SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:2
¶ El rico y el pobre se encontraron; a todos ellos los hizo el SEOR.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Proverbs 22:2
Verse 2. The rich and poor meet together ] ry[ ashir the opulent, whether in money, land, or property; r rash, the man that is destitute of these, and lives by his labour, whether a handicraftsman, or one that tills the ground. In the order of God, the rich and the poor live together, and are mutually helpful to each other. Without the poor, the rich could not be supplied with the articles which they consume; for the poor include all the labouring classes of society: and without the rich, the poor could get no vent for the produce of their labourer, nor, in many cases, labour itself. The poor have more time to labour than the mere necessaries of life require; their extra time is employed in providing a multitude of things which are called the superfluities of life, and which the rich especially consume. All the poor man's time is thus employed; and he is paid for his extra labour by the rich. The rich should not despise the poor, without whom he can neither have his comforts, nor maintain his state. The poor should not envy the rich, without whom he could neither get employment, nor the necessaries of life. The Lord is the Maker of them all. ] Both the states are in the order of God's providence and both are equally important in his sight. Merely considered as men, God loves the simple artificer or labourer as much as he does the king; though the office of the latter, because of its entering into the plan of his government of the world, is of infinitely greatly consequence than the trade of the poor artificer. Neither should despise the other; neither should envy the other. Both are useful; both important; both absolutely necessary to each other's welfare and support; and both are accountable to God for the manner in which they acquit themselves in those duties of life which God has respectively assigned them. The abject poor-those who are destitute of health and the means of life-God in effect lays at the rich man's door, that by his superfluities they may be supported. How wise is that ordinance which has made the rich and the poor! Pity it were not better understood!
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. The rich and poor meet together , etc.] In an hostile way, as some; they rush upon one another; the rich despise the poor, and the poor envy the rich; they cannot speak well one of another, as the Arabic version; or they are dependent on one another, they cannot do without each other; as in the natural body one member cannot say to another, I have no need of thee; so, in the body politic, the rich and the poor cannot say they have no need of one another; the rich stand in need of the poor to till their land, to plough and sow, and do all other servile works for them; and the poor have need of the rich to employ them; have need of their money as their wages for their work, to support themselves and families with: or they sometimes change conditions, and so meet; the poor grow rich, and the rich become poor; the one goes uphill and the other downhill, and so meet in their passage. They meet together in all places of the earth; go where you will, there are rich and poor. The godly rich and poor meet together in one place to worship God; they meet together in a Gospel church state, enjoying the same privileges and ordinances; and will all meet the Lord, and all meet together at his judgment seat; and they will meet in heaven, and be together to all eternity, where the distinction will cease: and the wicked rich and poor meet together to commit sin; and they meet together in the grave f595 , where there is no difference; and they will meet at the bar of God at the last day, and in hell, where they will be together for evermore; the Lord [is] the Maker of them all : not only as men, but as rich men and poor men; God gives riches to whom he pleases, and poverty to whom he pleases; riches and poverty are according to the order of divine Providence; and he can and does change scenes at his pleasure; wherefore the rich should consider themselves as dependent on him, and not despise and crush the poor; and the poor should be content with their state, as being allotted to them by the Lord, who can alter it when he thinks fit.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 2 - Divine Providence has so ordered it, that some are rich, and other poor, but all are guilty before God; and at the throne of God's grac the poor are as welcome as the rich.
Original Hebrew
עשׁיר 6223 ורשׁ 7326 נפגשׁו 6298 עשׂה 6213 כלם 3605 יהוה׃ 3068
