Proverbs 28:27 · Bible study
Proverbs 28:27 Commentary: The Generosity Principle, No Lack, Many Curses
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Proverbs 28:27: the promise of no lack for givers, the curse on those who hide their eyes. Hebrew grammar, commentary insights, and pastoral application.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Generosity to the poor ensures God’s provision; neglect invites divine and human curses.
- Key words: נוֹתֵן (gives, participle); מַחְסוֹר (lack, need); מַעְלִים (hides, participle); מְאֵרוֹת (curses).
- Main debate: Whether the promise is material prosperity or broader sufficiency of God’s care.
- Theological theme: God’s justice and compassion; the moral economy of the kingdom.
- Best use: To encourage regular, intentional giving to the poor and to warn against willful neglect.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
WEB World English Bible 2000
One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.
KJV King James Version 1769
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Whoso is giving to the poor hath no lack, And whoso is hiding his eyes multiplied curses.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; but he that withdraweth his eyes shall have many a curse.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He that giveth to the poor shall not want: he that despiseth his entreaty, shall suffer indigence.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El que da al pobre, no tendrá pobreza: mas el que aparta sus ojos, tendrá muchas maldiciones.
Quem dá ao pobre não terá falta; mas o que esconde seus olhos terá muitas maldições.
Celui qui donne au pauvre n’éprouve pas la disette,
Wer dem Armen gibt, dem wird nichts mangeln; wer aber seine Augen abwendet, der wird viel verflucht.
Die den armen geeft, zal geen gebrek hebben; maar die zijn ogen verbergt, zal veel vervloekt worden.
Chi dona al povero non sarà mai nel bisogno, ma colui che chiude gli occhi, sarà coperto di maledizioni.
Kto daje ubogiemu, nie będzie miał niedostatku; ale kto od niego odwraca oczy swe, wielkie przeklęstwa nań przyjdą.
Дающий нищему не обеднеет; а кто закрывает глаза свои от него, на том много проклятий.
賙濟 貧窮的，不致 缺乏；佯為不見的，必多受 咒詛。
He who gives to the poor will never be in need, but great curses will be on him who gives no attention to them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 28:27
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators agree that Proverbs 28:27 sets out a clear moral principle. Giving to the poor brings divine provision, ‘shall not lack’ (no machsor), while ignoring their need brings curses. Gill and Keil & Delitzsch see the promise as including material reimbursement: God’s blessing adds back what is given. Matthew Henry reads it more broadly: the generous person is never the poorer, but is sustained by God. On the negative side, ‘hiding the eyes’ (the participle ma’lim suggests deliberate concealment) results in ‘many curses’, from the poor, from observers, and ultimately from God. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and Barnes tie the phrase to inattention, as in turning the face away (Psalm 27:9). The curse language, Keil notes, is filled with the verb arar, the core biblical word for divine judgment. None of the sources teach that giving guarantees vast wealth; they agree it secures God’s care and spares the giver the poverty that neglect brings.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Prosperity-Reading: Gill and Keil emphasize material recompense; God reimburses what is given, preventing lack and even increasing wealth.
- Sufficiency-Reading: Matthew Henry and Poole see the promise as God supplying the giver’s genuine needs, not necessarily enriching them.
What is clear: Both sides agree that God blesses the generous and holds the neglectful accountable, and that ignoring the poor brings real negative consequences.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the Promise (No Lack) | God provides for the giver; giving does not lead to poverty. | Some (Gill, Keil) see a guarantee of material increase; others (Matthew Henry, Poole) emphasize sufficiency and God’s providential care without promising material wealth. |
| Meaning of 'Hides His Eyes' | A deliberate refusal to see or help the poor. | Whether it implies active disgust (Cambridge) or simple neglect (Barnes, JFB). Both agree it is a moral failure. |
| Nature of the Curses | Curses come from the poor and from God. | How literal the curses are: Keil and Gill treat them as active divine judgment; Poole highlights social consequences. The text does not distinguish between human and divine source. |
| Applicability to Wealthy vs. All Believers | The principle applies to everyone who has resources to share. | Lange’s context (v.8, v.11) focuses on the rich; but most commentators see it as universal: all can give something, even out of poverty (cf. widow’s mite). |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse stands within the wisdom tradition of ancient Israel, a literature that trains readers to live skillfully under God’s order. The book of Proverbs repeatedly pairs the treatment of the poor with God’s own regard. Deuteronomy 15:7-11 commands open-handed generosity, warning against a ‘hard heart’ or ‘shut hand.’ The phrase ‘hides his eyes’ carries a specific cultural weight: in the ancient Near East, eyes were the window to compassion. To hide them, to look away deliberately, was to refuse the sight of suffering, a form of moral evasiveness. The idiom appears in Isaiah 1:15 and is linked in the Cambridge Bible to Sirach 4:5-6, where curses of the poor ascend to God. The curses themselves (me’erot) are not mere wishes; in Hebrew thought, they have real effect, especially when voiced by the needy whom God hears. The surrounding verses in chapter 28 reinforce the theme: trust in God (v.25) and wisdom (v.26) lead to safety; oppression and greed lead to ruin. Verse 28 completes the chapter by noting how the wicked hide themselves when the righteous thrive. The wisdom school taught that actions have consequences, generosity is embedded in a covenant framework where God sees and responds.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Open Hand, Giving to the poor is not just charity; it is a posture of trust in God as provider. The text promises ‘no lack’, sufficiency, not necessarily abundance.
- The Closed Eye, Hiding the eyes is a voluntary act of neglect. It shifts blame, but God sees. The curse is both social (resentment from the poor) and divine (God’s active judgment).
- The Great Reversal, In God’s economy, the giver gains and the neglecter loses. Generosity becomes an investment in blessing; stinginess reaps a harvest of curse.
Five-Point Outline
- One who gives to the poor, The Hebrew participle (noten) implies characteristic action, not a one-time gift. It describes a lifestyle.
- Has no lack, Machsor means need or poverty. God compensates what is given; the giver is never made poor by generosity.
- But one who closes his eyes, The same participle (ma’lim) indicates habitual neglect. It takes effort to look away from suffering.
- Will have many curses, Literally ‘abounding in curses.’ These are not just words; in the biblical worldview, curses carry real weight when justified (see Proverbs 11:26).
- The wisdom choice, Every person decides daily: to see and give, or to turn away and face the consequences. God’s favor rests on those who imitate His care for the poor.
Illustration Hooks
- A parent gives time and money to a grown child in need, expecting nothing in return. Months later, an unexpected gift or provision arrives, echoing the promise.
- Walking downtown: a person passes by someone asking for help, avoiding eye contact. That brief moral decision illustrates the heart posture described here.
- A business owner sets aside a percentage of profits for local charities. Over time, the business thrives, not because of the giving, but because of the trust and ethical reputation.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- ‘If I give, will God really make sure I don’t lack? What if I give and still struggle financially?’
- ‘Does this verse mean that poor people’s curses actually have power?’
- ‘How do I know whether the person I’m giving to is “deserving”? Does that matter?’
Leading a Discussion
Proverbs 28:27 confronts us with a simple logic: generosity brings sufficiency; neglect brings curse. But the simplicity is profound. It forces us to examine our habits, how often do we look away from need? And it asks us to trust that God’s provision is tied to our willingness to be channels of His care. This passage is not a blank check for prosperity, but a window into God’s heart for the poor and His commitment to those who act on His behalf.
Discussion Questions
- What does the phrase ‘one who gives to the poor’ suggest about the character of the giver? How is that different from giving only when it is convenient?
- Why do we sometimes ‘hide our eyes’ from the poor? What fears or assumptions drive that action?
- The Hebrew word for ‘lack’ (machsor) is the same word used in Proverbs 11:24 for ‘poverty.’ How does this connection deepen the promise?
- What are some practical ways to ‘give to the poor’ in your community? How can generosity become a regular habit rather than a reaction?
- The verse says the one who hides his eyes ‘will have many curses.’ Do you think these curses refer to God’s judgment, social consequences, or both? Explain.
- How does this proverb fit with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25:31-46 about caring for the ‘least of these’?
- Think of a time when you gave sacrificially and saw God provide in unexpected ways. How does that experience shape your trust in this promise?
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)
| Deuteronomy 15:7 | If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; |
| Deuteronomy 15:10 | You shall surely give, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because it is for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to. |
| Psalms 41:1 | For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil. |
| Psalms 41:3 | Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed, and restore him from his bed of illness. |
| Psalms 112:5 | It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment. |
| Psalms 112:9 | He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor. |
| Proverbs 11:24 | There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty. |
| Proverbs 11:26 | People curse someone who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that giving to the poor is commanded as an act of righteousness. He states that those who do this receive blessing from God.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that "hideth his eyes" does not mean a mere physical action but a deliberate refusal to notice the poor. It is a willful turning away, like God hiding his eyes from prayer, and so reveals a heart that chooses to ignore need.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Christians who hold this view point to Proverbs 28:27, while others understand it as pointing to deeper spiritual realities. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes shows that giving to the poor brings no shortage because the giver receives blessing. Those who ignore the poor face many curses.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that generous giving to the poor does not bring loss but actually increases one's substance. In contrast, the person who deliberately looks away from the poor to avoid compassion will face curses from people and from God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that hiding one’s eyes is like turning away one’s face, which in the Psalms shows a lack of attention. This means the person does not look at what is before them.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch draw a sharp contrast between two responses to poverty. The giver suffers no lack because God's blessing repays what he gives. The one who deliberately ignores the needy draws curses upon himself, and these curses, being deserved, turn into real calamities through divine justice.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry argues that giving to the poor does not make a person poorer but actually prevents lack, as God protects the charitable from want. In contrast, those who deliberately avoid seeing the poor invite many curses from both God and people, a terrible condition.