Bible Strands
Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The wisdom collection addresses a listener seeking practical discernment. It is positioned between a statement on God judging the wicked and a proverb about secret bribes, framing the instruction within a sequence on righteous conduct and its consequences.
The words — The Hebrew term אֹטֵם ('o.Tem) literally means "one who shuts," paired with אָזְנוֹ ('a.ze.n/o) for "his ear." Together they form the concrete image of deliberately refusing to listen.
The thread — The structure of willful action meeting a corresponding consequence appears in Proverbs 1:28, where ignored pleas meet silence, and in Matthew 6:14, where human forgiveness triggers divine forgiveness. Proverbs 28:27 also addresses the poor, noting that hiding one's eyes brings curses while giving prevents need.
Why it lands — The text states that ignoring the poor produces an identical outcome for the ignorers: their own cries will go unanswered. It requires the reader to act on the poor's immediate needs rather than delay response.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
- Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
- Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- James 2:13 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Jeremiah 34:16 But now you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each of you has taken back the menservants and maidservants whom you had set at liberty to go wherever they wanted, and you have again forced them to be your slaves.
- Matthew 7:2 For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- Matthew 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.
- Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Isaiah 58:6 Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?
- Psalms 18:41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but He did not answer.