It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 16:19
What does Proverbs 16:19 mean?
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Proverbs 16:19
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The verse isn't just saying humility is better than pride; it's highlighting that sharing in the "spoils" of the proud often means sharing in their unjust actions and the anxieties that come with them. True contentment isn't found in riches gained through prideful means, but in a humble spirit alongside those society might overlook.
It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes right after a warning that pride often leads to downfall. It contrasts the humble person who finds contentment with the poor with the proud individual who shares in ill-gotten gains, emphasizing the wisdom of choosing humility and community with the less fortunate over associating with the arrogant and potentially corrupt.
What's the real cost of associating with the proud? It might be more than just a bad reputation.
This verse presents a stark contrast: a humble spirit with the poor versus dividing spoils with the proud. The commentaries highlight that 'dividing the spoil' often implies gaining wealth through exploitation, violence, or conquest. Associating with the proud means sharing in their ill-gotten gains, their risky ventures, and potentially their guilt and anxieties. The phrase 'Voll, toll' (Full, fool) captures this idea – abundance gained through pride often leads to folly and ruin.
Is humility really 'better' than riches and conquest?
The verse argues that a 'lowly spirit' with the poor offers a greater reward than participating in the spoils of the proud. This isn't about material poverty being inherently superior, but about the quality of one's spirit and associations. Humility aligns one with the meek, the God-fearing, and those who are content with less but possess inner peace and right standing with God. It suggests a spiritual richness that worldly success, especially when gained proudly, can never match.
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shaphal ruwach · Hebrew Noun phrase
Lowliness, or humility, is the state of having an accurate, modest view of oneself before God, recognizing one's need for Him and esteeming others more highly than oneself.
This passage directly echoes the principle that humility is favored by God, stating 'whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted,' which is the core contrast in Proverbs 16:19.
James 4:6James explicitly warns against pride and connects it to God's opposition, mirroring Proverbs' warning about the dangers of associating with the proud by saying 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'
Psalm 84:10This psalm expresses a similar sentiment of valuing humility and service over status or comfort, declaring 'I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness,' highlighting a preference for godly humility over proud prosperity.
Matthew 5:5Jesus's teaching that 'the meek shall inherit the earth' aligns with Proverbs' emphasis on the value of a lowly spirit, suggesting that true inheritance and blessing come from meekness, not from the spoils of pride.
cambridgeProverbs 16:19: "Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."
19 . the lowly ] Rather, poor , R.V. Better humble and poor than proud and rich.
jfbProverbs 16:19: "Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."
- divide the spoil—that is, conquer. Avoid the society of the proud (Jas 4:6).
The verse isn't just saying humility is better than pride; it's highlighting that sharing in the "spoils" of the proud often means sharing in their unjust actions and the anxieties that come with them. True contentment isn't found in riches gained through prideful means, but in a humble spirit alongside those society might overlook.
This verse comes right after a warning that pride often leads to downfall. It contrasts the humble person who finds contentment with the poor with the proud individual who shares in ill-gotten gains, emphasizing the wisdom of choosing humility and community with the less fortunate over associating with the arrogant and potentially corrupt.
This verse comes right after a warning that pride often leads to downfall. It contrasts the humble person who finds contentment with the poor with the proud individual who shares in ill-gotten gains, emphasizing the wisdom of choosing humility and community with the less fortunate over associating with the arrogant and potentially corrupt.
"It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud." — The verse isn't just saying humility is better than pride; it's highlighting that sharing in the "spoils" of the proud often means sharing in their unjust actions and the anxieties that come with the…
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Last reviewed October 2026