Movatterモバイル変換

Proverbs 19:4
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

Proverbs 14:20
The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the richhath many friends.

Psalm 38:11
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

he

Proverbs 21:13
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Luke 18:38-40
And he cried, saying, Jesus,thou Son of David, have mercy on me…

yet

Proverbs 18:23
The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

James 2:15,16
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, …

1 John 3:17,18
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowelsof compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? …

how much more do his friends avoid him!
Friends, unlike family, are not bound by blood and thus may feel even less obligation to maintain a relationship with someone who is poor. This phrase emphasizes the fickle nature of human relationships based on material wealth. In the cultural context of the time, friendships were often formed for mutual benefit, and poverty could sever these ties. This is echoed inProverbs 14:20, which similarly notes the isolation of the poor. The avoidance by friends serves as a warning against placing trust in human relationships over divine provision and faithfulness.

He may pursue them with pleading,
The image of the poor man pursuing his friends with pleading suggests desperation and vulnerability. This pursuit indicates an active effort to seek help or companionship, highlighting the poor man's awareness of his social isolation. The act of pleading can be seen as a form of supplication, akin to the biblical practice of seeking mercy or favor, as seen in the Psalms. This reflects the broader biblical narrative of the marginalized crying out for justice and support, as inPsalm 72:12-14, where the righteous king is called to deliver the needy.

but they are nowhere to be found.
This phrase completes the picture of abandonment, illustrating the futility of the poor man's efforts to reconnect with those who once were close. The absence of friends in times of need contrasts with the biblical ideal of steadfast love and loyalty, as exemplified by Jonathan's friendship with David (1 Samuel 18:1-4). It serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human relationships and the need for reliance on God, who is described as a "friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). This absence also foreshadows the ultimate rejection faced by Christ, who was abandoned by His disciples in His hour of need (Mark 14:50).

“All the brothers of a poor man hate him” (Proverbs 19:7) sounds harsh, yet it describes the common, fallen reaction to poverty.

• Poverty strips away social power; even family members may distance themselves to avoid perceived obligation (Proverbs 14:20).

• Job tasted this rejection when he lamented, “He has removed my brothers far from me” (Job 19:13-19).

• Scripture commands the opposite response: “If there is a poor man with you… you shall open your hand” (Deuteronomy 15:7-11) and “Whoever has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need… let us not love with word or tongue, but in deed” (1 John 3:17-18).

• James rebukes believers who dishonor the poor while favoring the rich (James 2:5-6).

The verse exposes sin, not endorsing it; it warns that even family ties can wither when self-interest rules.

If brothers—bound by blood—turn away, “how much more” will optional relationships dry up.

• Wealth attracts many companions; poverty thins the crowd (Proverbs 19:4).

• The prodigal son learned that fair-weather friends depart when the money is gone (Luke 15:13-16).

• Worldly friendship often rests on mutual benefit, yet true friendship loves “at all times” (Proverbs 17:17) and mirrors Christ, who laid down His life for friends (John 15:13).

Bullet points that mark counterfeit friendship:

– Conditional presence (there when things go well)

– Selective listening (quick to leave when needs arise)

– Self-protection over self-giving

The proverb urges us to test our own hearts: Do we stay when there is no visible return?

The poor man “pursue[s] them with pleading,” knocking on doors only to meet silence.

• Job begged comforters and received accusations (Job 6:14-23).

• David cried, “No one cares for my soul” (Psalm 142:4).

• Paul stood alone at his first defense, yet the Lord “stood with me” (2 Timothy 4:16-17).

Absent friends intensify suffering, but the Lord hears every plea (Psalm 34:6). Believers are called to embody that divine faithfulness: “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Practical steps:

– Notice and initiate; do not wait for the needy to beg.

– Offer tangible help: food, work, shelter (Isaiah 58:7).

– Give dignity—listen, pray, advocate.

Proverbs 19:7 lays bare the sad reality that poverty often brings social rejection. Family may withdraw, friends may vanish, and the needy may plead in vain. The verse does not excuse this behavior; it exposes it so God’s people will live differently. Scripture calls us to steady, sacrificial love that reflects Christ—standing with the poor, meeting practical needs, and proving that true friendship endures when every worldly advantage is gone.

Πένητα φεύγει πᾶς τις ἐκποδὼν φίλος

"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 (τελεσιουργεῖ κακίαν); 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." 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 negationלא, readsלו, 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."

Parallel Commentaries ...