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Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Complete Jewish Bible

Isaiah 32:7

The mean person's means are mean — he devises wicked devices to ruin the poor and needy with lies, even when their cause is just.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Dishonesty;   Falsehood;   Poor;   Speaking;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Devices, Evil;   Evil;   Needy, the;   Plans and Devices of Men;   Plotting;   Poor, the;   Poverty-Riches;   Wicked, the;   The Topic Concordance - Evil;   Government;   Jesus Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Poor;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Remnant;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Magnificat;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Rain;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Churl;   Grace;   Hezekiah (2);   Isaiah;   Poor;   Salvation;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The scoundrel’s weapons are destructive;he hatches plots to destroy the needy with lies,even when the poor person says what is right.
Hebrew Names Version
The instruments of the churl are evil: he devises wicked devices to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.
King James Version
The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
English Standard Version
As for the scoundrel—his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right.
New American Standard Bible
As for a rogue, his weapons are evil; He devises wicked schemes To destroy the poor with slander, Even though the needy one speaks what is right.
New Century Version
The wicked person uses evil like a tool. He plans ways to take everything from the poor. He destroys the poor with lies, even when the poor person is in the right.
Amplified Bible
As for the rogue, his weapons are evil; He conceives wicked plans To ruin the poor with lies, Even when the plea of the needy one is just and right.
World English Bible
The instruments of the churl are evil: he devises wicked devices to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For the weapons of the churle are wicked: hee deuiseth wicked counsels, to vndoe the poore with lying words: and to speake against the poore in iudgement.
Legacy Standard Bible
As for a rogue, his weapons are evil;He counsels wicked schemesTo wreak destruction on the afflicted with lying words,Even though the needy one speaks justly.
Berean Standard Bible
The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.
Contemporary English Version
Cruel people tell lies— they do evil things, and make cruel plans to destroy the poor and needy, even when they beg for justice.
Darby Translation
The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
Easy-to-Read Version
They use evil like a tool and plan ways to steal from the poor. They tell lies about the poor and keep them from being judged fairly.
George Lamsa Translation
The instruments of the vain person are evil; he devises wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the testimony of the needy is right.
Good News Translation
A stupid person is evil and does evil things; he plots to ruin the poor with lies and to keep them from getting their rights.
Lexham English Bible
And a scoundrel, his weapons are evil; he plans evil devices to ruin the poor with words of deception even when the speech of the needy is right.
Literal Translation
And the weapons of the miser are evil; he devises wicked plots to destroy the poor with lying words, even the needy when he speaks right.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
These are the perlous weapons of the cuvetous, these be his shameful councels: that he maye begyle the poore with disceatful workes, yee euen there as he shulde geue sentence with the poore.
American Standard Version
And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
Bible in Basic English
The designs of the false are evil, purposing the destruction of the poor man by false words, even when he is in the right.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The instruments also of the churl are evil; he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, and the needy when he speaketh right.
King James Version (1611)
The instruments also of the churle are euill: he deuiseth wicked deuices, to destroy the poore with lying wordes, euen when the needie speaketh right.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The weapons of the churlishe are euyll, he deuiseth noysome deuises, that he may beguyle the poore with deceiptfull wordes, yea euen there as he should geue sentence with the poore.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For the counsel of the wicked will devise iniquity, to destroy the poor with unjust words, and ruin the cause of the poor in judgement.
English Revised Version
The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The vessels of a gileful man ben worste; for he schal make redi thouytis to leese mylde men in the word of a leesyng, whanne a pore man spak doom.
Update Bible Version
And the instruments of the churl are evil: he devises wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.
Webster's Bible Translation
The instruments also of the churl [are] evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
New English Translation
A deceiver's methods are evil; he dreams up evil plans to ruin the poor with lies, even when the needy are in the right.
New King James Version
Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice.
New Living Translation
The smooth tricks of scoundrels are evil. They plot crooked schemes. They lie to convict the poor, even when the cause of the poor is just.
New Life Bible
The ways of the bad man are sinful. He makes sinful plans to destroy the suffering with lies, even when the one in need asks for what is right.
New Revised Standard
The villainies of villains are evil; they devise wicked devices to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yea, a knave, his weapons are wicked, - He, base schemes, hath devised To ruin the oppressed with speeches of falsehood Even when the needy pleadeth, for justice.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The vessels of the deceitful are most wicked: for he hath framed devices to destroy the meek, with lying words, when the poor man speaketh judgment.
Revised Standard Version
The knaveries of the knave are evil; he devises wicked devices to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right.
Young's Literal Translation
And the miser -- his instruments [are] evil, He hath counselled wicked devices, To corrupt the poor with lying sayings, Even when the needy speaketh justly.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
As for a rogue, his weapons are evil; He devises wicked schemes To destroy the afflicted with slander, Even though the needy one speaks what is right.

Contextual Overview

1 There is coming a king who will reign justly and princes who will rule uprightly. 2 A man will be like a refuge from the wind, like protection from a storm, like streams of water on arid ground, like a rock cliff shading a weary land. 3 The eyes of those seeing will not be closed, the ears of those hearing will pay close attention. 4 The minds of the impetuous will learn to weigh carefully, the tongues of the stutterers will speak readily and clearly. 5 The mean person will no longer be called generous, or the miserly said to be noble; 6 for the mean person will speak meanness, his heart planning evil, so that he can act godlessly, spreading error concerning Adonai , as he lets the hungry go on starving and deprives the thirsty of drink. 7 The mean person's means are mean — he devises wicked devices to ruin the poor and needy with lies, even when their cause is just. 8 But the generous person devises generous things, and his generosity will keep him standing.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

instruments: Isaiah 1:23, Isaiah 5:23, Jeremiah 5:26-28, Micah 2:11, Micah 7:3, Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 26:59, Matthew 26:60

deviseth: Psalms 10:7-10, Psalms 64:4-6, Psalms 82:2-5, Jeremiah 18:18, Micah 7:2, Matthew 26:4

lying: Isaiah 59:3, Isaiah 59:4, 1 Kings 21:10-14, Acts 6:11-13

the needy speaketh right: or, he speaketh against the poor in judgment

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 25:10 - Who is David 2 Kings 1:11 - O man Psalms 10:9 - when Proverbs 6:14 - he deviseth Proverbs 11:17 - merciful Proverbs 14:17 - a man Proverbs 14:22 - err Proverbs 24:8 - General Proverbs 30:14 - to devour Isaiah 9:17 - every mouth Jeremiah 11:19 - and I Daniel 12:10 - but the wicked Amos 8:4 - swallow

Cross-References

Genesis 32:4
When Ya‘akov saw them, he said, "This is God's camp," and called that place Machanayim [two camps]. Haftarah Vayetze: Hoshea (Hosea) 12:13(12)–14:10(9) (A); 11:7–12:12(11) (S) B'rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Vayetze: Yochanan (John) 1:43–51 Ya‘akov sent messengers ahead of him to ‘Esav his brother toward the land of Se‘ir, the country of Edom,
Genesis 32:5
with these instructions: "Here is what you are to say to my lord ‘Esav: ‘Your servant Ya‘akov says, "I have been living with Lavan and have stayed until now.
Genesis 32:8
Ya‘akov became greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people, flocks, cattle and camels with him into two camps,
Genesis 32:10
Then Ya‘akov said, "God of my father Avraham and God of my father Yitz'chak, Adonai , who told me, ‘Return to your country and your kinsmen, and I will do you good':
Genesis 32:11
I'm not worthy of all the love and faithfulness you have shown your servant, since I crossed the Yarden with only my staff. But now I have become two camps.
Genesis 35:3
We're going to move on and go up to Beit-El. There I will build an altar to God, who answered me when I was in such distress and stayed with me wherever I went."
Exodus 14:10
As Pharaoh approached, the people of Isra'el looked up and saw the Egyptians right there, coming after them. In great fear the people of Isra'el cried out to Adonai
Psalms 31:13
Like a dead man, I have passed from their minds; I have become like a broken pot.
Psalms 61:2
Hear my cry, God; listen to my prayer.
Psalms 107:6
In their trouble they cried to Adonai , and he rescued them from their distress.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The instruments also of the churl [are] evil,.... Not his [vessels] or measures he sells by, which are small and deficient, as Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it; nor his servants, his tools in doing his wickedness, which are fit for his purpose, wicked men; but rather these are much the same with "the instruments of the foolish shepherd", Zechariah 11:15 and may signify the evil ways and methods which covetous pastors or shepherds take to fleece the flock, and to increase their own gain:

he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right; he consults, contrives, and forms schemes with all craft and cunning, on purpose, to corrupt, as the word h signifies, the poor and meek, humble and afflicted souls, with false doctrines; even when these poor and needy ones, who want to have sound and comfortable doctrine delivered to them, speak and ask for that which is right and just, agreeably to the oracles of God, and the analogy of faith, but can not have it; wherefore such a man is unfit to be a ruler in the house of God.

h לחבל ענוים באמרי שקר "ad corrumpendum afflictos in eloquiis falsitaits", Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The instruments also - In the Hebrew here there is a paronomasia which cannot be imitated in a translation. The word ‘instruments’ here denotes evidently the means by which the churl accomplishes his object; whether it be by words, by judicial decisions, or by crafty devices. This is also a kind of proverbial expression, and is given as a further reason why such a person would not be employed by a wise and virtuous prince.

Are evil - He will make use of any unprincipled means, any wicked plan or device, to accomplish his purpose. “With lying words.” With false representations; or with deceitful promises and assurances. His aim would be particularly directed to the poor and humble, as more easily deprived of their rights than the rich and powerful. It was also of greater importance to defend the rights of the poor, and therefore the prophet says that such a person should not be in the employ of a just and virtuous ruler.

Even when the needy speaketh right - That is, although the cause of the needy is one of truth and equity. When this would be manifest, the unprincipled man in power would deprive him of his rights, and, therefore, under a wise and virtuous administration, such a person should not be employed.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 32:7. The instruments also of the churl are evil - "As for the niggard, his instruments are evil"] His machinations, his designs. The paronomasia, which the prophet frequently deals in, suggested this expression וכלי כליו vechelai kelaiv. The first word is expressed with some variety in the MSS. Seven MSS. read וכילי vekili, one וכל vechol, another וכולי vecoli.

To destroy the poor with lying words - "To defeat the assertions of the poor in judgment"] A word seems to have been lost here, and two others to have suffered a small alteration, which has made the sentence very obscure. The Septuagint have happily retained the rendering of the lost word, and restored the sentence in all its parts: Και διασκεδασαι λογους ταπεινων εν κρισει· ולהפר דברי אביון במשפט ulehapher dibrey ebyon bemishpat, "And disperse the words of the poor in judgment." They frequently render the verb הפר haphar by διασκεδασαι, A MS. reads ולדבר uledabber, which gives authority for the preposition ל lamed, to, necessary to the sense, and the Septuagint, Syriac, and Chaldee read במשפט bemishpat, IN judgment.


 
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