Proverbs 16:8

Pro 16:8 Better [is] a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

Ver. 8. Better is a little with righteousness, &c.] A small stock well gotten is more comfortably enjoyed and bequeathed to posterity than a cursed hoard of evil gotten goods. The reason why people "please not God, and are contrary to all men" - as this verse refers to the former - is, because they prefer gain before God, and care not how they wrong men so they may have it. See Pro 15:16.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 16:8. Better is a little, &c. — A small estate, honestly gotten and usefully employed, is much to be preferred before vast incomes, gathered by oppression, and kept without the exercise of mercy and charity. This was, in effect, said before, Pro 15:16, (where see the note,) and is here repeated, partly because of the great importance and usefulness of this truth, and partly because men are very hardly brought to a serious belief of it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16:8 Better to have little: See also 15:16.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Here, 1. It is supposed that an honest good man may have but a little of the wealth of this world (all the righteous are not rich), - that a man may have but little, and yet may be honest (though poverty is a temptation to dishonesty, Pro 30:9, yet not an invincible one), - and that a man may grow rich, for a while, by fraud and oppression, may have great revenues, and those got and kept without right, may have no good title to them nor make any good use of them. 2. It is maintained that a small estate, honestly come by, which a man is content with, enjoys comfortably, serves God with cheerfully, and puts to a right use, is much better and more valuable than a great estate ill-got, and then ill-kept or ill-spent. It carries with it more inward satisfaction, a better reputation with all that are wise and good; it will last longer, and will turn to a better account in the great day, when men will be judged, not according to what they had, but what they did.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(Compare Pro 15:6, Pro 15:16-17).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

8. without right] Rather, with injustice, R.V., as preserving better the parallelism. Comp. Pro_15:16.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Better is a little with righteousness,.... Gotten in a righteous way, held by a righteous claim, used in a righteous manner, attended with a life of righteousness and holiness; and also along with an interest in the righteousness of Christ, which renders acceptable unto God, yields peace and comfort, and entitles to eternal glory and happiness. A truly righteous man may have but little of this world's goods; but his small pittance is better

than great revenues without right; obtained in an unjust way; detained from the right owner of them, and used in an unrighteous manner, in a course of sin and wickedness: or, "without judgment" (e); how to make use of them aright, and without a righteousness that will justify them at the day of judgment; See Gill on Pro 15:16. A little the true church of Christ enjoys in the wilderness; having Christ and his grace, Christ and his righteousness, is better than all the revenues of the church of Rome gotten by the unlawful methods they are; and which, in one hour will come to nought, Rev 18:17.

(e) "absque judicio", Pagninus, Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This was in effect said before, Pro 15:16, and is here repeated, partly because of the great importance and usefulness of this truth, and partly because men are very hardly brought to a serious belief of it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. Without right — משׁפשׂ, (mishpat,) rectitude. The word means what is just, lawful, conformable to law; and which is better than great incomes obtained unlawfully, unjustly. Comp. Pro_15:16; Psa_37:16.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Better is a little with righteousness. (Pro_15:16 Psa_37:16) "Righteousness" may mean here a holy life or just dealing; as without right, or, with injustice, in the second clause, may refer either generally wickedness, or specially to fraud and oppression. (Jer_22:13) Says Theognis Bouleo d eusebewn oligoiv sumasin oikein, H ploutein adikwv crhmata pasamenov . "Wish thou with scanty means pious to live, Rather than rich with large, ill-gotten wealth.

Another maxim says to the same effect Leptwv kalwv zhn kreisson h lamprwv kakwv ..

Septuagint, "Better is small getting (lhqiv ) with righteousness, than great revenues with iniquity". (see on Pro_15:29)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Five proverbs of the king, together with three of righteousness in action and conduct:

8 Better is a little with righteousness,

Than rich revenues with unrighteousness.

The cogn. proverb Pro 15:16 commences similarly. Of רב תּבוּאות, multitude or greatness of income, vid., Pro 14:4 : "unrighteous wealth profits not." The possessor of it is not truly happy, for sin cleaves to it, which troubles the heart (conscience), and because the enjoyment which it affords is troubled by the curses of those who are injured, and by the sighs of the oppressed. Above all other gains rises ἡ εὐσέβεια μετ ̓ αὐταρκείας (Ti1 6:6).

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

We have before had this Proverb in substance (Pro 15:16 ); save that the treasures are more distinctly shewn to be revenues without right. It seems almost too plain to need illustration. Yet so blind is the love of gain, that it looks only at its own selfish end, and the present moment; and fancies, what never can be, enjoyment†1 and security.†2 Retributive justice is at hand.†3 Far better is the little with righteousness. Was not the widow of Zarephath richer with her scanty fare, than Jezebel in her royal attire;†4 the poor prophet, sharing her pittance, than the King with his revenues without right;†5 Zaccheus, when reduced to his comparative little with righteousness, than with his former abundance of "the unrighteous Mammon"?†6 If the sight of a man’s possession stirs envy, his scantiness of enjoyment might shortly melt it away in compassion. We learn the valuable lesson - The fewer desires, the more quiet. This is the present manifestation. Much more clearly will the day declare it. The little righteously employed will then find a gracious acceptance.†7 The treasures of wickedness will be found treasures of wrath eternal.†8

Few however possess great revenues. But the most trifling acquisitions without right will canker. Beware of the hair-breadth deviation from straight principle. "Mortify that member of the earth," which "is idolatry" (Col 3:5 ) against God, and "the root of all evil" to ourselves. (1Ti 6:10 .) Godliness is great riches in this life; what will it be in eternity! (1Ti 5:6 ; 1Ti 4:8 .)

Footnotes:

†1 Psa 127:2. Ecc 5:12 .

†2 Pro 10:3; Pro 21:6-7 . Jer 17:11 .

†3 Jas 5:4.

†4 1Ki 17:10 . 2Ki 9:32-37 .

†5 1Ki 21:19, with 1Ki 17:15

†6 Luk 19:2, Luk 19:8 .

†7 Mat 25:34-40. Luk 16:9 .

†8 Hab 2:6, Hab 2:9, Hab 2:12 . Jas 5:1-3 .

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 8. Better is a little with righteousness, small possessions gained and kept with a good conscience, than great revenues, a large income and great wealth, without right, having been gained by oppression and iniquity.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.