The poor person and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
Parallel translations
- WEB The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: Yahweh gives sight to the eyes of both.
- KJV The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.
- 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.
- 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 you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
- Prov 22:2The rich and the poor have this in common: Yahweh is the maker of them all.
- Ps 13:3Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
- Eph 2:1You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins,
- Exod 22:25–26“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest.
- Lev 25:35–37“‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself among you; then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident.
- Neh 5:5–7Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
- 1 Cor 6:10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit God’s Kingdom.
- Matt 9:9As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.