Proverbs 22:22 (WEB)

Passage

Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:20 Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

Proverbs 22:21 To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

Proverbs 22:22 Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

Proverbs 22:23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

Proverbs 22:24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man, and don’t associate with one who harbors anger:

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "To teach you truth reliable words to..." into verse 23's "for Yahweh will plead their case and...", so "exploit" and "poor" 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 "exploit" and "poor" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.