What do top commentators say Proverbs 28:22 means?
What do top commentators say Proverbs 28:22 means?
SCRIPTURE
"he that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches, And knoweth not that want shall come upon him." — Proverbs 28:22 (ASV)
The 'Evil Eye' of Envy:
Commentators clarify that the "evil eye" is not a superstition but a metaphor for a person's character. It describes someone who is envious of others' prosperity, covetous, and stingy. As one scholar notes, it is the direct opposite of the "bountiful eye" of a generous person mentioned in Proverbs 22:9.
Haste for Riches Leads to Ruin:
The verse presents a paradox: the person who frantically rushes to get rich is the one who will end up in poverty. Scholars explain this is because their methods are often unjust and their attitude ignores God's principles. As one commentary puts it, wealth gained hastily and wrongfully "has wings" and quickly flies away.
The Blind Spot of Greed:
A key aspect of this proverb is that the greedy person "knoweth not" or "considers not" that poverty is their destination. Their obsessive pursuit of wealth blinds them to reality. As Matthew Henry suggests, they fail to consider that God ultimately controls wealth and can take it away in an instant, leaving them with nothing.
For it is the liberal soul that shall be made fat, not such as he, who can get no blessing from God.