Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 9:10

"And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:" — 2 Corinthians 9:10 (ASV)

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower. This is an expression of an earnest wish. In the previous verses, he had stated the promises or had shown what we had a right to expect as a consequence of liberality; he here unites the expression of an earnest desire that they might experience this themselves.

The allusion is to the act of sowing seed. The idea is that when a man scatters seed in his field, God provides him with the means of sowing again; He not only gives him a harvest to supply his wants, but He also blesses him in giving him the ability to sow again.

Such was the benevolent wish of Paul. He desired not only that God would supply their returning wants, but he also desired that He would give them the ability to do good again and that He would furnish them with the means of future benevolence. He acknowledges God as the source of all increase and wishes that they may experience the results of such increase. Perhaps in this language, there is an allusion to Isaiah 55:10; and the idea is that it is God who furnishes by His providence the seed to the sower. In the same way, He will furnish you with the means of doing good.

Minister bread for your food. Furnish you with an ample supply for your wants.

Multiply your seed sown. Greatly increase your means of doing good; make the results of all your benefactions abound so greatly that you may have the means of doing good again, and on a larger scale, just as the seed sown in the earth is increased so much that the farmer has the means of sowing more abundantly again.

And increase the fruits of your righteousness. This evidently means the results and effects of their benevolence. The word "righteousness" here refers to their liberality; and the wish of the apostle is that the results of their beneficence might greatly abound, so that they might have the means of doing extensive good and be the means of diffusing happiness far and wide.