Proverbs 22:7 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 22:7 mean?

Proverbs 22:7 observes that money can shape power between people. The wealthy may have authority over those with less, and a person who borrows becomes answerable to the person who lends.

The word “servant” gives the second half of the verse its force. It pictures the borrower as someone under another person’s authority, rather than simply as someone who received money.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 22:7

• “ruleth” — מָשַׁל (mashal): This word can mean to rule or exercise authority. It gives the relationship between rich and poor the language of power, not just a difference in possessions.
• “servant” — עֶבֶד (ʿeved): This word can refer to a servant or a slave. Its range gives weight to the picture of a borrower placed under a lender’s authority.

Why Proverbs 22:7 matters

• The verse places two relationships side by side: “the rich” over “the poor,” and “the borrower” under “the lender.” The second gives a particular example of how a difference in resources can affect who holds power.
• The saying describes a social condition rather than addressing a lender or borrower with a command. Its two halves state what happens: the rich “ruleth,” and the borrower “is servant.”
• Near this saying, Proverbs 22:2 says that rich and poor have a shared maker. Proverbs 22:7 turns attention to the unequal power they may have in their dealings with one another.