Proverbs 19:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

NIV: Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.

NASB: One who is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord, And He will repay him for his good deed.

CSB: Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and he will give a reward to the lender.

NLT: If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord — and he will repay you!

KJV: He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

NKJV: He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.

Once again, Scripture commends deep concern for the needs of the poor (Proverbs 14:21; 19:7; 21:13; 29:7). Charity honors God, and a person who helps the needy does God's will as well as God's work (Matthew 5:16). The implication of the term "lend" suggests that God will repay those who are generous—not necessarily with earthly wealth, but in spiritual blessing. The statement foreshadows the words of Jesus. Speaking about the final judgment, and those who provided for the poor, Christ says, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40).

Paul urged the Corinthians to give generously to the relief of poor Christians in Judea. He reminded the Corinthians that Jesus set aside His riches in heaven and became poor so believers could benefit (2 Corinthians 8:9). In the tribulation period many Jewish believers in Jesus will be persecuted. They will suffer the loss of property and possessions. Yet those who believe in Christ through their preaching will help them with food, clothes, and shelter.

Proverbs 19:8–21 continues Solomon's observations about wisdom and foolishness, a king's wrath, household turmoil, and human plans as compared to divine sovereignty. A theme of these proverbs is the danger of ignoring godly wisdom, while placing too much reliance on one's own ability. A wise person is prudent, diligent, and honest. At the same time, wisdom means realizing that not all plans work out.

Several themes are associated with these statements. Among them are the idea that personal integrity is worth much more than earthly wealth or success. Solomon discusses the unfortunate habit of favoring the rich and dismissing the poor, while commending those who care for the unfortunate. Many references are made to the consequences of foolish behavior, including the shame and punishment such things can bring.

This series of proverbs is part of Solomon's writing on wisdom (Proverbs 10:1), a long chain continuing into chapter 22. As do other segments, this speaks on the harsh realities of poverty, the need for integrity, the dangers of laziness, the value of loving discipline, and the consequences of acting foolishly.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.

Accessed 5/8/2024 6:17:35 AM