Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:22-23
After this solemn preface, one would have expected something new and surprising; but no; here is a plain and common, but very needful caution against the barbarous and inhuman practices of oppressing poor people. Observe,
I. The sin itself, and that is robbing the poor and making them poorer, taking from those that have but little to lose and so leaving them nothing. It is bad to rob any man, but most absurd to rob the poor, whom we should relieve, - to squeeze those with our power whom we should water with our bounty, - to oppress the afflicted, and so to add affliction to them, - to give judgment against them, and so to patronise those that do rob them, which is as bad as if we robbed them…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 22:22
Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pro 17:5; Psa 12:5).
in the gate--place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Psa 69:12).
John Gill on Proverbs 22:23
For the Lord will plead their cause,.... If counsellors at the bar will not, he will; if judges on the bench will not do them justice, he will; he will judge the poor of the people; he will plead their cause, and plead it thoroughly, till he has brought forth judgment unto victory: woe to the man against whom Jehovah pleads; happy the poor on whose side he is; for their Redeemer is mighty, the Lord of hosts is his name, Psalm 72:4;
and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them; they could only spoil the poor of their goods, but the Lord can and will spoil and destroy the souls of the spoilers in hell: or, "spoil them that spoiled their soul" or "life" (k); that is, who spoiled them of their…
Read the whole note in the consoleKeil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 22:22-23
After these ten lines of preliminary exhortation, there now begins the collection of the "Words of the Wise" thus introduced. A tetrastich which, in its contents, connects itself with the last proverb of the Solomonic collection, Pro 22:16, forms the commencement of this collection:
22 Rob not the lowly because he is lowly;
And oppress not the humble in the gate.
23 For Jahve will conduct their cause,
And rob their spoilers of life.
Though it may bring gain, as said Pro 22:16, to oppress the דּל, the lowly or humble, yet at last the oppressor comes to ruin. The poet here warns against robbing the lowly because he is lowly, and thus without power of defence, and not to be feared; and against…
