Proverbs 22:27 kjv

If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

Proverbs 22:27 nkjv

If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

Proverbs 22:27 niv

if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Proverbs 22:27 esv

If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

Proverbs 22:27 nlt

If you can't pay it,
even your bed will be snatched from under you.

Proverbs 22 verses

Proverbs 22 27 Meaning

Proverbs 22:27 warns against financial irresponsibility, particularly the risk of becoming surety or failing to repay debts. It poses a rhetorical question highlighting the severe consequence: if one cannot meet financial obligations, the most basic necessities, symbolized by one's bed, can be seized, leading to utter destitution and disgrace. The verse emphasizes the importance of careful financial planning and integrity to avoid losing even the essentials for survival.

Proverbs 22 27 Context

Proverbs 22:27 falls within a section of proverbs (22:17-24:34) known as the "Sayings of the Wise." This collection offers practical advice on various aspects of life, including wealth, poverty, justice, and social relationships. Specifically, verses 22:26-27 form a couplet warning against offering security for the debt of others, directly linking to earlier warnings in Proverbs (e.g., 6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18).

Historically, the ability to repay debts was crucial for maintaining one's social and economic standing in ancient Israel. While the Mosaic Law regulated lending practices to protect the poor (e.g., ensuring basic necessities like a cloak or millstone were not permanently taken as collateral), this proverb serves as a wise admonition from the perspective of the potential debtor or guarantor. It highlights the dire consequences of neglecting financial wisdom, even when the law provided some protection, by illustrating the ultimate loss of dignity and basic living necessities. It’s a warning rooted in observation of practical, often harsh, realities.

Proverbs 22 27 Word analysis

• If you have no money to pay:

  • Hebrew: לֹא יֵשׁ לְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם (lo-yesh lekhah leshallem)
  • לֹא (lo): "not, no."
  • יֵשׁ (yesh): "there is."
  • לְךָ (lekhah): "to you, for you."
  • לְשַׁלֵּם (leshalem): "to pay, to repay, to complete."
  • This phrase emphasizes a complete lack of resources to meet an obligation. It's not just "no money" but a state of having nothing available for repayment. This could arise from having acted as a surety (guaranteeing someone else's debt) or from one's own financial mismanagement, as earlier verses in Proverbs suggest. It describes a position of utter insolvency.

• why should he take away:

  • Hebrew: לָמָּה יִקַּח (lammah yiqqah)
  • לָמָּה (lammah): "why?" This is a rhetorical question, not expecting an answer but driving home the painful reality and implicit folly. It asks, "What reason could there possibly be for you to find yourself in such a terrible situation?" The implied answer is "because you were foolish or irresponsible."
  • יִקַּח (yiqqah): "he should take, he will take, he takes." From לָקַח (laqakh), meaning "to take, seize, acquire." This indicates the creditor's right to seize collateral when repayment fails.

• your bed:

  • Hebrew: מִשְׁכָּבְךָ (mishkavkha)
  • From מִשְׁכָּב (mishkav): "bed, couch, sleeping place."
  • This signifies a most basic necessity for rest and shelter. In ancient times, a "bed" for the poor often consisted of a simple mat, blanket, or garment that doubled as covering by day and bedding by night. It represented one's most fundamental belonging, often vital for survival against the cold.

• from under you?

  • Hebrew: מִתַּחְתֶּךָ (mittaḥtekha)
  • מִן (min): "from."
  • תַּחַת (taḥat): "under, instead of."
  • The phrase "from under you" intensifies the sense of complete stripping away, leaving one utterly exposed and without support, having literally nothing left to lay upon.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "If you have no money to pay, why should he take away your bed?": This rhetorical question highlights the severe and avoidable consequence of debt or suretyship gone wrong. The "bed" symbolizes the very last thing one possesses, a symbol of ultimate destitution and homelessness, a state brought about by prior poor financial judgment. The rhetorical "why" prompts introspection on the poor choices that lead to such a ruinous outcome.

• "take away your bed from under you": This imagery is potent. It’s not just losing a possession but being deprived of a fundamental necessity in a profoundly humiliating way. In a cultural context where lenders were legally required to return a poor person's pledged cloak (used as bedding) by nightfall (Ex 22:26-27), the idea of losing even one's "bed" entirely suggests a level of destitution so extreme that even these legal protections might be circumvented or that the situation has devolved beyond such considerations. It signifies absolute poverty and lack of any physical support or comfort.

Proverbs 22 27 Bonus section

This proverb illustrates the wisdom tradition's emphasis on observed reality and the natural consequences of actions. While the Law protected the poor, Proverbs here points to a human folly that can override even such protections, leading to self-inflicted misery. The mention of the "bed" as collateral ties into ancient Near Eastern laws and customs concerning pledges, where items essential for livelihood or basic survival (like tools, cloaks used for bedding) were sometimes forbidden or restricted as permanent collateral. The rhetorical question drives home the despair of having squandered foresight and the painful reality of experiencing utter financial ruin due to lack of wisdom or discipline in monetary dealings. It's a vivid warning not just about poverty, but about the humiliating and perilous path to becoming utterly stripped of every last possession, facing the world without shelter or support.

Proverbs 22 27 Commentary

Proverbs 22:27 delivers a potent warning about the profound personal cost of financial irresponsibility. It addresses both those who might offer themselves as surety for a debt they cannot cover and those who fall into debt without the means to repay. The rhetorical "why" implies a folly in such a predicament, prompting self-reflection on the choices that lead to ruin. The image of having one's "bed taken from under you" vividly portrays ultimate destitution, stripping a person of their most basic dignity and security. This is not just about material loss but the complete dismantling of one's means to survive and function in society.

The proverb teaches the critical importance of financial prudence and the perils of ignoring the practical consequences of one's pledges and agreements. It aligns with the broader biblical emphasis on diligence, planning, and avoiding oppressive debt. The wisdom presented is timeless: assess risks, understand obligations, and prioritize self-sufficiency to prevent reaching a point where even fundamental needs cannot be met, leading to profound shame and physical hardship. It serves as a stark reminder that choices made regarding finance can lead to the loss of everything, emphasizing personal accountability in managing resources.