Proverbs 3:27

27 Do not hold back anything good from those who are entitled to it when you have the power to do so.

Proverbs 3:27 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 3:27

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due
Honour, reverence, and tribute, to civil magistrates, ( Romans 13:7 Romans 13:8 ) ; just payment of debts to creditors, and alms to the poor, which, by what follows, seems to be chiefly intended; and the Septuagint render it,

``do not abstain to do well to the needy;''

and Aben Ezra interprets it of the poor; to them alms are due because of their wants, and by the appointment; of God; hence called "righteousness", in some copies of ( Matthew 6:1 ) ; so money kept from the poor "mammon of unrighteousness", ( Luke 16:9 ) . They are, as the word in the Hebrew text signifies, "the owners thereof" ^F8: rich men are not so much proprietors of good things as they are God's alms givers or stewards to distribute to the poor; and, as often as men have opportunity, they should do good in this way to all, especially to the household of faith, ( Galatians 6:10 ) ; this will hold true, as of temporal good things, so of spiritual; as good advice, exhortation, and doctrine. The Vulgate Latin version is, "do not forbid him to do well that can"; which sense is favoured by Jarchi: and as we should not abstain from doing good ourselves, so neither should we forbid, hinder, or discourage others; but the former sense is best; when it is in the power of thine hand to do [it];
not to hinder others, as Jarchi, but to do good; when a man has a sufficiency in his hands to do good with; has not only enough for himself and his family, but something to spare; when he has both opportunity and ability; and when he can do it at once and without delay, as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (wylebm) "a dominis suis", Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Proverbs 3:27 In-Context

25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the destruction of wicked people when it comes.

26 The LORD will be your confidence. He will keep your foot from getting caught.

27 Do not hold back anything good from those who are entitled to it when you have the power to do so.

28 When you have the good thing with you, do not tell your neighbor, "Go away! Come back tomorrow. I'll give you something then."

29 Do not plan to do something wrong to your neighbor while he is sitting there with you and suspecting nothing.