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Proverbs 22:9

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¶ He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

He that hath a bountiful {H2896} eye {H5869} shall be blessed {H1288}; for he giveth {H5414} of his bread {H3899} to the poor {H1800}.

He who is generous is blessed, because he shares his food with the poor.

A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Commentary

Proverbs 22:9 (KJV)

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Commentary

This proverb highlights the connection between inner disposition, outward action, and divine blessing.

The phrase "bountiful eye" translates the Hebrew 'ayin tovah, literally "good eye." In ancient Near Eastern thought and Hebrew idiom, a "good eye" signifies generosity, liberality, and kindness, contrasting with an "evil eye" ('ayin ra'ah) which means stinginess or envy.

The blessing promised is directly linked to the demonstration of this generous spirit: giving "of his bread to the poor." Bread was a staple food, so giving it away, especially "to the poor," signifies sharing basic necessities and showing practical compassion. It suggests giving from one's own resources, not just surplus.

The core message is that God blesses those who are generous, particularly towards the needy. This isn't a transactional promise where giving *earns* blessing, but rather an observation within wisdom literature that generosity aligns with God's character and way of operating in the world, resulting in spiritual, and often material, well-being for the giver.

This theme is consistent throughout scripture:

  • Proverbs 11:25: "The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."
  • Deuteronomy 15:10: "Thou shalt surely give him... because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works..."

The verse encourages cultivating a generous attitude ("bountiful eye") that naturally leads to acts of kindness and giving, trusting that such a life is pleasing to God and attracts His favor.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Proverbs 19:17 (16 votes)

    ¶ He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

  • Hebrews 6:10 (15 votes)

    For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

  • 1 Timothy 6:18 (13 votes)

    That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

  • 1 Timothy 6:19 (13 votes)

    Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

  • 1 Peter 4:9 (13 votes)

    Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

  • Acts 20:35 (12 votes)

    I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

  • Hebrews 13:16 (11 votes)

    But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.