The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.
Parallel translations
- WEB The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: Yahweh gives sight to the eyes of both.
- BSB The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
- NKJV The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
- NASB The poor person and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
- NLT The poor and the oppressor have this in common— the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Rich and poor alike depend on the Lord, who gives life and sight to both. It affirms God's common care over all people regardless of status.
Overview
The proverb notes that the poor and the oppressor share a common Creator, for Yahweh gives light to the eyes of both. All people are equally dependent on God and accountable to Him. This common grace points forward to the gospel, in which God shows no partiality and offers salvation to people of every station (Acts 10:34-35).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Matt 5:45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
- Prov 22:2The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
- Ps 13:3Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
- Eph 2:1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
- Exod 22:25–26If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
- Lev 25:35–37And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
- Neh 5:5–7Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
- 1 Cor 6:10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
- Matt 9:9And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 29:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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