Proverbs 22:22–23
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22:22Do not exploit57 a poor person because he is poor
and do not crush the needy in court,58
22:23for the Lord will plead their case59
and will rob those who are robbing60 them.
Footnotes
- 57 Two negated jussives form the instruction here: אַל־תִּגְזָל (’al-tigzal, “do not exploit”) and וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּא (ve’al-tédakke’, “do not crush”). Robbing or oppressing the poor is easy because they are defenseless. But this makes the crime tempting as well as contemptible. What is envisioned may be in bounds legally (just) but out of bounds morally.
- 58 Heb “in the gate” (so ); , , “at the gate.” The “gate” of the city was the center of activity, the place of business as well as the place for settling legal disputes. The language of the next verse suggests a legal setting, so “court” is an appropriate translation here.
- 59 The construction uses the verb יָרִיב (yariv) with its cognate accusative. It can mean “to strive,” but here it probably means “to argue a case, plead a case” (cf. , , , ). How the Lord will do this is not specified—either through righteous people or by direct intervention.
- 60 The verb קָבַע (qava’, “to rob; to spoil; to plunder”) is used here in both places to reflect the principle of talionic justice. What the oppressors did to the poor will be turned back on them by the Lord.
The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press
In other versions
ESVEnglish Standard Version
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate,
for the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles
NIVNew International Version (2011)
Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
for the Lord will take up their case
and will exact life for life.
Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.
CSBChristian Standard Bible
Don’t rob a poor person because he is poor,
and don’t crush the oppressed at the city gate,
for the Lord will champion their cause
and will plunder those who plunder them.
Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
NLTNew Living Translation
Don’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.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
LEBThe Lexham English Bible
Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;
For Yahweh will plead their case
and despoil those who despoil them of life.
Copyright 2012 Lexham Press
KJV 1900King James Version
Rob not the poor, because he is poor:
Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
For the Lord will plead their cause,
And spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
Public Domain