Proverbs 17:5

Pro 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: [and] he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

Ver. 5. He that mocketh the poor, &c.] {See Trapp on "Pro 14:31"}

And he that is glad at calamities, shall not be unpunished.] He is sick with the devil’s disease, επιχαιρεκακια, which Job was not tainted with; {Job 31:16-40} as the Edomites, Ammonites, Philistines, and other of Sion’s enemies {Lam 1:21} were. How bitterly did the Jews insult our Saviour, when they had nailed him to the cross! And in like sort they served many of the martyrs, worrying them when they were down, as dogs do other creatures; and shooting sharp arrows at them when they had set them up for marks of their malice and mischief. Herein they deal equally barbarous manner with the saints, as the Turks did with one John de Chabes, a Frenchman, at the taking of Tripolis in Barbary. They cut off his hands and nose, and then, when they had put him quick into the ground to the waist, they, for their pleasure, shot at him with their arrows, and afterwards cut his throat. {a} Mr John Denly, martyr, {b} being set in the fire with the burniug flame about him, sang a psalm; then cruel Doctor Story commanded one of the tormentors to hurl a faggot at him; whereupon, being hurt therewith upon the face, that he bled again, he left his singing, and clapped both his hands upon his face. ‘Truly,’ said Doctor Story to him that hurled the faggot, ‘thou hast marred a good old song.’ This Story being, after the coming in of Queen Elizabeth, questioned in parliament for many foul crimes, and particularly for persecuting and burning the martyrs, he denied not but that he was once at the burning of a herewig, for so he termed it, at Uxbridge, where he cast a faggot at his face as he was singing psalms, and set a wine bush of thorns under his feet a little to prick him, &c. {c} This wretch was afterwards hanged, drawn, and quartered, {d} and so this proverb was fulfilled of him, "He that is glad at calamities, shall not be unpunished."

{a} Turkish History, fol. 756.

{b} Acts and Mon., fol. 1530.

{c} Ibid., 1918.

{d} Anno. 1571.

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 17:5. Whoso mocketh the poor — See on Pro 14:31; and he that is glad at calamities — At the miseries of other men; shall not be unpunished — The cup shall be put into his hands, Eze 25:6-7.

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

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro_17:5

A DOUBLE REVELATION

I. Revealing crime. He who mocketh the poor reveals his own character. If we find one brother of a family mocking another brother, we feel that his conduct is a revelation of the state of his heart. We feel that such a man must be destitute of all right feeling—that he has no regard for their common parent—none of that tender feeling which ought to bind members of the same family. God has made of one blood all nations of the earth, and he who mocks the poor mocks one of the same great human family as himself, and thus shows that he lacks all true humanity and all right feeling towards the common Father of both. The displeasure with which God regards such a man reveals the Divine character. If the ruler of a country identifies himself with the most defenceless and friendless of his subjects—if he exacts the severest penalties for any wrong done to them—if, in short, he reckons an offence against them as committed against himself—he reveals that he is a man of true benevolence. The displeasure with which God regards not only them who oppress the poor, but also those who mock them—and a man does this when he gives empty words but no sympathy and help—reveals the tender compassion of His nature. On this subject see also Homiletics on chap. 14, page 31.

II. An aggravated crime. “He who is glad at calamities,” etc. It is a sin both against God and human nature to mock the poor—to treat men with indifference and contempt because they are in a lowly station—because they are compelled to labour much and labour hard for the supply of their daily wants; he who is guilty of such conduct reveals a nature that is entirely opposed to the nature of God, and lays himself open to retribution. But when a man is not only indifferent to the miseries of others, but can actually find in them an occasion of gladness, he is as near to Satan in character and disposition as a man out of hell can be. He is not only ungodlike, but he is devilish. It is a prominent characteristic of the evil one that he finds a fiendish delight in the calamities of men, and a man cannot give a more convincing proof that he is of his “father the devil” (Joh_8:44) than by imitating him in this particular crime.

III. A heavy retribution. We can form some estimate of the weight of punishment which must fall upon this last offender, by remembering how God regards the first. If He convicts him who mocks the poor of casting reproach upon his Maker, how much more will he visit Him who “is glad at calamities.”

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

So Tyrus is threatened, because she was glad at Jerusalem’s calamities, saying, “I shall be replenished now she is laid waste” (Eze_26:2). And Edom similarly (Oba_1:12.)—Fausset.

It is a sad thing when one “potsherd of the earth,” because it happens to have got from the hand of the potter a little gilding and superficial decoration, mocks at another “potsherd of the earth” which chances to be somewhat more homely in its outward appearance, or, perhaps, formed of a little coarser material than the other; both the work of the same hands, and both alike frail, brittle, and perishable.—Wardlaw.

Why should I, for a little difference in this one particular of worldly wealth, despise my poor brother? When so many and great things unite us, shall wealth disunite us? One sun shines on us both; one blood bought us both; one heaven will receive us both, only he hath not so much of earth as I, and possibly much more of heaven.—Bishop Reynolds.

To pour contempt upon the current coin with the king’s image on it, is treason against the sovereign. No less contempt is it of the Sacred Majesty, to despise the poor, who have, no less than the rich, the king’s image upon them (Gen_9:6). This view marks the contempt of the poor as a sin of the deepest dye.—Bridges.

If God should appear in human shape, would we dare to insult him? Would not the fear of a just and dreadful vengeance deter us? And to mock the poor, amounts to the very same thing. God did actually appear in our nature, and He was then poor for our sakes; and those that despise the poor, despise them for a reason that reflects upon our Saviour Himself when He dwelt among us.—Lawson.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

17:5 To make fun of what God created is to mock God.

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

See here, 1. What a great sin those are guilty of who trample upon the poor, who ridicule their wants and the meanness of their appearance, upbraid them with their poverty, and take advantage from their weakness to be abusive and injurious to them. They reproach their Maker, put a great contempt and affront upon him, who allotted the poor to the condition they are in, owns them, and takes care of them, and can, when he pleases, reduce us to that condition. Let those that thus reproach their Maker know that they shall be called to an account for it, Mat 25:40, Mat 25:41; Pro 14:31. 2. What great danger those are in of falling into trouble themselves who are pleased to see and hear of the troubles of others: He that is glad at calamities, that he may be built up upon the ruins of others, and regales himself with the judgments of God when they are abroad, let him know that he shall not go unpunished; the cup shall be put into his hand, Eze 25:6, Eze 25:7.

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

(Compare Pro 14:31).

glad at calamities--rejoicing in others' evil. Such are rightly punished by God, who knows their hearts.

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

Verse 5. He that is glad at calamity] He who is pleased to hear of the misfortune of another will, in the course of God's just government, have his own multiplied.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5) Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker.—See above on Pro_14:31.

He that is glad at calamities.—Of enemies. (Comp. Pro_24:18; Job_31:29.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. his Maker] Comp. Pro_14:31.

glad at calamities] “It belonged to the Greek mind in its fertility of combination, to express it (the temper here spoken of) by the single word ἐπιχαιρεκακία (Arist. Eth. Nicom. ii. 6), well rendered by the German ‘schadenfreude’.” Dean Plumptre, Speaker’s Comm.

The connecting link of thought between the two clauses of the verse is that poverty and calamity proceed alike from God, so that to mock at the one, or be glad at the other, is to reproach Him and to incur His displeasure.

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.

Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker,.... He that mocks the poor for his poverty, Upbraids him with his mean appearance, scoffs at the clothes he wears or food he eats, such an one reproaches his Creator; or, as the Targum,

"provokes his Creator to anger;''

him who is his own Creator as well as the poor man's; him who made the poor man, both as a man and as a poor man; and who could have made him rich if he would, as well as the man that mocks at him; whose riches are not of himself, but of God; and who can take them away, and give them to the poor man if he pleases; and therefore rich men should be careful how they mock the poor; for, as Gersom observes, he that derides a work derides the workman;

and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished; or "at calamity" (c); at the calamity of another, as the Vulgate Latin; and so Gersom; for no man rejoices at his own calamity; at the calamity of the poor, as Aben Ezra; or of his neighbour or companion, as the Targum; or at the calamity of any of his fellow creatures, as the Edomites rejoiced at the calamity of the Jews, but were in their turn destroyed; and as the Jews rejoiced when the Christians were persecuted by Nero, and at length were destroyed themselves by the Romans; and as the Papists will rejoice when the witnesses are slain, and quickly after seven thousand men of name will be slain of them, and the rest frightened, Rev 11:10.

(c) "ad calamitatem", Schultens; "ob calamitatem", Cocceius; "calamitate", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

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

He that is glad at calamities - A temper common at all times as the most hateful form of evil; the Greek ἐπιχαιρεκακία epichairekakia. The sins spoken of in both clauses occur also in Job’s vindication of his integrity Pro 31:13, Pro 31:29.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Mocketh the poor; derideth or reproacheth him with or for his poverty.

His Maker; God, who by his providence made him poor. See the same assertion Pro 14:31.

At calamities; at the miseries of other men.

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

5. Mocketh the poor — Derides, laughs at, treats them with disrespect and contempt, because of their low estate. See Pro_14:31.

Reproacheth his Maker — God, who is Maker of the poor as well as of himself.

Calamities — איד, edh. The word means a heavy, wearisome burden of any kind; a misfortune. He that takes pleasure in the ill-fortune of others shall not be unpunished: literally, shall not be innocent, a common figure of speech, by which more is meant than is expressed. Comp. Pro_11:21; Pro_16:5. Our version gives the sense. Compare Job_31:13; Job_31:29; Pro_14:31.

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

Whoso mocketh the poor. (see Pro_14:31, which is nearly identical) He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. (Pro_11:21 Pro_24:17, Pro_24:18) The particular calamity primarily intended seems to be that which reduces a person to poverty. Delight in others" misfortunes, even those of enemies, is a most detestable form of selfishness and malice. Job, testifying to his own integrity, was thankful to think that he was free from this vice. (Job_31:29) The Greeks had a name for it, and called it epicairekakia , which is used by Aristotle ("Eth. Nic.," 2:6. 18). The pious author looks for retributive punishment on such spitefulness. The LXX tries to improve the contrast by resorting a gloss, "He who rejoices at one who perishes shall not go unpunished; but he who hath compassion shall obtain mercy," which is remarkably like Christ"s sentence, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Mocking the poor.

The terrible inequality of human lots was never more apparent than it is in the present day. England is renowned for her wealth; yet England is a haunt of hungry misery. It is nothing but selfish hypocrisy to justify this condition of affairs by quoting the words of our Lord, "The poor always ye have with you". (Joh_12:8) If they are always with us in abject need and distress, so much the worse for the condition of society. The statement of a distressing fact is no justification for it. Meanwhile, if the huge evil of pauperism cannot be abolished at once, it is our duty to lessen, not to aggravate it.

I CONSIDER IN WHAT WAYS THE POOR ARE MOCKED.

1. When their condition is disregarded. There are thousands of people living in affluence who simply ignore the fact that they have needy brethren. Dives at his feast does not give a thought to Lazarus pining at his gate. Surely it is a mockery to the awful misery of the East End that the West End feasts and fetes itself with undisturbed complacency.

2. When their rights are neglected. This happens in many ways, even in an age and a country that boasts of its administration of justice.

(1) The so called "sweating system" is nothing better than robbery, by means of which the strong take advantage of the necessities of the weak.

(2) It is hard for poor people to avail themselves of the law courts; so that the cry is raised that "there is one law for the rich and another for the poor.

(3) Poor men have the natural rights of their manhood treated with contempt. The courtesy which is offered to the well to do is denied to them. Rough treatment is meted out to them. Common politeness is refused to a man with a threadbare coat.

1. When their deficiencies are ridiculed. The poor man is generally illiterate, his "speech bewrayeth him." He has never learnt the manners of good society. So the classes above him put up their eyeglasses to inspect him, as though he were some strange, repulsive animal.

2. When their merits are ignored. There is honest, poverty. There are brave men fighting against adverse circumstances with the courage of heroes. Are these people to be mucked at simply because they cannot put money in their purses? The kindness of the poor to the poor is a rebuke to the cynicism of the rich. Yet how difficult it is for poor men to be duly recognized! Dr. Johnson spoke from experience when he said"This mournful truth is everywhere confess"d Slow rises worth by poverty depressed.

The world mocks the poor when it judges people by the fashion of their clothes and the size of their houses, instead of looking to their character and lives.

II CONSIDER THE GREAT SIN OF MOCKING THE POOR. He who does this "reproacheth his Maker." For the God who made the rich man also made the poor man. The reproach of the child is a reproach of his Father. We do more than wrong our brethren when we treat the unfortunate with contempt; we insult our God. He is the God of the poor, and he takes their wrongs as injuries to himself. This is no slight, shadowy offence. It is an awful sin in the sight of Heaven. The only reason that is suggested why Dives should be writhing in torments of fire is that he was a rich man who gave no heed to the misery of his neighbour. Here is an awful prospect for the careless comfortable classes of England! The evil is aggravated with us, because we profess that religion which preaches a gospel to the poor. In the Church of Christ rich and poor meet together. For the rich man to despise his fellow Christian, then, is for him to deny his Master, "who had not where to lay his head." Let it be remembered that Christ, who was rich, "for our sakes became poor." He is the Friend and Brother of the poor.

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

The sin against our Maker of "oppressing the poor," has before been noticed. (Pro 14:31 .) In this mocking probably there might be no power to oppress. The poor is so, not by fortune, but by Providence. The reproach therefore falls, not on the poor, but on His Maker — on Him who made him, and made him poor, "Woe unto him that" thus "striveth with his Maker!"†1 To pour contempt upon the current coin with the king’s image on it, is treason against the sovereign. No less contempt is it of the Sacred Majesty, to despise the poor, who have, no less than the rich, the king’s image upon them. (Gen 9:6 .) This view marks the contempt of the poor as a sin of the deepest dye.

Specially when poverty is brought on by calamity; when the hand of God is therefore more manifest, then to be glad at calamities is a fearful provocation. This was the sin of Shimei, scorning his fallen Sovereign. (2Sa 16:5-8 .) This sin brought the enemies of God’s people under his severest punishment.†2 Very different is the spirit of the Bible: teaching us, even where calamity is the fruit of misconduct, instead of being glad — to sympathize; instead of crushing, to raise, a fallen brother, or even a fallen enemy.†3

All slight of the poor is evidently here rebuked. And who, that knows himself and his obligations, could ever disdain? ’Why should I’ — asks Bishop Reynolds — ’for a little difference in this one particular of worldly wealth, despise my poor brother? When so many and great things unite us, shall wealth only disunite us? One sun shines on both; one blood bought us both; one heaven will receive us both; only he hath not so much of earth as I, and possibly much more of Christ. And why should I disdain him on earth, whom haply the Lord will advance above me in heaven?’†4

Footnotes:

†1 Isa 45:9. Compare Job 40:2 . See Bp. Sanderson’s Sermon on 1Pe 2:17, & 1Pe 2:13 .

†2 Babylon, Lam 1:21-22 . Ammon, Eze 25:6-7 . Tyre, Eze 26:2-3. Edom, Oba 1:10-15 . Contrast this barbarous delight with the godly tenderness of the LORD’s prophets in foretelling calamities. Isa 16:9-11 . Jer 9:1 ; Jer 17:16 . Mic 1:8 . The gladness, elsewhere expressed in the calamities of the enemies of the Church, was obviously the admiring discovery of the LORD’s faithful keeping of his Church, and of his glory in the deserved punishment of his irreconcilable rebels. Exo 15:1-27 . Psa 35:8-10, Psa 35:19-26 . Rev 18:20 .

†3 Pro 24:17-18. Job 31:29 . Psa 35:13-14 . Rom 12:20-21 .

†4 Works, on p. 905.

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

v. 5. Whoso mocketh the poor, treating him with contempt on account of his lowly position, reproacheth his Maker, for the Lord gave the poor his station in life; and he that is glad at calamities, rejoicing over the misfortunes which befall others, shall not be unpunished. cf Pro 14:31.

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

the poor

This refers to poor people. AT: "those who are poor" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

his Maker

This is a name that refers to Yahweh. This is also an abstract noun that can be written as a verb. AT: "the one who made him" (See: Abstract Nouns)

at misfortune

This refers to the misfortune of others. AT: "at others' misfortune" or "at other peoples' troubles" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

are the crown of

This speaks of older peoples' grandchildren being a sign of honor for them as if their grandchildren were a crown. AT: "bring honor and respect to" (See: Metaphor)

the aged

This refers to older people. AT: "those who are older" or "older people" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

translationWords

mock

joy

crown

honor

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.