Proverbs 29:13

13 A poor man and a lender met themselves; the Lord is [the] lightener of ever either. (A poor person and a lender met together; the Lord lighteneth the burdens of both of them.)

Proverbs 29:13 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 29:13

The poor and the deceitful man meet together
Or "the usurer" F17; who by usury, by fraud and deception, is possessed of the mammon of unrighteousness, and is become rich; he and the poor man meet together; and so the sense is the same as in ( Proverbs 22:2 ) ; (See Gill on Proverbs 22:2); the Lord lighteneth both their eyes;
with the light of natural life, and with the light of natural reason, ( John 1:4 John 1:9 ) ; and so is the same as being "the Maker of them all", in the above place; or he bestows his providential favours on both; causes his sun to shine upon the rich and poor, the wicked and the righteous, ( Matthew 5:45 ) . Or it may be understood of the light of grace; for though, for the most part, God chooses and calls the poor of the world, and lightens their eyes with the light of his grace, when not many wise and noble are called and enlightened; yet this is not restrained wholly to men of one and the same condition of life; yea, God sometimes calls and enlightens publicans, tax gatherers, and extortioners, as Matthew and Zacchaeus.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Mybkt vya) "vir usurarum", Mercerus; "foenerator", Piscator, Tigurine version; "usurarius", Munster.

Proverbs 29:13 In-Context

11 A fool bringeth forth all his spirit; a wise man delayeth, and reserveth into (the) time (to) coming afterward.
12 A prince that heareth willfully the words of leasing, shall have all his servants unfaithful. (A ruler who willingly listeneth to lies, shall have servants who all be unfaithful./If a ruler willingly listeneth to lies, then all of his servants shall be unfaithful.)
13 A poor man and a lender met themselves; the Lord is [the] lightener of ever either. (A poor person and a lender met together; the Lord lighteneth the burdens of both of them.)
14 If a king deemeth poor men in truth, his throne shall be made steadfast [into] without end. (If a king judgeth the poor with honesty, his throne shall be made secure forever.)
15 A rod and chastising shall give wisdom; but a child, that is left to his own will, shameth his mother.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.