Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, but without justice it is swept away. Abundant foodThe phrase "abundant food" suggests a plentiful provision that is available. In the Hebrew context, the word for "abundant" often implies a sense of overflowing or more than enough. This reflects God's provision and the potential for prosperity that He has embedded in creation. Theologically, it reminds us of God's desire for His people to live in sufficiency and to have their needs met. The imagery of food being abundant in the land speaks to the blessings that God has placed within the earth, waiting to be cultivated and harvested. is in the fallow ground
"Fallow ground" refers to land that is left unplowed and unseeded for a period to restore its fertility. In ancient agricultural practices, allowing land to lie fallow was a method of ensuring long-term productivity. Spiritually, this can be seen as a metaphor for potential that is yet to be realized. The fallow ground of the heart, when tilled and nurtured, can yield spiritual fruit. This phrase encourages believers to recognize and cultivate the potential that God has placed within them, both physically and spiritually. of the poor
The mention of "the poor" highlights a social and economic reality that has persisted throughout history. In the biblical context, the poor were often marginalized and lacked access to resources. However, this verse suggests that even the poor have access to potential abundance. It challenges societal norms by asserting that poverty does not equate to a lack of potential or worth. From a Christian perspective, it calls for a recognition of the inherent dignity and potential in every individual, regardless of their economic status. but without justice
The phrase "without justice" introduces a critical element that affects the realization of potential. In Hebrew, the word for justice, "mishpat," encompasses fairness, equity, and the right ordering of society. The absence of justice implies a societal failure to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from the abundance that God has provided. This serves as a call to action for believers to advocate for justice and to work towards systems that allow for equitable distribution of resources. it is swept away
The imagery of being "swept away" conveys a sense of loss and destruction. It suggests that without justice, the potential for abundance is not only unrealized but also actively destroyed. This serves as a warning of the consequences of neglecting justice and equity. In a broader spiritual sense, it reminds believers of the importance of aligning with God's principles of justice to prevent the squandering of the blessings He has provided. It is a call to stewardship and responsibility, urging Christians to ensure that the potential for abundance is not lost due to societal or personal negligence. Persons / Places / Events 1. The PoorThis refers to individuals who lack material wealth or resources. In the context of this proverb, they possess potential resources (fallow ground) that are not fully realized due to external injustices. 2. Fallow GroundThis is land that is left unplowed and unseeded for a period to restore its fertility. It symbolizes untapped potential or resources that could yield abundance if properly utilized. 3. JusticeIn this context, justice refers to fairness and righteousness in societal structures and personal interactions. The lack of justice results in the poor being unable to benefit from their potential resources. Teaching Points Recognizing PotentialThe proverb teaches us to see the potential in what may seem unproductive or overlooked, such as the fallow ground of the poor. We should seek to cultivate and develop these resources. The Role of JusticeJustice is crucial in ensuring that everyone can benefit from their potential resources. As Christians, we are called to advocate for justice and fairness in our communities. Stewardship and ResponsibilityWe have a responsibility to be good stewards of the resources God has given us, ensuring they are used to benefit all, especially the marginalized. Compassion for the PoorThis verse challenges us to have compassion for the poor and to work towards systems that allow them to thrive rather than be swept away by injustice. Community and SupportThe church community should be a place where the needs of the poor are met, and their potential is nurtured through support and empowerment. Bible Study Questions 1. How can we identify and cultivate the "fallow ground" in our own lives and communities? 2. In what ways can we actively promote justice for the poor in our society today? 3. How does the concept of stewardship apply to the resources and opportunities we have been given? 4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure that the needs of the poor are met within our church community? 5. How do the themes of justice and potential in Proverbs 13:23 connect with the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels? Connections to Other Scriptures Proverbs 14:31This verse highlights the importance of treating the poor with kindness and justice, emphasizing that oppressing the poor is an affront to their Maker. Isaiah 5:8-10These verses speak against those who accumulate land and wealth at the expense of others, leading to desolation and lack of justice. James 5:1-6This passage warns the rich about the consequences of exploiting the poor and withholding their rightful wages, echoing the theme of justice and fairness. People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Abundance, Abundant, Consumed, Destroyed, Fallow, Field, Fields, Ground, Injustice, Judgment, Lost, Man's, People's, Ploughed, Poor, Produce, Reason, Righteousness, Substance, Sweeps, Swept, Tillage, Wrongdoing, YieldsDictionary of Bible Themes Proverbs 13:23 5447 poverty, causes Library The Tillage of the Poor
'Much food is in the tillage of the poor.'--PROVERBS xiii. 23. Palestine was a land of small peasant proprietors, and the institution of the Jubilee was intended to prevent the acquisition of large estates by any Israelite. The consequence, as intended, was a level of modest prosperity. It was 'the tillage of the poor,' the careful, diligent husbandry of the man who had only a little patch of land to look after, that filled the storehouses of the Holy Land. Hence the proverb of our text arose. It …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Poor Rich and the Rich Poor
'There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.'--PROVERBS xiii. 7. Two singularly-contrasted characters are set in opposition here. One, that of a man who lives like a millionaire and is a pauper; another, that of a man who lives like a pauper and is rich. The latter character, that of a man who hides and hoards his wealth, was, perhaps, more common in the days when this collection of Proverbs was put together, because in all ill-governed …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Practical Methods of Studying the Old Testament
[Sidenote: The various methods of approach] The Old Testament may be studied as literature, as history, as the record of an important stage in the evolution of religion, as the revelation of God to the race, or as a practical aid to the individual in living the true life. Each angle of approach calls for different methods and yields its correspondingly rich results. Studied in accordance with the canons of modern literary investigation, a literature is disclosed of surpassing variety, beauty, and …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament The Song of the Redeemed
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou ... hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ... T he extent, variety, and order of the creation, proclaim the glory of God. He is likewise, ^* Maximus in Minimis . The smallest of the works, that we are capable of examining, such for instance as the eye or the wing of a little insect, the creature of a day, are stamped with an inimitable impression of His wisdom and power. Thus in His written Word, there …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 The Heavenly Footman; Or, a Description of the Man that Gets to Heaven:
TOGETHER WITH THE WAY HE RUNS IN, THE MARKS HE GOES BY; ALSO, SOME DIRECTIONS HOW TO RUN SO AS TO OBTAIN. 'And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.'--Genesis 19:17. London: Printed for John Marshall, at the Bible in Gracechurch Street, 1698. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. About forty years ago a gentleman, in whose company I had commenced my …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 "And this is his Commandment," &C.
1 John iii. 23.--"And this is his commandment," &c. There are different tempers of mind among men, some more smooth and pliable, others more refractory and froward. Some may be persuaded by love, who cannot be constrained by fear. With some a request will more prevail than a command. Others again are of a harsher disposition. Love and condescension doth rather embolden them, and therefore they must be restrained with the bridle of authority. It would seem that the Lord hath some regard to this in …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Second Sunday after Easter
Text: First Peter 2, 20-25. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II How is Christ, as the Life, to be Applied by a Soul that Misseth God's Favour and Countenance.
The sixth case, that we shall speak a little to, is a deadness, occasioned by the Lord's hiding of himself, who is their life, and "the fountain of life," Ps. xxxvi. 9, and "whose loving-kindness is better than life," Ps. lxiii. 3, and "in whose favour is their life," Ps. xxx. 5. A case, which the frequent complaints of the saints manifest to be rife enough, concerning which we shall, 1. Shew some of the consequences of the Lord's hiding his face, whereby the soul's case will appear. 2. Shew the …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 "But if Ye have Bitter Envying and Strife in Your Hearts, Glory Not," &C.
James iii. 14.--"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not," &c. It is a common evil of those who hear the gospel, that they are not delivered up to the mould and frame of religion that is holden out in it, but rather bring religion into a mould of their own invention. It was the special commendation of the Romans, that they obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine into which they were delivered, (Rom. vi. 17) that they who were once servants, or slaves of sin, had now …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning "But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and all These Things Shall be Added unto You. "
Matth. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The perfection even of the most upright creature, speaks always some imperfection in comparison of God, who is most perfect. The heavens, the sun and moon, in respect of lower things here, how glorious do they appear, and without spot! But behold, they are not clean in God's sight! How far are the angels above us who dwell in clay! They appear to be a pure mass of light and …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Having spoken of the general notion of blessedness, I come next to consider the subjects of this blessedness, and these our Saviour has deciphered to be the poor in spirit, the mourners, etc. But before I touch upon these, I shall attempt a little preface or paraphrase upon this sermon of the beatitudes. 1 Observe the divinity in this sermon, which goes beyond all philosophy. The philosophers use to say that one contrary expels another; but here one contrary begets another. Poverty is wont to expel …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Proverbs
Many specimens of the so-called Wisdom Literature are preserved for us in the book of Proverbs, for its contents are by no means confined to what we call proverbs. The first nine chapters constitute a continuous discourse, almost in the manner of a sermon; and of the last two chapters, ch. xxx. is largely made up of enigmas, and xxxi. is in part a description of the good housewife. All, however, are rightly subsumed under the idea of wisdom, which to the Hebrew had always moral relations. The Hebrew …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Proverbs 13:23 NIVProverbs 13:23 NLTProverbs 13:23 ESVProverbs 13:23 NASBProverbs 13:23 KJV
Proverbs 13:23 Commentaries
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