particularly to such of his brethren as are in better worldly circumstances than himself.
Hate him — Not literally, but in effect; they do not care for him.
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His friends — Literally, his companions.
Go far from him — These also keep out of the way of helping him.
He pursueth them with words — Or, he is a pursuer of words; that is, promises.
They are wanting to him — Literally, they are not. The latter clauses are elliptical and obscure, and the exact sense is difficult to obtain. Besides, there is a various reading, which some prefer. Thus Conant: “He follows after words — these he has.” The other reading, however, is generally accepted. The Douay, after the Vulgate, makes the last clause separate, thus: “He that followeth after words only shall have nothing.”
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 7. pursueth them with words] sc. of persuasion and…
7. pursueth them with words] sc. of persuasion and entreaty. The R.V. marg. renders, He pursueth after words which are nought, i.e. after the fair but false promises of his friends.
wanting to him] Rather, are gone, R.V., desert him in his time of need.
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The fact that this is the only example in this division of the Book of a proverb, which is a tristich, or consists of three clauses, leaves little doubt that the last clause of this verse properly belongs to another proverb, of which one member has fallen out of our present text. This conclusion is in some measure confirmed by the appearance in the LXX. of two complete distichs, though the whole verse is there confused and apparently corrupt, and does not help to the restoration of the original Heb. text.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (7) He pursueth them with words, yet they are…
(7) He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to Him.—The first half of a verse has apparently dropped out here. The sense may be, that the poor man hunts after words—i.e., seeks to get promises of help from his friends, and these end in nothing—mere talk.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain This is one of the few tristichs in the…
This is one of the few tristichs in the book, and probably contains the mutilated remains of two distichs. The third line, corrected by the Septuagint, which has an addition here, runs into two clauses (Cheyne). All the brethren of the poor do hate him. Even his own brothers, children of the same parents, hate and shun a poor man. (Pro_14:20) Much more do his friends go far from him. There should be no interrogation. We have the expression (aph-ki) in Pro_11:31 Pro_15:11, etc. Euripides, "Medea," 561 Penhta feugei pav tiv ekpodwlov . "Each single friend far from the poor man flies.
Septuagint. "Every one who hateth a poor brother will be also far from friendship." Then follows an addition not found m the Hebrew, "Good thought draweth nigh to those who know it, and a prudent man will find it. He who doeth much evil brings malice to perfection (telesiourgei kakian ); and he who rouses words to anger shall not be safe." He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him; or, they are gone. He makes a pathetic appeal to his quondam friends, but they hearken not to him. But the sense is rather, "He pursueth after, craves for, words of kindness or promises of help, and there is naught, or he gets words only and no material aid.
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Wordsworth quotes Catullus, "Carm.," 38:5"Quem tu, quod minimum facillimumque est, Qua solatus es adlocutione? Irascor tibi. Sic meos amores?
Vulgate, Qui tantum verba sectatur, nihil habebit, "He who pursues words only shall have naught." The Hebrew is literally, "Seeking words, they are not" This is according to the Khetib; the Keri, instead of the negation al, reads wl, which makes the clause signify, "He who pursues words, they are to him;" i.e. he gets words and nothing else. Delitzsch and others, supplying the lost member from the Septuagint, read the third line thus: "He that hath many friends, or the friend of every one, is requited with evil; and he that seeketh (fair) speeches shall not be delivered." Cheyne also makes a distich of this line, taking the Septuagint as representing the original reading, "He that does much evil perfects mischief: He that provokes with words shall not escape." That something has fallen out of the Hebrew text is evident; it seems that there are no examples of tristichs in this part of our book, though they are not unknown in the first and third divisions. The Vulgate surmounts the difficulty by connecting this third line with the following verse, which thus is made to form the antithesis, Qui tantum verba sectatur, nihil habebit; Qui autem possessor est mentis, diligit animam suam, et custos prudentiae inveniet bona."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting…
Pro_19:7
He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
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Coercing men of ill principles
This verse prescribes a different method of proceeding against known offenders, according to their different characters. The scorner, who makes a jest of everything sacred, and professes an open contempt of religion, is to be treated with great severity. As to sinners who have not resolved to shut their eyes against the light of truth, we are directed to apply ourselves to them in a more easy, gentle, and humane method of reproof.
I. The reasonableness of employing the secular arm against the scorner. A sense of religion is the great basis upon which all government stands. The scorner is, therefore, an enemy to the state. The scorner who laughs at the very name and pretence of conscience itself has no claim on the toleration of the state.
II. The obligations we are under to the duty of fraternal reproof.
1. The obligation of a just concern for the honour and interests of religion. The sins and impieties of men bring a scandal and discredit upon religion. To admonish and reprove them for such sins and impieties is a proper means to prevent that scandal and promote the interests of religion. This is one of the methods which the wisdom of God Himself has appointed in order to reclaim sinners from the evil of their ways. As the wisdom of God has directed this method, societies have been formed by men to concert how it may be most effectually pursued.
2. From the charity we owe to our neighbour. It is to a good man one of the greatest pleasures of this life to do good; then what an exceeding pleasure it must be to be instrumental in recovering a lost soul.
(1) Great tenderness and compassion must be used, to give our reproof the greater force and efficacy.
(2) Our reproofs must be modest, and free from all hypocritical ostentations.
(3) Avoid exposing the offender as much as the rule of charity will admit.
(4) Do not give admonitions to superiors the air of reproof.
(5) Take care that reproof is seasonable.
If this be a duty of so great a nicety, we ought not rashly and unadvisedly to take it in hand, but to consider well whether we be in any good measure qualified for it. Those who find themselves really qualified for it ought not to be discouraged from performing it, though it sometimes expose them to inconvenience or make them incur the odium of those with whom they take so unacceptable a freedom. Let us resolve to discharge a good conscience, and leave the consequences of doing our duty to the disposal of God. (R. Fiddes, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain v. 7. All the brethren of the poor do…
v. 7. All the brethren of the poor do hate him, his own relatives treating him with an utter want of charity; how much more do his friends go far from him! for his acquaintances are not even bound by the ties of relationship and therefore withdraw with less compunction. He pursueth them with words, eager to hear at least some words of encouragement and friendly interest, yet they are wanting to him, that is, no one cheers him with words of kindness; even so much is denied him.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 how much more do his friends who go far…
how much more do his friends who go far away from him!
This phrase is an exclamation to show that this is more likely than the previous phrase. AT: "therefore his friends will certainly hate him and go far away from him!" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
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loves his own life
Here the person is referred to by his "life" to emphasize himself being alive. AT: "loves himself" (See: Metonymy)
keeps understanding
"has understanding"
translationWords
brother
wise
love
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.