'Poor' in the Bible

Now his eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought them to him, and he kissed and embraced them.

But Moses said in the Lord’s presence: “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I am such a poor speaker?”

But Moses replied in the Lord’s presence, “Since I am such a poor speaker, how will Pharaoh listen to me?”

“If you lend money to My people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a moneylender to him; you must not charge him interest.

Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.

“You must not deny justice to a poor person among you in his lawsuit.

But during the seventh year you are to let it rest and leave it uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat from it and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

The wealthy may not give more and the poor may not give less than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for your lives.

“But if he is poor and cannot afford these, he is to take one male lamb for a restitution offering to be waved in order to make atonement for him, along with two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, one-third of a quart of olive oil,

You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident; I am Yahweh your God.

“You must not act unjustly when deciding a case. Do not be partial to the poor or give preference to the rich; judge your neighbor fairly.

When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap all the way to the edge of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident; I am Yahweh your God.”

But if one is too poor to pay the assessment, he must present the person before the priest and the priest will set a value for him. The priest will set a value for him according to what the one making the vow can afford.

“There will be no poor among you, however, because the Lord is certain to bless you in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance—

“If there is a poor person among you, one of your brothers within any of your gates in the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.

Be careful that there isn’t this wicked thought in your heart, ‘The seventh year, the year of canceling debts, is near,’ and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty.

For there will never cease to be poor people in the land; that is why I am commanding you, ‘You must willingly open your hand to your afflicted and poor brother in your land.’

If he is a poor man, you must not sleep in the garment he has given as security.

“Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether one of your brothers or one of the foreigners residing within a town in your land.

You are to pay him his wages each day before the sun sets, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be held guilty.

Then he said, “May the Lord bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not pursued younger men, whether rich or poor.

He raises the poor from the dustand lifts the needy from the garbage pile.He seats them with noblemenand gives them a throne of honor.For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;He has set the world on them.

Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor man who is common.”

So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he arrived, he said to him:There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up, living with him and his children. It shared his meager food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.

Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man could not bring himself to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.

because during those days the Jews got rid of their enemies. That was the month when their sorrow was turned into rejoicing and their mourning into a holiday. They were to be days of feasting, rejoicing, and of sending gifts to one another and the poor.

So the poor have hope,and injustice shuts its mouth.

His children will beg from the poor,for his own hands must give back his wealth.

For he oppressed and abandoned the poor;he seized a house he did not build.

They push the needy off the road;the poor of the land are forced into hiding.

Like wild donkeys in the desert,the poor go out to their task of foraging for food;the wilderness provides nourishment for their children.

The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast;the nursing child of the poor is seized as collateral.

The murderer rises at dawnto kill the poor and needy,and by night he becomes a thief.

For I rescued the poor man who cried out for help,and the fatherless child who had no one to support him.

If I have refused the wishes of the pooror let the widow’s eyes go blind,

God is not partial to princesand does not favor the rich over the poor,for they are all the work of His hands.

but caused the poor to cry out to Him,and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

“Because of the oppression of the afflictedand the groaning of the poor,I will now rise up,” says the Lord.“I will put the one who longs for it in a safe place.”

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard himand saved him from all his troubles.

My very bones will say,“Lord, who is like You,rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,the poor or the needy from one who robs him?”

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.Happy is one who cares for the poor;the Lord will save him in a day of adversity.

both low and high,rich and poor together.

Your people settled in it;God, You provided for the poor by Your goodness.

But as for me—poor and in pain—let Your salvation protect me, God.

May he vindicate the afflicted among the people,help the poor,and crush the oppressor.

For he will rescue the poor who cry outand the afflicted who have no helper.

He will have pity on the poor and helplessand save the lives of the poor.

Do not give the life of Your dove to beasts;do not forget the lives of Your poor people forever.

Do not let the oppressed turn away in shame;let the poor and needy praise Your name.

Rescue the poor and needy;save them from the power of the wicked.”

A Davidic prayer.Listen, Lord, and answer me,for I am poor and needy.

For he did not think to show kindness,but pursued the afflicted, poor, and brokenheartedin order to put them to death.

For I am afflicted and needy;my heart is wounded within me.

He distributes freely to the poor;his righteousness endures forever.His horn will be exalted in honor.

He raises the poor from the dustand lifts the needy from the garbage pile

I know that the Lord upholdsthe just cause of the poor,justice for the needy.

Idle hands make one poor,but diligent hands bring riches.

A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city;the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

One person gives freely,yet gains more;another withholds what is right,only to become poor.

One man pretends to be rich but has nothing;another pretends to be poor but has great wealth.

Riches are a ransom for a man’s life,but a poor man hears no threat.

The uncultivated field of the poor yields abundant food,but without justice, it is swept away.

A poor man is hated even by his neighbor,but there are many who love the rich.

The one who despises his neighbor sins,but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.

The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker,but one who is kind to the needy honors Him.

The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,and one who rejoices over calamitywill not go unpunished.

The poor man pleads,but the rich one answers roughly.

Better a poor man who lives with integritythan someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

Wealth attracts many friends,but a poor man is separated from his friend.

All the brothers of a poor man hate him;how much more do his friendskeep their distance from him!He may pursue them with words,but they are not there.

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord,and He will give a reward to the lender.

What is desirable in a man is his fidelity;better to be a poor man than a liar.

Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.

The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poorwill himself also call out and not be answered.

The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.

The rich and the poor have this in common:the Lord made them both.

The rich rule over the poor,and the borrower is a slave to the lender.

A generous person will be blessed,for he shares his food with the poor.

Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty.

Don’t rob a poor man because he is poor,and don’t crush the oppressed at the gate,

For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor,and grogginess will clothe them in rags.

A destitute leader who oppresses the pooris like a driving rain that leaves no food.

Better a poor man who lives with integritythan a rich man who distorts right and wrong.

Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interestcollects it for one who is kind to the poor.

A rich man is wise in his own eyes,but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

The one who gives to the poorwill not be in need,but one who turns his eyes awaywill receive many curses.

The righteous person knows the rights of the poor,but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.

The poor and the oppressor have this in common:the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

A king who judges the poor with fairness—his throne will be established forever.

Her hands reach out to the poor,and she extends her hands to the needy.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.

For he came from prison to be king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.

What advantage then does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage is there for the poor person who knows how to conduct himself before others?

Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

The Lord brings this chargeagainst the elders and leaders of His people:“You have devastated the vineyard.The plunder from the poor is in your houses.

Why do you crush My peopleand grind the faces of the poor?”This is the declarationof the Lord God of Hosts.