Proverbs 13:7

There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. THERE IS THAT MAKETH HIMSELF RICH, YET (HATH) NOTHING: (THERE IS) THAT MAKETH HIMSELF POOR, YET (HATH) GREAT RICHES - parallel, I think, to , "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." There are rich men who, by not using their riches to the glory of God and the good of man, have no real good out of their riches: there are also those who make themselves poor by spending to the glory of God and the good of man; yet they have all that is really good in riches, and are counted rich by God (cf. , "I know thy ... poverty (the church of Smyrna), but thou art rich;...

Verse Proverbs 13:7. _THERE IS THAT MAKETH HIMSELF RICH_] That labours hard to acquire money, _yet hath nothing_; his excessive _covetousness_ not being satisfied with what he possesses, nor permitting him to enjoy _with comfort_ what he has acquired. The fable of _the dog in_ _the manger_ will illustrate this. THERE IS _THAT MAKETH HIMSELF POOR, YET_ HATH _GREAT RICHES._] "As poor," said St. Paul, "yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things." The former is the _rich poor_ man; the latter is the _poor rich_ man. As the words are here in the _hithpael_ conjugation, which implies _reflex action_, or the _action performed on one's self_, and often signifies _feigning_ or _pretending_ to be what one _is not_, or _not_ to be w

Compare Proverbs 11:24. There is a seeming wealth behind which there lies a deep spiritual poverty and wretchedness. There is a poverty which makes a person rich for the kingdom of God....

EXPOSITION VERSE 13:1-15:19 Second section in this collection. PROVERBS 13:1 A WISE SON HEARETH HIS FATHER'S INSTRUCTION. The Authorized Version introduces the verb from the second member. The Hebrew is elliptical, "A wise son, his father's discipline," _i.e._ is the object or the result of his father's education; he owes his wisdom to it. Septuagint, "A clever (πανοῦργος) son is obedient to his father." BUT A SCORNER (Proverbs 1:22) HEARETH NOT REBUKE; one who mocks at goodness and despises filial piety will not listen to reproof. Septuagint, "A disobedient son is in destruction." Compare the case of Eli's sons, and their fate ...

THERE IS THAT MAKETH HIMSELF RICH, YET [HATH] NOTHING,.... Some persons make a great show of riches, and would be thought to be rich; put on fine clothes, live at a high rate, and appear in great pomp, and yet not worth a farthing; which they do to gratify their pride and ambition, and to draw in others to trust them with their substance. So in spirituals; some persons, as hypocrites, would be thought to be rich in grace, and to be possessed of all the graces of the Spirit, faith, hope, and love; and yet have nothing of true grace, only what is counterfeit; the root of the matter is not in them; no principle of life and grace, only a name to live; nothing of the power, only the form, of godliness; no oil of grace in the vessels of their hearts, only the lamp of an outward profession: some, as the Pharisees, would be thought to be rich in good works, when they have no good thing in them,...

CHAPTER 13 THE CONTRAST: ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE The contrast in Proverbs concerning the righteous and the wicked is continued in this chapter, showing mostly the advantage of the righteous, illustrating a statement found in the prophet Isaiah: “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings” Isaiah 3:10). Then the contrast: “Woe unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him” Proverbs 13:11). The righteous eats good by the fruit of his mouth; the transgressor receives violence. There is fatness for the soul of the diligent and nothing for the soul of the sluggard. Righteousness keepeth; wickedness overthrows. While the light of the righteous rejoiceth, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. These a

PROVERBS 13. This chapter has little that is fresh and no new groups of proverbs. We have a well-known reference to the weariness of waiting for a hope that comes not (Proverbs 13:12 and Proverbs 13:19 a). There is a new proverb relating to the faithfulness of messengers, perhaps with reference to diplomatic missions. PROVERBS 13:5. IS LOATHSOME: render behaves vilely. Proverbs 13:7. Both AV and RV obscure the point of the aphorism, which contrasts two equally obnoxious social shams. Translate, There are poor people who pretend to be rich, and there are rich people who feign they are poor....

MAKETH HIMSELF RICH: i.e. or pretendeth to be rich. Hebrew. _'ashar._ The Hithpael occurs only here. POOR. needy. Hebrew. _rush._ See note on Proverbs 6:11....

_maketh_ This rendering, which is retained in R.V. text, has its highest illustration in Christ Himself (Philippians 2:5-11; 2 Corinthians 8:9), and accords with the constant teaching of the N.T. (Php 3:7-9; 2 Corinthians 6:10; Luke 12:21; Revelation 3:17). Some however, with R.V. marg., would render _feigneth himself_, in both clauses, makes himself out to be what he is not....

THERE IS THAT MAKETH HIMSELF RICH— See 2 Corinthians 6:10 where St. Paul says, We _are as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things._ The literal sense of this verse seems to be, "There are those who are rich in their poverty, because they are content; desire nothing more, and use generously and charitably what they have; and there are others, who, in the midst of their riches, are really poor and in necessity, because of their insatiable covetousness or profusion." Some suppose the meaning to be, that there are those, who have the vanity to desire to appear rich, though they are poor; and others who make themselves poor, and would pass for such, though they have abundance. The Latins say well, _Semper avarus eget._ "The covetous man is always in want." See Calmet....