Bridges on Proverbs 22:22-23
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 22:22-23
 
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22.  Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23.  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
 
Perhaps after so solemn an exhortation, we might have expected something more important. Yet what can be more important than the law of love, and to rebuke the breaches of that law? Robbery and oppression, under any circumstances, are a breach of the commandment. (Exodus 20:15.) But to rob the poor, because he is poor, and has no means of protection, is a cowardly aggravation of the sin. (2 Samuel 12:1-6.) Much more base is it to oppress the afflicted in the gate — the place of judgment† — to make his only refuge a market for bribery,† and to pervert the sacred authority of God given for his protection.† God is most resisted in wronging those who cannot resist or defend themselves. ‘The threatenings of God against the robbers of the poor are sometimes laughed at by the rich and great. But they will find them in due time to be awful realities.’† ‘Weak though they be, they have a strong one to take their part.’† He will plead their cause. And woe to the man against whom he pleads. “What mean ye” — demands the poor man's pleader — “that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the face of the poor?”†
The accumulation of divine vengeance is heaped upon this sin.† Ahab's judgment testified to the fearful spoiling of those who spoil the poor.† The captivity in Babylon was the scourge for this wickedness.† And when the deeds of secrecy shall be brought to light, how black will be the catalogue of sins of oppression! How tremendous the judgments of the oppressor!† Meanwhile let the poor commit himself to his God;† yea, take up the song of praise,† in the confidence that the Divine pleader will “maintain his cause,”† to the eternal confusion of his spoilers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exodus 20:15
15 Thou shalt not steal.
 
 
2 Samuel 12:1-6
1 ¶ And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. {meat: Heb. morsel} 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: {shall...: or, is worthy to die, or, is a son of death} 6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
 
 
Footnote:
Ruth 4:1. 2 Samuel 15:2; 19:8. Job 5:4. Amos 5:15.
 
 
Ruth 4:1
1 ¶ Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
 
2 Samuel 15:2
2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. {came: Heb. to come}
 
2 Samuel 19:8
8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
 
Job 5:4
4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.
 
Amos 5:15
15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 23:6. Amos 5:12.
 
 
Exodus 23:6
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
 
Amos 5:12
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 82:4. Compare 72:1-4.
 
 
Psalm 82:4
4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
 
Compare
Psalm 72:1-4.
1 ¶ {A Psalm for Solomon.} Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. {for: or, of} 2 ¶ He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
 
 
Footnote:
Lawson on Verse 16.
 
 
Proverbs 22:16
16 ¶ He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
 
 
Footnote:
Bp. Sanderson's Sermon on 1 Samuel 12:3.
 
 
1 Samuel 12:3
3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. {bribe: Heb. ransom} {to blind...: or, that I should hide mine eyes at him}
 
 
Footnote:
Isaiah 3:15. Compare chapter 23:10, 11. Jeremiah 50:33, 34.
 
 
Isaiah 3:15
15 What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
 
Compare
Proverbs 23:10, 11
10 ¶ Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: {landmark: or, bound} 11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
 
Jeremiah 50:33, 34
33 ¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. 34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 109:6, 16.
 
 
Psalm 109:6, 16
6 ¶ Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. {Satan: or, an adversary} 16 Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 21:18-24. Compare Isaiah 33:1. Habakkuk 2:8.
 
 
1 Kings 21:18-24
18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. 20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, 22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. {wall: or, ditch} 24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
 
Compare
Isaiah 33:1
1 ¶ Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
 
Habakkuk 2:8
8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. {blood: Heb. bloods}
 
 
Footnote:
Ezekiel 22:29-31. Compare Jeremiah 21:12.
 
 
Ezekiel 22:29-31
29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. {oppression: or, deceit} {wrongfully: Heb. without right} 30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. 31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.
 
Compare
Jeremiah 21:12
12 O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. {Execute: Heb. Judge}
 
 
Footnote:
Malachi 3:5.
 
 
Malachi 3:5
5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. {oppress: or, defraud}
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 10:14.
 
 
Psalm 10:14
14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. {committeth: Heb. leaveth}
 
 
Footnote:
Ib. 109:30, 31.
 
 
Psalm 109:30, 31
30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. 31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul. {those...: Heb. the judges of}
 
 
Footnote:
Ib. 140:12.
 
 
Psalm 140:12
12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.