The Meaning of Proverbs 28:27 Explained

Proverbs 28:27

KJV: He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

YLT: Whoso is giving to the poor hath no lack, And whoso is hiding his eyes multiplied curses.

Darby: He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; but he that withdraweth his eyes shall have many a curse.

ASV: He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that giveth  unto the poor  shall not lack:  but he that hideth  his eyes  shall have many  a curse. 

What does Proverbs 28:27 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Those who give to the poor will not lack what they need, which is God"s blessing. They may also receive the blessing of other people and material benefits that God promised generous Israelites. We may supply the idea of blessing to the first statement legitimately, since the contrast is with curses in the second statement.

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 28

1  general observations of impiety and integrity

What do the individual words in Proverbs 28:27 mean?

He who gives to the poor not will lack but he who hides his eyes will have many curses
נוֹתֵ֣ן לָ֭רָשׁ אֵ֣ין מַחְס֑וֹר וּמַעְלִ֥ים עֵ֝ינָ֗יו רַב־ מְאֵרֽוֹת

נוֹתֵ֣ן  He  who  gives 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לָ֭רָשׁ  to  the  poor 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רוּשׁ  
Sense: to be poor, be in want, lack.
מַחְס֑וֹר  will  lack 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַחְסׄור  
Sense: need, poverty, thing needed.
וּמַעְלִ֥ים  but  he  who  hides 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָלַם  
Sense: to conceal, hide, be hidden, be concealed, be secret.
עֵ֝ינָ֗יו  his  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
רַב־  will  have  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
מְאֵרֽוֹת  curses 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מְאֵרָה  
Sense: curse.