The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. The rich rule over the poorThis phrase highlights a socio-economic reality that has persisted throughout history. The Hebrew word for "rich" is "עָשִׁיר" (ashir), which denotes someone with wealth and resources. In ancient Israel, wealth was often seen as a sign of God's blessing, yet it also came with responsibilities. The "rule" here, from the Hebrew "מָשַׁל" (mashal), implies dominion or governance. This suggests a power dynamic where those with resources have influence over those without. The "poor," or "רָשׁ" (rash), are those lacking material wealth, often vulnerable to exploitation. This verse serves as a cautionary observation about the potential for economic disparity to lead to social inequality, urging the faithful to consider the ethical implications of wealth and power. and the borrower is slave to the lender
The imagery of a "borrower" being a "slave" to the "lender" is powerful and evocative. The Hebrew word for "borrower" is "לֹוֶה" (loveh), which refers to one who takes on debt. In ancient times, borrowing often led to servitude if debts could not be repaid, as seen in the Hebrew word for "slave," "עֶבֶד" (eved). This reflects a literal and metaphorical bondage, where financial obligations can lead to a loss of freedom and autonomy. The "lender," or "מַלְוֶה" (malveh), holds significant power over the borrower, emphasizing the importance of financial stewardship and the dangers of debt. This verse serves as a timeless warning about the perils of financial imprudence and the moral responsibility of those who lend. It encourages believers to seek wisdom in financial matters, promoting a life of freedom and integrity. Persons / Places / Events 1. The RichIndividuals who possess wealth and resources, often having influence and power over others. 2. The PoorThose who lack financial resources and are often subject to the authority or control of the wealthy. 3. The BorrowerA person who takes on debt, thereby entering into a relationship of obligation to the lender. 4. The LenderThe individual or entity that provides resources or money to the borrower, establishing a position of authority over them. Teaching Points Understanding Financial AuthorityRecognize that wealth often brings power and influence, which can be used for good or ill. Christians are called to use their resources responsibly and ethically. The Burden of DebtAcknowledge that debt can lead to a form of bondage, limiting freedom and creating stress. It is wise to avoid unnecessary debt and strive for financial independence. Biblical StewardshipEmbrace the biblical principle of stewardship, managing resources wisely and living within one's means to avoid the pitfalls of debt. Generosity and LendingConsider the biblical call to generosity, where lending is done with a spirit of kindness and without expecting repayment, reflecting God's grace. Spiritual Implications of DebtReflect on how financial obligations can impact one's spiritual life, potentially hindering one's ability to serve God fully and freely. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the relationship between the rich and the poor in Proverbs 22:7 reflect broader societal structures, and what is the Christian response to these dynamics? 2. In what ways can debt become a form of bondage in our lives, and how can we apply biblical principles to avoid or overcome it? 3. How does the concept of stewardship influence our approach to borrowing and lending, and what practical steps can we take to be better stewards of our resources? 4. How can we balance the need for financial security with the call to be generous and open-handed, as seen in other biblical teachings? 5. Reflect on a time when financial obligations affected your spiritual life. How can you apply the teachings of Proverbs 22:7 to ensure that your financial decisions align with your faith? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 15:6This verse discusses the blessings of obedience, including the ability to lend to many nations and not borrow, highlighting the freedom and authority that comes with being a lender rather than a borrower. Romans 13:8This passage emphasizes the importance of owing nothing to anyone except love, suggesting that financial debt can be a hindrance to living a life of love and service. Matthew 6:24Jesus teaches about serving two masters, which can be related to the divided loyalties and pressures that come with debt and financial obligations. People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Becomes, Borrower, Creditor, Debt, Gets, Lender, Lender's, Poor, Rich, Rule, Rules, Ruleth, Servant, Slave, WealthDictionary of Bible Themes Proverbs 22:7 5233 borrowing
5289 debt
5389 lending
5503 rich, the
8791 oppression, nature of Library The Rich and the Poor
Chapel Royal, Whitehall, 1871. Proverbs xxii. 2. "The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all." I have been asked to preach here this afternoon on behalf of the Parochial Mission Women's Fund. I may best describe the object for which I plead, as an attempt to civilise and Christianise the women of the lower classes in the poorer districts of London and other great towns, by means of women of their own class--women, who have gone through the same struggles as they have, …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other SermonsOne Lion Two Lions no Lion at All
A sermon (No. 1670) delivered on Thursday Evening, June 8th, 1882, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. "The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets."--Proverbs 22:13. "The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets."--Proverbs 26:13. This slothful man seems to cherish that one dread of his about the lions, as if it were his favorite aversion and he felt it to be too much trouble to invent another excuse. …
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs The Formation of Habits.
School Sermon. Proverbs xxii. 6. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." INTRODUCTION.--There is a district, high up in the Black Forest, where the ground is full of springs. It is a plain some nine hundred feet above the sea. Thousands upon thousands of little springs gush out of the soil; you seem to be on the rose of a vast watering-can. Now, from this great source flow a good many rivers, and they flow in very different, nay, opposite directions. …
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent The Christian Business World
Scripture references: Proverbs 22:29; Romans 12:11; Psalms 24:1; 50:10-12; Haggai 2:8; Psalm 49:6,10,16,17; 62:10; Matthew 13:22; Mark 10:23,24; Job 31:24-26; Proverbs 3:9; Matthew 25:14-30; 24:45-51; 6:19-21; Luke 12:16-21. THE IDEAL IN THE BUSINESS WORLD There is often a wide difference between the methods actually employed in doing business and when they should be. Good men who are in the thick of the battle of competition and rivalry with other firms in the same line of trade, are the quickest …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian Philip and the Emperor
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.--Prov. xxii. 29. Kallias stayed a fortnight under the hospitable roof of Olympias, and during those days he had the pleasure of seeing how greatly his honest and genial simplicity brightened the thoughts both of his hostess and of his friend. The general outline of his own future seemed now to be approximately settled. Like Philip, he had acquired an incurable disgust for Constantinople, with …
Frederic William Farrar—Gathering Clouds: A Tale of the Days of St. Chrysostom He Accuses Abaelard for Preferring his Own Opinions and Even Fancies to the Unanimous Consent of the Fathers, Especially Where He Declares that Christ did Not
He accuses Abaelard for preferring his own opinions and even fancies to the unanimous consent of the Fathers, especially where he declares that Christ did not become incarnate in order to save man from the power of the devil. 11. I find in a book of his sentences, and also in an exposition of his of the Epistle to the Romans, that this rash inquirer into the Divine Majesty attacks the mystery of our Redemption. He admits in the very beginning of his disputation that there has never been but one conclusion …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux The Baptismal Covenant Can be Kept Unbroken. Aim and Responsibility of Parents.
We have gone "to the Law and to the Testimony" to find out what the nature and benefits of Baptism are. We have gathered out of the Word all the principal passages bearing on this subject. We have grouped them together, and studied them side by side. We have noticed that their sense is uniform, clear, and strong. Unless we are willing to throw aside all sound principles of interpretation, we can extract from the words of inspiration only one meaning, and that is that the baptized child is, by virtue …
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church "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 We Shall not be Curious in the Ranking of the Duties in which Christian Love...
We shall not be curious in the ranking of the duties in which Christian love should exercise itself. All the commandments of the second table are but branches of it: they might be reduced all to the works of righteousness and of mercy. But truly these are interwoven through other. Though mercy uses to be restricted to the showing of compassion upon men in misery, yet there is a righteousness in that mercy, and there is mercy in the most part of the acts of righteousness, as in not judging rashly, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning 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 22:7 NIVProverbs 22:7 NLTProverbs 22:7 ESVProverbs 22:7 NASBProverbs 22:7 KJV
Proverbs 22:7 Commentaries
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