Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 29:7
The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: [but] the wicked regardeth not to know [it].
7. the cause ] the judicial cause in a court of law. Comp. Deu 17:8, where the same Heb. word is rendered plea.
regardeth not ] Or, hath not understanding, R.V. Either does not take the trouble, as the righteous does, to look into the case; or, has not the moral perception to grasp its bearings.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The righteous, whether magistrate, or any private person concerned to know it, and capable of helping him in it,
considereth the cause of the poor; his poverty neither hinders him from taking pains to examine it, nor from a righteous determination of it.
Regardeth not to know it; will not put himself to the trouble of searching it out, either because it yields him no profit, or because he resolves to give away his right.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. considerethliterally,”knows,” as Ps 1:6.
the causethat is, incourts of justice (compare Pr29:14). The voluntary neglect of it by the wicked (Pr28:27) occasions oppression.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The righteous considereth the cause of the poor,…. Not his poverty and distress, so as to relieve him, which yet he does,
Ps 41:1; nor the person of the poor in judgment, and which he ought not to do; for as he should not regard a rich man’s person, and favour him, because he is rich; so neither a poor man, because he is poor, through an affectation of mercy, Le 19:15; but the cause of the poor, and the justice of that, and do him justice, though a poor man. This is to be understood chiefly of a civil magistrate, a judge righteous; who will take notice of and regard a poor man’s cause, and take a good deal of pains and care that he is not injured. Or, “knoweth the judgment of the poor” m he acquaints himself with his case, makes himself thoroughly master of it, searches out his cause as Job did,
Pr 29:16;
[but] the wicked regardeth not to know [it]; or, “does not understand knowledge” n of the poor man’s cause and case; and there being no money to be had, he does not care to consider it, and look into it, and get knowledge of it, and do him justice; he will not take his cause in hand, or plead it.
m “novit justus causan pauperum”, V. L. “cognoscit”, Pagninus, Tigurine version, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, c. “novit et curat justus judicum pauperum”, Michaelis “cognoscit justus litem tenuiem”, Schultens. n “non intellilget scientiam”, Paguinus, Montanus “intelligit”, Mercerus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7 The righteous knoweth the cause of the poor,
But the godless understandeth no knowledge.
The righteous knoweth and recogniseth the righteous claims of people of low estate, i.e., what is due to them as men, and in particular cases; but the godless has no knowledge from which such recognition may go forth (cf. as to the expression, Pro 19:25). The proverb begins like Pro 12:10, which commends the just man’s compassion to his cattle; this commends his sympathy with those who are often treated as cattle, and worse even than cattle. The lxx translates 7b twice: the second time reading instead of , it makes nonsense of it.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
It is a pity but that every one who sues sub form pauperis—as a pauper, should have an honest cause (they are of all others inexcusable if they have not), because the scripture has so well provided that it should have a fair hearing, and that the judge himself should be of counsel, as for the prisoner, so for the pauper. 1. It is here made the character of a righteous judge that he considers the cause of the poor. It is every man’s duty to consider the poor (Ps. xli. 1), but the judgment of the poor is to be considered by those that sit in judgment; they must take as much pains to find out the right in a poor man’s cause as in a rich man’s. Sense of justice must make both judge and advocate as solicitous and industrious in the poor man’s cause as if they hoped for the greatest advantage. 2. It is made the character of a wicked man that because it is a poor man’s cause, which there is nothing to be got by, he regards not to know it, in the true state of it, for he cares not which way it goes, right or wrong. See Job xxix. 16.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Concern For the Poor
Verse 7 affirms that the righteous have compassion for and seek to insure justice for the poor, Pro 29:14; Pro 31:8-9; Job 29:12-17; Psa 41:1; Psa 82:3; but the wicked see no profit in the poor and care not what happens to them, Pro 17:5; Pro 30:14; Isa 3:15; Psa 10:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(7) The wicked regardeth not to know it.Literally, understandeth not knowledge; he does not know nor care to know anything about his poorer neighbours affairs, so as to be able to help him. He cares as little about him as did Dives about Lazarus, though he saw him each time he went out of his own door.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Considereth the cause Pleadeth it. The expression is used in a forensic sense.
Wicked regardeth not to know Will not take pains to obtain a knowledge of the cause, much less “consider” or plead it. This proverb should be heeded especially by judges and others in official positions. Compare Pro 28:5; Job 29:16.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 29:7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: [but] the wicked regardeth not to know [it].
Ver. 7. The righteous considereth the cause of the poor. ] The cause, not the person of the poor, for that is forbidden in the law. Lev 19:15 The great must not be favoured for their might, nor the mean for their misery, but justice, justice must be done to all, as Moses hath it; that is, even law and execution of right – as the oath runs that is given to our judges – without respect of persons. The cause of the poor and needy must come into equal balance with the rich and mighty, lest he be trampled on by those fat bulls of Bashan, to his utter undoing. For a poor man in his house is like a snail in his shell – crush that, and ye kill him.
But the wicked regardeth not to know it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
considereth. Hebrew “knoweth”, put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the result of knowing. Illustrations: Job (Job 29:13-16. Compare Psa 37:26; Psa 112:5. Pro 29:31, Pro 29:20); Josiah (Jer 22:16).
the poor = weak ones. Hebrew. dal. See note on “poverty”, Pro 6:11.
regardeth not to know it: i.e. makes no attempt to know it; or, knowing it, does not consider it. Illustrations: Jews (Jer 5:28. Compare Luk 10:31, Luk 10:32).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 29:7
Pro 29:7
“The righteous taketh knowledge of the cause of the poor; The wicked hath not understanding to know it.”
“The righteous man is concerned for the cause of the helpless, but the wicked understand no such concern. There is no test that separates the wicked from the righteous as effectively as this one. The Christ himself said, “Blessed are ye poor”; and to ignore the rights and necessities of the poor, in all dispensations of God’s love, is the invariable hallmark of the wicked.
Pro 29:7. The righteous give to the poor because they first of all take knowledge of their situation and then care. Because the wicked do not care, they do not bother themselves to take knowledge of their condition, and if they know about it, they dismiss it from their thoughts. Job is an example of one who investigated need: I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out (Job 29:16). Psalms 41 :l says, Blessed is he that considereth the poor. This would not be the priest and the Levite of Jesus parable (Luk 10:31; Luk 10:33).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
considereth: Job 29:16, Job 31:13, Job 31:21, Psa 31:7, Psa 41:1, Gal 6:1
but: Pro 21:13, 1Sa 25:9-11, Jer 5:28, Jer 22:15-17, Eze 22:7, Eze 22:29-31, Mic 3:1-4
Reciprocal: Eze 18:17 – hath taken Mat 24:39 – General Luk 18:2 – regarded Joh 12:6 – not Heb 10:24 – consider
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 29:7. The righteous Whether magistrate, or any private person, concerned to know it, and capable of helping him in it; considereth the cause of the poor His poverty neither hinders him from taking pains to examine it, nor from a righteous determination of it; but the wicked regardeth not to know Will not put himself to the trouble of searching it out, either because it yields him no profit, or because he resolves to give away the poor mans right.