Proverbs 11:24-25King James Version (KJV)
24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Proverbs 11
V 24: PLENTY The one who sows generously will get more. V 24: POVERTY The one who is mean in what he gives out will get less. V 25: PRINCIPLE Here we see, in different words, what Jesus said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
King James Study Bible Notes:
- Introduction to the Book of Proverbs:
- Prov. 11:24: Scattereth means to be generous in your giving. It can lead to prosperity, but miserliness can lead to poverty.
- Prov. 11:25: Made fat means “prosperous.”
- 2 Cor. 9:6: One’s return is determined by his investment (cf. Prov. 11:24, Luke 6:38; Gal. 6:7). The expression ep’ eulogiais ordinarily translated “with blessings” here has the sense of “generously.”...
v6 Remember this. The person who sows few seeds will have a small harvest. The person who sows many seeds will have a large harvest. v7 Each person should give as he has decided in his mind. He should not give if he does not want to. He should not give as a duty. God loves those who give in a cheerful way. v8 God is able to provide you with every good gift. Therefore, in every situation you will have all that you need. Then you will have more than enough for every good work. v9 The Scripture (*Old Testament) says, ‘The *righteousness of the person who gives *generously to poor people will last for ever.’ v10 He who supplies seed to sow and bread to eat will supply you. He will increase your resources, like seed. He will produce a rich reward, like the harvest, from your *generosity. v11 He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times. Many will thank God for your generous gifts. They will receive the gifts by us. v12 This service of yours supplies the needs of God’s people. Many people will thank God as a result. v13 This service proves how real your belief is. Because of it, people will praise God for your
*obedience. That goes with the way that you are witnesses to the good news about Christ. They will also praise Him for your *generosity to them and to everyone else. v14 They will pray for you with great love. This will be because God has given you such kindness. v15 Thank God for His gift. His gift is greater than words can describe!
Perhaps some Christians at Corinth were not very willing to share things or to give them to other people. Paul reminds them about a farmer who sows seeds. The more he sows, the greater his harvest will be. Someone who gives to God (Blessed are ye who sow beside all waters; i.e. who are ready to help every one that is in need.) is like that farmer. God will reward the giver...
God is generous and His people should be generous as well. We do not have to give. If we do give, we should give freely. We should give as we have decided. We should not give because we have to. We should not give because we ought to. God loves people who give with great happiness in their minds. People who give to other people will also have enough for themselves. God will provide them with all that they need. They will have enough to give to other people. Paul repeats Psalm 112:9. God will give us all that we need. As a result, we can be generous to other people. Then we will provide the things that they need. Moreover, people will thank God for what we do.
This is not a promise of money or wealth. It is a promise of *spiritual* fruitfulness and the help of Christians who care. The fact that the Christians at Corinth were giving was a proof of their belief. The *generosity of Christians caused other people to respect God. Those people whom the Christians at Corinth helped would pray for them.
Paul thanks God for his gift of Jesus Christ. This gift was much greater than any gift that we may give. In fact, it was so great that Paul could not describe it in words.
Dictionary of Bible Themes:
- 5447 poverty, causes of: To want for the necessities of life is ultimately the result of human sin.
- 5465 profit: In the financial sense, gain through trading. The word is also used in Scripture of spiritual gain.
- 5856 extravagance: Exaggerated, excessive or immoderate behaviour often linked with wastefulness which may result in personal harm. God’s people are called to be wise stewards of what has been entrusted to them. However, Scripture also points to a right kind of open-handedness and generosity of spirit which reflects love and worship towards God and concern for others.
- 5907 miserliness: A reluctance to part with money, often associated with the hoarding of money or possessions. While Scripture censures the squandering of resources, it also regards the hoarding of money or possessions as potentially idolatrous.
- 5967 thrift: Saving by the careful use of resources. In general this is encouraged in Scripture, though the dangers of meanness, materialism and anxiety are recognised.
- 6672 grace, in human relationships: Undeserved favour or kindness, mercy, compassion and generosity are to be found in human relationships and are strongly encouraged in Scripture.
- 8262 generosity, human: Believers should be generous in their dealings with others, following the example of God Himself.
- 8436 giving, of possessions: Making one’s possession available for God’s service in the way in which he directs, as a practical recognition that all possessions come from Him.
Encyclopedia of The Bible:
- Poor: The tr. of several Biblical terms (discussed below) which describe the person who has little or nothing in the way of wealth, goods, or means of subsistence. Sometimes the term is used metaphorically of the humble and meek.
- Book of Proverbs
- Suffering and Anguish: Some twelve Heb. words and twenty-one Gr. terms (too many to list here), convey such ideas as: to suffer, to endure suffering, suffering, distress, anguish, pain, to cause pain, to be distressed, to be hard pressed, to torment, to permit, to leave or to let alone. Generally, suffering is mental distress which may or may not include physical pain. Anguish is intense suffering.The Biblical contexts suggest some answers to the extremely difficult question as to why there is so much suffering in the world. Suffering may be an effect of: (1) divine judgment for sin, (2) empathy for another’s misery, (3) the vicarious bearing of another’s penalty, (4) authentic repentance and faith in the Lord, (5) a warning to prevent a greater evil, or (6) discipline for training in Christlikeness. The appropriate response to each kind of suffering is as different as its raison d’etre. Such significant differences make generalizations about the purpose of all suffering improper and misleading. In an attempt to avoid the error of generalization as far as possible, each type of suffering is considered separately in the following order...
Daar was ’n Boer wat mielies gekweek het. Elke jaar het hy sy mielies ingeskryf by die landbou skou en soos klokslag wen hy die blou roset vir die beste mielies in die distrik.
Een jaar het die joernalis van die plaaslike dagblad ’n onderhoud met hom gevoer en iets baie interessants geleer rondom die Boer se manier van mielie verbouing. Die verslaggewer het te wete gekom dat die Boer sy aanplantings saad deel met sy bure.
“Hoe kan jy dit bekostig om jou mielie saad te deel met jou bure terwyl hulle ook elke jaar inskryf vir die beste mielie kompetisie?” vra die verslaggewer aan die Boer.
“Maar meneer,” sê die Boer “het jy nie geweet? Die wind Tel stuifmeel op van die ryp wordende mielie koppe en waai dit van saailand na saailand. Indien my bure minderwaardige gehalte mielies verbou sal kruisbestuiwing stadig maar seker die kwaliteit van my mielies nadelig beïnvloed. Indien ek goeie mielies wil hê moet ek my bure help sodat hulle ook goeie mielies verbou.”
Die Boer was terdeë bewus van die mens se interafhanklikheid van mekaar. Sy mielies kan nie verbeter tensy sy bure se mielies nie ook verbeter nie. So is dit ook gesteld met ons lewens. Die wat in vrede wil lewe moet ook hul bure help om in vrede te lewe. Die wat gelukkig wil wees moet ook ander om hulle help om geluk te vind aangesien die welstand van elke een verbind is aan die welstand van almal.
Dit is moontlik om weg te gee en steeds ryker te word! Dit is ook moontlik om te styf vas te hou en alles te verloor. Ja, die vrygewige man sal ryk wees! Deurdat hy aan ander water gee, les hy ook sy eie dors.
Spreuke 11:24-25 “Daar is een wat ruim uitdeel en nog meer kry, en een wat terughou meer as wat reg is, maar tot sy gebrek.
Die siel wat seën, word versadig; en hy wat laaf, word self ook gelaaf.”
My gebed vir elkeen van julle, is voorspoed, gesondheid, vrede, vreugde en genade. Mag Jesus elkeen ryklik seen en Sy beskermende Hand oor elkeen hou.
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