Proverbs 11:24–25

Context

Proverbs 10:1–22:16 is a collection of short sayings under the heading "The proverbs of Solomon." Most of these sayings use antithetic parallelism, a poetic form that sets two opposing cases side by side, contrasting the first line with the second to make its point. Chapter 11 contains several sayings about wealth and righteousness. Verses 24–26 can be read as a unit on generosity and stinginess. Verse 26, which immediately follows, says that the one who hoards grain and will not sell it will be cursed by the people, which shows that the passage is concerned with one's relationship to the surrounding community.

A literal rendering of the Hebrew of verse 24 would be close to "There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, yet comes only to want." The phrase "흩어 구제하여도" ("scatters in relief") in the Korean Revised Version and the New Korean Revised Version interprets "scatter" in the sense of giving to others. The KJV reads: "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." Verse 25 uses agricultural imagery and reads literally, "The person [soul] of blessing will be made fat, and the one who waters will himself be watered" (KJV: "The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself"). The form of the final verb in verse 25 is difficult to interpret, and scholars are known to read it differently.

Interpretation

• As an observation of wisdom literature: Many commentators note the wording "There is that…" in verse 24. They read the verse not as a guarantee that holds in every case but as an observation of a general pattern in life: generous people gain trust and relationships, while stingy people become isolated.
• As a statement of divine providence: Reformed and evangelical interpreters read the verse as a confession of faith that God cares for those who give. They hold, however, that the form and timing of any reward are left to God.
• As an ethic of stewardship: This reading connects the verse to the concept of stewardship, which regards wealth as entrusted by God, and treats almsgiving as a duty incumbent on believers.
• As a promise of material reward: Preachers associated with prosperity theology cite the verse in support of the principle that those who give will receive more in return materially.

Questions of Application

There is little formal disagreement among denominations over this passage. Several questions have been raised, however, about how it should be applied.

The first is whether the verse may be read as a promise of material reward for offerings. Theologians from various denominations criticize such a reading on two grounds: it disregards the genre of proverbial sayings, and, as verse 26 shows, the passage's original focus is the needs of one's neighbor. Proponents of prosperity theology defend their reading by arguing that Scripture as a whole promises God's abundant provision.

The second is whether "scattering in relief" refers to offerings given to the church or to helping the poor. The original text does not distinguish between the two, and application varies among preachers and congregations.

In the Korean Church

The Korean Revised Version's wording, "one who scatters in relief yet becomes all the richer," is frequently quoted in sermons and announcements promoting relief offerings, assistance to neighbors in need, and charitable giving events.

Related Passages

• Because verse 26 of this chapter (Proverbs 11:26) has no separate article, the following passages are suggested for reading alongside this one.
• Proverbs 22:9: "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor."
• Proverbs 19:17: "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD."
• 2 Corinthians 9:6–8: Paul's exhortation to give, using the image of sowing sparingly and sowing bountifully
• Acts 20:34–35: Paul's farewell address, which passes on the words "It is more blessed to give than to receive"