John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. All the brethren of the poor do hate him , etc.] They despise him on account of his poverty; they neglect him, and do not take care of him; they reckon him a reproach unto them, and do not choose to own him; all which may be interpreted an hatred of him; how much more do his friends go far from him ? or “his friend”, every one of his friends; or “his neighbour” f541 : for if his brethren, who are his own flesh and blood, show so much disrespect unto him; much more will those who are only his neighbours, or were in friendship with him while in prosperity; these wilt stand at a distance from him, and not come near him, now he is poor and in distress; (see Job 19:13,14); he pursueth [them with] words; [yet] they are wanting [to him] ; or, “they [are] not” f542 ; he presses them with earnest entreaties to relieve him; he urges their own words and promises, and fetches arguments from them, and uses them as far as they will go; but all signifies nothing; his own words and petitions are to no purpose; and their words and promises are all smoke and vapour, vain and empty. Some understand this, as Gersom, not of the poor man that follows vain words and empty promises, and buoys himself up with them that such an one and such an one has promised to be his friend, of which nothing comes; but of the friend that separates from the poor man, and pursues him with words of accusation, charging it on him as hit own fault that he is poor; which accusations are not true. This is one of the fifteen places observed by the Masoretes, in which it is written al , “not”, and read wl , “to him”: both may be retained, and read, “they [are] not to him” f544 ; not profitable to him; either his own words, his petitions; or the words of others, their promises.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7 - Christ was left by all his disciples; but the Father was with him. I encourages our faith that he had so large an experience of the sorrow of poverty.
Original Hebrew כל3605 אחי251 רשׁ7326 שׂנאהו8130 אף637 כי3588 מרעהו4828 רחקו7368 ממנו4480 מרדף7291 אמרים561 לא3808 המה׃1992
