Proverbs 18:23 · Bible study
Proverbs 18:23 Commentary: The Poor Plead, the Rich Answer Harshly
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study on the reversal of expectations in Proverbs 18:23, where the poor plead and the rich answer harshly, teaching about humility, pride, and the heart.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The poor person speaks with humble pleas, while the rich person answers with strong, harsh words, a realistic observation of how poverty and wealth tend to shape speech and character.
- Key words: תַּחֲנוּנִים (tachanunim, “supplications,” earnest pleas) and עַזּוֹת (azzot, “strong,” i.e., harsh, rough speech).
- Main debate: Whether this is a prescriptive moral lesson or a descriptive observation of common behavior; most commentators treat it as descriptive with implied ethical challenge.
- Theological theme: The danger of wealth’s pride and the capacity of poverty to produce humility; God’s concern for how we speak to and treat the vulnerable.
- Best use: Teaching on the tongue, social ethics, humility, and self-examination of how one’s economic status affects relationships.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich man answers harshly.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
KJV King James Version 1769
The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth roughly.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
With supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
He that is poor speaketh with supplications, but the rich answereth roughly.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El pobre habla con ruegos; mas el rico responde durezas.
O pobre fala com súplicas; mas o rico responde com durezas.
Le pauvre parle en suppliant,
Ein Armer redet mit Flehen, ein Reicher antwortet stolz.
De arme spreekt smekingen; maar de rijke antwoordt harde dingen.
Il povero parla supplicando, il ricco risponde con durezza.
Ubogi pokornie mówi; ale bogaty odpowiada surowie.
Кто нашел [добрую] жену, тот нашел благо и получил благодать от Господа. [Кто изгоняет добрую жену, тот изгоняет счастье, а содержащий прелюбодейку - безумен и нечестив.]
貧窮人 說 哀求的話；富足人 用威嚇 的話回答。
The poor man makes requests for grace, but the man of wealth gives a rough answer.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 18:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this proverb makes a realistic observation about human behavior rather than a command. Barnes calls it a paradox: the poor, from whom one might expect roughness, instead uses supplications; the rich, well-nurtured and expected to be courteous, answers harshly. Gill notes that the poor speaks with “supplications” (תַּחֲנוּנִים, tachanunim), an earnest, humble plea, while the rich “answereth roughly” (עַזּוֹת, azzot), proud and unafraid of consequences. Matthew Henry draws a spiritual application: poverty often humbles the spirit, while prosperity breeds pride and imperious speech. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown add that the rich man’s harshness is tolerated “because rich,” implying that society wrongly values wealth over character. The shared reading is that this verse describes how poverty and wealth typically affect conduct, the poor plead out of need, the rich can afford to be brusque, and it invites the reader to examine their own speech and attitude, regardless of station.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse presents a contrast between the speech of the poor and the speech of the rich, with the poor pleading and the rich answering harshly, and this reversal is intended to teach something about how economic status affects character and conduct.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Prescriptive vs. descriptive nature of the proverb | All commentators agree that the verse describes a real-world pattern: the poor plead, the rich answer harshly. | Some (e.g., Matthew Henry) treat it as a moral lesson (poverty humbles, riches puff up), while others (e.g., Keil & Delitzsch) see it as a straightforward observation about human behavior, leaving the ethical conclusion implicit. |
| Scope: legal setting or general social interaction? | The verse applies broadly to social and legal contexts where a poor person must request favors and a rich person can respond with authority. | Some commentators (like Gill) specifically envision a court or petition scene; others see it as a general contrast in everyday speech. The cross-reference to Nabal (1 Sam 25) supports a legal/patronage context, but the language is general enough to cover any power imbalance. |
| Spiritual application to believers | The verse is often applied to spiritual poverty (humility before God) and spiritual pride (self-sufficiency). | Evangelical and Protestant traditions strongly emphasize the spiritual reading (Matthew Henry: “at the throne of grace we are all poor”); other traditions, including Catholic and Orthodox, while agreeing, also stress concrete social obligations to the poor. There is no disagreement on the value of humility, but differing emphasis on material vs. spiritual poverty. |
| Is the harshness of the rich always sinful? | The harsh response is presented negatively, the rich man “answereth roughly” implies a failure of compassion and justice. | Some note that a rich person may sometimes need to be firm, but the context of Proverbs consistently warns against oppression of the poor (Prov 14:31, 22:16). The word עַז (<em>az</em>) nearly always carries a negative connotation in Proverbs (e.g., a “fierce” fool). The consensus leans that harshness toward the poor is displeasing to God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, society was structured around kinship, land, and patronage. The poor (רָשׁ, rash) were those without land or resources, dependent on the charity of the wealthy or on gleaning rights (Ruth 2:7). The Hebrew word for “supplications” (תַּחֲנוּנִים) carries the sense of crying for mercy or favor, often used in pleas directed to God (Dan 9:18) or to a human patron. The rich (עָשִׁיר, ashir) held power and could answer with “harsh” or “strong” words (עַזּוֹת, azzot), a term used elsewhere for aggressive speech (Gen 42:7, 30, where Joseph speaks “roughly” to his brothers).
Proverbs is a book of wisdom that often contrasts the righteous and the wicked, the wise and the fool, and here, the poor and the rich. This verse fits a cluster of sayings about speech and social relationships (Prov 18:6, 8, 20, 21). The surrounding verses warn that the tongue can bring death or life (v. 21) and that a true friend is closer than a brother (v. 24). Historically, the poor person in a legal or social setting had no standing to demand; he could only plead. The rich, by contrast, could dismiss or rebuke without consequence. Nabal’s harsh refusal to David (1 Sam 25:10, 11, 17) is a classic example: a wealthy landowner answered a request for help with contempt. Pharaoh’s response to Moses (Exod 5:2) shows the same pattern of worldly power speaking roughly to those perceived as weak.
The proverb does not say this arrangement is just; it simply reports what is common. The wisdom literature invites readers to see beyond surface judgments, to recognize that poverty can produce humility, and wealth can foster harshness, contrary to what one might expect.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 18:23. Gill mentions that this verse and Proverbs 18:24 are absent from the Arabic version, but this is a translation issue, not a textual variant in the Hebrew. The Masoretic Text is stable across Hebrew manuscripts for this verse.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Proverbs 18:23 has been cited to teach humility and to warn the wealthy against pride. Early church fathers like Chrysostom referenced similar proverbs in exhortations to care for the poor. Medieval moralists used it in sermons on the danger of wealth and the virtue of modesty. During the Reformation, Matthew Henry and the Geneva Bible highlighted the spiritual application: all believers are poor before God and must use entreaties. In modern times, the verse appears in social-justice teachings challenging the harsh treatment of the poor by systems and individuals. It is often paired with James 2:1, 7, which rebukes favoritism toward the rich. The verse has also been quoted in Christian counseling for anger management and speech, reminding readers that harsh words often flow from a sense of security in possessions rather than in God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The poor speak with supplications. Poverty often strips away pretense and forces humility. The Hebrew root ch.n.n (“favor”) underlies tachanunim, suggesting a plea from a position of need. Not all poor people are humble, but this proverb describes a common dynamic: lack of resources produces a dependent, entreating posture.
- The rich answer harshly. Wealth can create pride, independence, and the illusion of self-sufficiency. The word azzot (strong, fierce) implies words that are hard, impatient, or contemptuous. The rich person answers from a place of perceived power, without the need to accommodate.
- The reversal challenges our assumptions. Society expects dignity and courtesy from the wealthy, and roughness from the poor. The proverb flips that: the poor are gentle, the rich are rough. Wisdom calls us to judge not by outward status but by the fruit of speech (Prov 18:20, 21).
Five-point outline
- Observation: The poor pleads, the rich answers harshly.
- Reversal: Contrary to social stereotypes, the poor shows humility, the rich shows arrogance.
- Root: Poverty teaches dependence; riches teach self-reliance.
- Warning: Harsh speech reveals a heart lifted up by wealth (Prov 18:12).
- Application: Examine your own speech, whether in plenty or in need, and let it be seasoned with grace.
Illustration hooks
- A person in a crowded waiting room: the rich person is impatient and snaps at the receptionist; the poor person asks politely, even apologizing for the trouble.
- In a workplace, the executive who never listens to junior staff, answers emails with curt demands, while entry-level workers carefully phrase requests.
- At a church potluck, those with more resources sometimes complain about the food or the setup, while those with less are grateful and offer to help clean.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Is this verse saying it’s wrong to be rich? Should I feel guilty about my wealth or success?”
- “I struggle with a harsh tongue when I’m stressed, does this mean I’m proud? How do I change?”
- “How can I treat poor people with dignity instead of speaking harshly, even unintentionally?”
Leading a Discussion
Proverbs 18:23 presents a sharp contrast between the speech of the poor and the rich. It is a verse that challenges our assumptions about social status and character. Before you read the verse aloud, ask your group to think of a time when they were either the one pleading or the one answering harshly. What did that reveal about your situation or your heart?
Discussion questions
- Observation: What specific words does the verse use for the speech of the poor? For the speech of the rich? Why does that word choice matter?
- Interpretation: The Hebrew for “supplications” (תַּחֲנוּנִים) is an intensive plural form, earnest pleas. The word for “harshly” (עַזּוֹת) can mean “strong” or “fierce.” How does knowing these nuances deepen your understanding of the contrast?
- Context: How does this verse fit with the surrounding proverbs about speech (vv. 20, 21) and friendship (v. 24)? What larger theme does it support?
- Reversal: Barnes called this a “paradox.” What is unexpected about the behavior described? How does the world’s view of rich and poor compare to the picture here?
- Application: In what situations are you most tempted to speak harshly? What does that reveal about your trust in God versus your trust in your own resources?
- Society: How might this proverb challenge the way we treat people of different economic backgrounds in our church or community?
- Identity in Christ: For those who are poor, this verse can affirm the dignity of humble speech. For those who are rich, it is a warning. How does the gospel free us to speak gently regardless of our bank account?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 42:7 | Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” |
| Genesis 42:30 | “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. |
| Exodus 5:2 | Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go.” |
| Ruth 2:7 | She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she rested a little in the house.” |
| I Samuel 2:36 | It will happen that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, “Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’” |
| I Samuel 25:10 | Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days. |
| I Samuel 25:17 | Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his house, for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him.” |
| II Kings 4:1 | Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared Yahweh. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the surprising reversal of character in the scene: the poor man, who might be expected to act roughly, instead humbly begs; the rich man, whom one would expect to be courteous, responds with harshness and rudeness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The poore speaketh with prayers: but the rich answereth roughly.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the Hebrew word for "supplications" to show the poor approach others humbly, stating their case without demanding anything. The rich, by contrast, answer harshly out of pride. Gill notes this describes common human behavior, not what should ideally happen.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Some people treat the rich with kindness simply because of their wealth. This shows that judging others by how much money they have is a mistake.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch read this verse as a blunt social observation meant to comfort the poor and warn the rich. The poor man's pleading and the rich man's harsh reply are nothing unusual, but the wealthy risk losing their humanity to mammon. Scripture warns that grinding the poor invites unmerciful judgment, for only the merciful obtain mercy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that poverty humbles the spirit, teaching a person to make entreaties rather than demands, while wealth often makes people proud and harsh in their responses. He applies this to prayer: at God's throne all are poor and must approach as supplicants, not as those with any claim.