What Time Is It?
They do not plead the cause, the cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; and they do not defend the rights of the poor. Jeremiah 5:28b NASB
Poor – Hebrew makes several distinctions when it comes to the poor. “ʾebyôn emphasizes ‘need’ and thus is to be distinguished from ʿonî ‘afflicted,’ dal ‘poor,’ and rāš ‘weak’ (the Qal participle of rîš ‘destitute’)”[1] The word used in this verse from Jeremiah is the first of these, ʾebyôn.
The ʾebyôn is poor in a material sense. He may have lost his ancestral land (Ex 23:11). It may be that he has reverted to borrowing (Deut 15:7, 9, 11). He may be the recipient of special gifts on Purim (Est 9:22). He may be without clothing (Job 31:19) or lacking food (Ps 132:15). Certainly, used in this sense of material want the “poor” is one who has fallen on hard times (Job 30:25).
This noun is used socially of those needing protection.[2]
Notice that Jeremiah claims these people have rights. What are these rights? Moses spells them out:
In the Mosaic legislation God provides protection for the needy among his people by commanding that they be treated fairly and that payment of loans should be forgiven them in the year of release (Deut 15:1–4). God commands his people to loan liberally to the needy (Deut 15:7, 9, 11) in spite of the release. And if a brother sells himself into slavery to pay his debts, he is to serve as a hired man only until the year of jubilee when he would go out free and return to the property of his fathers (Lev 25:39–41). Finally, God himself helps the righteous needy when there is no other helper (I Sam 2:8; Job 5:15; Ps 132:15; note the description of their plight in Job 24:2–14).[3]
To ignore the rights of the poor is to insult God. That’s a bit harsh in these days when our social worlds push the poor out of view. We think we’ve done enough when our employers insist we give to United Way or we make a voluntary contribution to some social justice cause. But I wonder if God even cares about such pittance. I think He might care a great deal more about our identification with the circumstances of those in need. Yeshua says it like this: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”[4] Yes, I know there are a lot of scammers out there. I’ve met my share. But what is the spiritual lesson if I let the ones who scam the compassionate turn me away from everyone in need? Perhaps I must remember the root of ʾebyôn, that is, ʾābâ, a verb that has the following larger sense:
The primary meaning of this root is “the willingness (inclination) to do something under obligation or upon request.” It is to be distinguished from nādab which implies volunteering, rāṣôn denoting a willing pleasurable to the doer, ḥāpaṣ implying a compliance suiting what is fitting, or a favorable disposition, and yāʾal indicating an exertion of one’s will to do something[5]
To act on behalf of the poor is not a choice made in order to feel the pleasure of being called generous or compassionate. It is not compliance, although there are rules here. And it’s not volunteering, an act that may be motivated by many different reasons. No, ʾābâ is about willingness. And that man who stands on the street in front of my local grocery store has the willingness to accept humiliation in order to live. I need to have the heart to accept his offering to me and discover that I need humility also.
Topical Index: ʾebyôn, ʾābâ, poor, willingness, pride, humility, Jeremiah 5:28b
[1] Coppes, L. J. (1999). 3 אָבָה. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 4). Chicago: Moody Press.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Matthew 25:40 NIV
[5] Ibid.
