A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 28:22
What does Proverbs 28:22 mean?
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Proverbs 28:22
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The verse isn't just about someone being greedy; it links that greed to an "evil eye," meaning they're not only covetous but also uncharitable and envious of others. This grasping, selfish pursuit ironically blinds them to the fact that their own hoarding and lack of generosity will ultimately lead to their own destitution.
A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb is part of a series that cautions against greedy and dishonest pursuits. Following verses that condemn the untrustworthy and the partial, it directly addresses the man who is desperate for wealth, driven by envy and selfishness. The surrounding context highlights that such grasping behavior, rather than leading to lasting riches, ultimately blinds him to the consequences, including his own future poverty.
This verse talks about an 'evil eye.' What does that actually mean in this context? It's more than just a dirty look!
The phrase 'evil eye' here isn't about physical sight, but a spiritual and emotional disposition. It describes someone who is:
This 'evil eye' blinds them to the consequences of their relentless pursuit of riches.
Why does the verse say the greedy person 'does not know' about the poverty that awaits them? It seems like a pretty obvious outcome!
The pursuit of wealth can be so all-consuming that it creates a profound blindness.
The Illusion of Security
A greedy person believes that accumulating more and more money is the key to security and happiness. They think their riches will protect them from future hardship.
Ignoring Divine Providence
However, this verse reveals a spiritual reality: the greedy person doesn't recognize that their actions are actually poverty. They are so focused on getting that they ignore how their lack of generosity, their envy, and their potentially dishonest methods can lead to ruin, either through external circumstances or a lack of God's blessing.
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The Paradox of Wealth
Understand the original words
ra'-ayin · Hebrew Adjective phrase
An individual who is selfish, illiberal, or possessing an "evil eye," often characterized by a lack of generosity and excessive desire for gain.
This passage directly contrasts the stingy person with the generous one, showing that true prosperity comes from giving, not hoarding, which the stingy person in Proverbs 28:22 fails to grasp.
Proverbs 23:4-5These verses vividly describe the futility of exhausting oneself to gain wealth, highlighting the 'evil eye' of laboring for riches that vanish, mirroring the ultimate poverty the stingy person faces.
Luke 12:15Jesus warns against greed, stating that a person's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, echoing the folly of 'hastening after wealth' without understanding true spiritual poverty.
1 Timothy 6:9-10This passage directly addresses the dangers of the love of money, explaining how the pursuit of wealth can lead people astray into foolish and harmful desires that result in ruin, a fate the stingy man ignores.
pooleProverbs 28:22: "He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him."
Hath an evil eye; is uncharitable to persons in want, envious towards those who get any thing besides him, and covetous or greedy of getting riches by all ways possible, whether just or unjust. Thus an evil eye is taken , Proverbs 23:6 Matthew 20:15 , as a good eye notes the contrary disposition, Proverbs 22:9 . That poverty shall come upon him; and consequently that he shall nee…
pulpitProverbs 28:22: "He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him."
Verse 22. - He that hasteth to be rich bath an evil eye (see ver. 20); better, the man of evil eye hasteth after riches. The man of evil eye (Proverbs 23:6) is the envious and covetous man; such a one tries to improve his position and raise himself speedily to the height of him whom he envies, and is quite unscrupulous as to the means which he uses to effect his purpose, and keep…
The verse isn't just about someone being greedy; it links that greed to an "evil eye," meaning they're not only covetous but also uncharitable and envious of others. This grasping, selfish pursuit ironically blinds them to the fact that their own hoarding and lack of generosity will ultimately lead to their own destitution.
This proverb is part of a series that cautions against greedy and dishonest pursuits. Following verses that condemn the untrustworthy and the partial, it directly addresses the man who is desperate for wealth, driven by envy and selfishness. The surrounding context highlights that such grasping behavior, rather than leading to lasting riches, ultimately blinds him to the consequences, including his own future poverty.
This proverb is part of a series that cautions against greedy and dishonest pursuits. Following verses that condemn the untrustworthy and the partial, it directly addresses the man who is desperate for wealth, driven by envy and selfishness. The surrounding context highlights that such grasping behavior, rather than leading to lasting riches, ultimately blinds him to the consequences, including his own future poverty.
"A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him." — The verse isn't just about someone being greedy; it links that greed to an "evil eye," meaning they're not only covetous but also uncharitable and envious of others. This grasping, selfish pursuit ir…
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Last reviewed October 2026