Lending to the LORD: A Detailed Exegesis of Proverbs 19:17
In a world obsessed with ROI—return on investment—Proverbs 19:17 delivers a shocking financial truth straight from the mouth of the Holy Spirit: when a believer shows pity to the poor, he is not throwing money away. He is making a secured loan directly to Jehovah Himself. And the repayment is guaranteed. This is not prosperity theology or sentimentalism. This is the inerrant, preserved Word of God. Let us open our King James Bibles and dig deep into this divine promise. The Text (KJV) “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” (Proverbs 19:17) Hebrew Word-by-Word Exegesis The original Hebrew (Westminster Leningrad Codex) reads: **מַלְוֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה חֹ֣ונֵֽן דָּ֑ל וּ֝גְמֻלֹ֗ו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֹֽו׃** - **חֹונֵֽן (ḥōwēn)** – Qal active participle of חָנַן (*chanan*, Strong’s H2603). It means “to be gracious, to show favor, to have pity or compassion.” This is not mere emotion; it is active, merciful concern that mo...