Proverbs 19:4
Proverbs 19:4 in Multiple Translations
Wealth attracts many friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
Wealth addeth many friends; But the poor is separated from his friend.
Wealth makes a great number of friends; but the poor man is parted from his friend.
If you're rich, you get a lot of friends, but if you're poor, you lose any friends you had.
Riches gather many friends: but the poore is separated from his neighbour.
Wealth addeth many friends, And the poor from his neighbour is separated.
Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor.
Riches make many friends: but from the poor man, even they whom he had, depart.
Those who are rich easily find people who want to be their friends, but when people become poor, their friends often desert them.
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 19:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 19:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
ה֗וֹן
יֹ֭סִיף
רֵעִ֣ים
רַבִּ֑ים
וְ֝/דָ֗ל
מֵרֵ֥ע/הוּ
יִפָּרֵֽד
ה֗וֹן
hôwn
H1952
substance
N-ms
יֹ֭סִיף
yâçaph
H3254
to add
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
רֵעִ֣ים
rêaʻ
H7453
neighbor
N-mp
רַבִּ֑ים
rab
H7227
many
Adj
וְ֝/דָ֗ל
dal
H1800
poor
Conj | Adj
מֵרֵ֥ע/הוּ
rêaʻ
H7453
neighbor
N-ms | Suff
יִפָּרֵֽד
pârad
H6504
to separate
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 19:4
ה֗וֹן
hôwn
H1952
"substance"
N-ms
This word refers to wealth or substance, implying that something is enough or of high value. It can also be translated as riches or sufficiency.
Definition: 1) wealth, riches, substance 1a) wealth 1b) price, high value interj 2) enough!, sufficiency
Usage: Occurs in 26 OT verses. KJV: enough, [phrase] for nought, riches, substance, wealth. See also: Psalms 44:13; Proverbs 19:4; Psalms 112:3.
יֹ֭סִיף
yâçaph
H3254
"to add"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
To add means to increase or do something again, like adding more of something or continuing an action. This word is used in the Bible to describe growth or repetition.
Definition: : add/more[amount] 1) to add, increase, do again 1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to join, join oneself to 1b2) to be joined, be added to 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to add, increase 1c2) to do more, do again
Usage: Occurs in 205 OT verses. KJV: add, [idiom] again, [idiom] any more, [idiom] cease, [idiom] come more, [phrase] conceive again, continue, exceed, [idiom] further, [idiom] gather together, get more, give more-over, [idiom] henceforth, increase (more and more), join, [idiom] longer (bring, do, make, much, put), [idiom] (the, much, yet) more (and more), proceed (further), prolong, put, be (strong-) er, [idiom] yet, yield. See also: Genesis 4:2; 2 Samuel 19:14; Psalms 10:18.
רֵעִ֣ים
rêaʻ
H7453
"neighbor"
N-mp
A neighbor or friend is what this word means, describing someone close to you. It can also refer to a companion, fellow citizen, or another person, and is often translated as brother or friend.
Definition: 1) friend, companion, fellow, another person 1a) friend, intimate 1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense) 1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)
Usage: Occurs in 173 OT verses. KJV: brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other. See also: Genesis 11:3; Job 42:7; Psalms 12:3.
רַבִּ֑ים
rab
H7227
"many"
Adj
This Hebrew word means a chief or captain, someone in charge. It is used in 2 Samuel 23:19 to describe a great and powerful man. The idea is one of leadership and authority.
Definition: adj 1) much, many, great 1a) much 1b) many 1c) abounding in 1d) more numerous than 1e) abundant, enough 1f) great 1g) strong 1h) greater than adv 1i) much, exceedingly
Usage: Occurs in 443 OT verses. KJV: (in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent). See also: Genesis 6:5; 1 Kings 11:1; Psalms 3:2.
וְ֝/דָ֗ל
dal
H1800
"poor"
Conj | Adj
The Hebrew word for someone who is poor or weak, often describing those in need of help or assistance. In the book of Proverbs, it warns against oppressing the poor, and in Psalm 35:10, it describes the needy and the poor. The word is also used in Isaiah 41:17.
Definition: low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low
Usage: Occurs in 46 OT verses. KJV: lean, needy, poor (man), weaker. See also: Exodus 23:3; Proverbs 19:17; Psalms 41:2.
מֵרֵ֥ע/הוּ
rêaʻ
H7453
"neighbor"
N-ms | Suff
A neighbor or friend is what this word means, describing someone close to you. It can also refer to a companion, fellow citizen, or another person, and is often translated as brother or friend.
Definition: 1) friend, companion, fellow, another person 1a) friend, intimate 1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense) 1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)
Usage: Occurs in 173 OT verses. KJV: brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other. See also: Genesis 11:3; Job 42:7; Psalms 12:3.
יִפָּרֵֽד
pârad
H6504
"to separate"
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
To separate or divide, as seen in Exodus when God parted the Red Sea. It can also mean to scatter or disperse, like when the Israelites were sent out of Egypt. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) to separate, divide 1a) (Qal) to divide 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to divide, separate 1b2) to be divided, be separated 1c) (Piel) to be separated 1d) (Pual) to be divided 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to divide, separate 1e2) to make a division, make a separation 1f) (Hithpael) to be divided, be separated, get separated Aramaic equivalent: be.dar (בְּדַר "to scatter" H0921)
Usage: Occurs in 26 OT verses. KJV: disperse, divide, be out of joint, part, scatter (abroad), separate (self), sever self, stretch, sunder. See also: Genesis 2:10; Nehemiah 4:13; Psalms 22:15.
Study Notes — Proverbs 19:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 19:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 19:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 19:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 19:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
- Sermons on Proverbs 19:4
Context — The Man of Integrity
2Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.
3A man’s own folly subverts his way, yet his heart rages against the LORD.
4Wealth attracts many friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape. 6Many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 14:20 | The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but many are those who love the rich. |
| 2 | Proverbs 19:6–7 | Many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver. All the brothers of a poor man hate him— how much more do his friends avoid him! He may pursue them with pleading, but they are nowhere to be found. |
| 3 | Luke 15:13–15 | After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. |
| 4 | Job 6:15–23 | But my brothers are as faithless as wadis, as seasonal streams that overflow, darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow, but ceasing in the dry season and vanishing from their channels in the heat. Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the wasteland and perish. The caravans of Tema look for water; the travelers of Sheba hope to find it. They are confounded because they had hoped; their arrival brings disappointment. For now you are of no help; you see terror, and you are afraid. Have I ever said, ‘Give me something; offer me a bribe from your wealth; deliver me from the hand of the enemy; redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless’? |
| 5 | Proverbs 10:15 | The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. |
| 6 | Job 19:13–17 | He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me. My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me. My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight. I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth. My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family. |
Proverbs 19:4 Summary
This verse means that when someone has a lot of money, many people will want to be their friend, but it's not always a real friendship. On the other hand, when someone is poor, their friends might desert them because they're not getting anything out of the relationship. This is a warning to us to be careful about who we choose as friends and to make sure we're not just using people for what they can give us, as Jesus taught in Luke 12:15. We should strive to build relationships based on love, trust, and kindness, like the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that wealth attracts many friends?
This means that when someone has wealth, many people will want to be their friend, but it's not necessarily a genuine friendship, as seen in Proverbs 19:6 where it says many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver, similar to what Jesus said in Luke 16:9 about making friends with unrighteous wealth.
Is it wrong to have wealthy friends?
No, it's not wrong to have wealthy friends, but we must be cautious and not seek friendships solely based on material gain, as warned in 1 Timothy 6:10, where it says the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Why does the poor man get deserted by his friend?
The poor man gets deserted by his friend because the friend is likely only interested in the poor man when they had something to offer, as Proverbs 19:4 states, wealth attracts many friends, implying that when the wealth is gone, so are the friends, which is a warning to us to cultivate genuine relationships based on love and trust, as in 1 Corinthians 13:3.
How can we discern genuine friendships from fake ones?
We can discern genuine friendships from fake ones by observing how our friends treat us when we're going through tough times, as seen in Job 2:11, where Job's friends came to mourn with him, and also by looking at the fruits of their character, such as love, kindness, and empathy, as described in Galatians 5:22-23.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I've seen wealth attract friends in my own life or in the lives of those around me?
- How can I cultivate genuine friendships that aren't based on material gain or social status?
- What are some biblical principles I can apply to my relationships to ensure they're built on a strong foundation of love and trust?
- In what ways can I be a good friend to those who may be struggling financially or emotionally, and how can I show them the love and kindness of Christ?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 19:4
Wealth maketh many friends,.... Or "adds" (f); it increases the number of them: so the poet (g), "donec eris felix, multos numerabis amicos"; and to this agrees what the wise man says, Proverbs
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 19:4
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
Is disowned and forsaken by those who are most obliged to help him.
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
Proverbs 19:4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.Ver. 4. Wealth maketh many friends.] Res amicos invenit, saith he in Plautus. Wine, saith Athenaeus, hath ελκοστικοντιπροςφιλιαν, a force in it to make friendship. Wealth we are sure hath; but as that is no sound love that comes out of cups - it is but ollaris amicitia; friendship of the cup, so neither are they to be trusted that wealth wins to us. Hired friends are seldom either satisfied or sure, but, like the ravens in Arabia, that, full gorged, have a tunable, sweet record, but empty, screech horribly. Flies soon fasten upon honey, and vermin will haunt a house where food is to be gotten. But the poor is separated from his neighbour.] Who either turns from him as a stranger, or against him as an enemy. Nero being condemned to die, and not finding any one that would fall upon him and despatch him, cried out, Itane, nec amicum, nec inimicum habeo? Have I now neither friend nor foe that will do this for me?
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
(4) The poor is separated from his neighbour.—Or, but the feeble, his friend separates himself (from him). It was just in order to counteract these selfish instincts of mankind that the merciful provisions of such passages as Deuteronomy 15:7. sqq., and Luke 14:13, were laid upon God’s people.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
Verse 4. The poor is separated from his neighbour.] Because he has the "disease of all-shunned poverty."
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 19:4
4. maketh] Rather, addeth; προστίθησι, LXX.; addunt (divitiζ), Vulg.; the contrast being between the new friends gained by wealth, and the existing friend (R.V.) lost by poverty, ὁδὲπτωχὸςκαὶἀπὸτοῦὑπάρχοντοςφίλουλείπεται, LXX.; A paupere autem et hi, quos habuit, separantur, Vulg.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 19:4
4. Wealth — Literally, ease or competence. Maketh many friends — At least such as are professedly so. The poor man is neglected by those who ought to be his friends. Compare Proverbs 14:20, and Proverbs 19:6-7.
Sermons on Proverbs 19:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Pride and Strife by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the importance of understanding and experiencing the love of Christ. He emphasizes the need to share this love with others as witnesses |
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From the Banishment of Archelaus to the Departure of the Jews From Babylon by Flavius Josephus | Flavius Josephus recounts the tumultuous life of King Agrippa, detailing his financial troubles, debts, and his escape from Rome to Judea. Agrippa's friendship with Tiberius Caesar |
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Prodigal Church by B.H. Clendennen | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of the prodigal son from the Bible. He compares the prodigal son to the state of the church, describing how it has become impoveris |
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New Covenant - Overcoming Temptation - Part 5 by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of reverencing God and seeking His secrets for godly living. It highlights the need to overcome temptations by relying on the power of the Hol |
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On Eagles' Wings Pt 26 by Don Courville | In this sermon, the speaker warns against the dangers of self-consciousness, as it can lead to self-pity, which is considered satanic. The example of Judas is given, who was filled |
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The Prodigal by Catherine Booth | Catherine Booth preaches on the parable of the prodigal son, illustrating the rebellious nature of humanity and the unconditional love and forgiveness of God. She emphasizes the co |
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Open Intercourse With God. by Horatius Bonar | Horatius Bonar emphasizes the natural and necessary relationship between God and humanity, asserting that open and direct communication with our Creator is essential to our existen |