Proverbs 22:22 (LSB)

Passage

Do not rob the poor because he is poor, And do not crush the afflicted at the gate;

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:20 Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

Proverbs 22:21 To make you know the veracity of the words of truth That you may respond with the words of truth to him who sent you?

Proverbs 22:22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, And do not crush the afflicted at the gate;

Proverbs 22:23 For Yahweh will plead their case And rob the soul of those who rob them.

Proverbs 22:24 Do not befriend a man of anger; And do not come along with a man of great wrath,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "poor", "crush", "afflicted", and "gate". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "poor" and "crush", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "To make you know the veracity of..." into verse 23's "For Yahweh will plead their case And...", so "poor" and "crush" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "poor" and "crush" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.