The term "impoverish" refers to the act of making someone poor or reducing them to a state of poverty. In the biblical context, impoverishment can be both a physical and spiritual condition, often reflecting a lack of material resources or spiritual richness. The Bible addresses the causes, consequences, and responses to impoverishment, emphasizing the importance of justice, compassion, and reliance on God.

Biblical Causes of Impoverishment

1. Injustice and Oppression: The Bible frequently associates impoverishment with social injustice and oppression. In Isaiah 10:1-2, the prophet condemns those who enact unjust laws and deprive the poor of their rights, leading to their impoverishment: "Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of justice and withhold the rights of the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and rob the fatherless."

2. Idolatry and Disobedience: Spiritual impoverishment often results from idolatry and disobedience to God's commandments. In Jeremiah 5:25, the prophet warns that sin and rebellion against God can lead to a lack of blessings: "Your iniquities have diverted these from you; your sins have deprived you of My bounty."

3. Laziness and Poor Stewardship: Proverbs frequently highlights laziness as a cause of poverty. Proverbs 10:4 states, "Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." This underscores the biblical principle of diligent work and wise stewardship as means to avoid impoverishment.

Consequences of Impoverishment

1. Vulnerability and Dependence: The impoverished are often vulnerable to exploitation and are dependent on others for survival. Proverbs 22:7 notes, "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender," illustrating the power dynamics that can arise from economic disparity.

2. Social Marginalization: Impoverishment can lead to social exclusion and marginalization. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), Lazarus's poverty places him at the margins of society, highlighting the neglect and indifference often faced by the poor.

Biblical Responses to Impoverishment

1. Charity and Generosity: The Bible calls for generosity and care for the impoverished. Proverbs 19:17 states, "Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender." This reflects the biblical mandate to support those in need as an act of service to God.

2. Justice and Advocacy: Scripture emphasizes the importance of justice and advocacy for the poor. In Micah 6:8, the prophet declares, "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" This verse underscores the call to pursue justice and mercy as a reflection of God's character.

3. Reliance on God: The Bible encourages reliance on God as the ultimate provider and sustainer. In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus teaches, "Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

Spiritual Impoverishment

Beyond material poverty, the Bible also addresses spiritual impoverishment, which is characterized by a lack of spiritual vitality and connection with God. In Revelation 3:17, the church in Laodicea is warned of their spiritual poverty despite their material wealth: "You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing,’ but you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked."

The biblical narrative consistently calls believers to recognize both material and spiritual impoverishment and to respond with faith, justice, and compassion, reflecting the heart of God for the poor and needy.1. (v. t.) To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence; as, misfortune and disease impoverish families.

2. (v. t.) To exhaust the strength, richness, or fertility of; to make sterile; as, to impoverish land.

3423. yarash -- to take possession of, inherit, dispossess
... 2), driven (6), driving (3), drove (4), expel (1), given us as an inheritance (1),
gives you to possess (1), heir (6), heirs (1), impoverish (1), impoverished ...
/hebrew/3423.htm - 7k

5533. sakan -- to incur danger
... endanger, impoverish. Probably a denominative from sakkiyn; properly, to cut, ie
Damage; also to grow (causatively, make) poor -- endanger, impoverish. ...
/hebrew/5533.htm - 6k

7567. rashash -- to beat down, shatter
... root Definition to beat down, shatter NASB Word Usage beaten down (1), demolish
(1). impoverish. A primitive root; to demolish -- impoverish. 7566, 7567. ...
/hebrew/7567.htm - 5k

An Exhortation to Love God
... Is this a hard request? Was there ever any debt so easily paid as this? We do
not at all impoverish ourselves by paying it. Love is no burden. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/an exhortation to love god.htm

Geological Contemporaneity and Persistent Types of Life.
... own progress, she can scatter such rich alms among her sisters, it should be remembered
that her charity is of the sort that does not impoverish, but "blesseth ...
/.../x geological contemporaneity and persistent.htm

3D Day. All-Sufficient Grace.
... "All-grace!"""all-sufficiency!" in "all things!" and these to "abound." Oh! precious
thought! My want cannot impoverish that inexhaustible treasury of grace! ...
/.../macduff/the faithful promiser/3d day all-sufficient grace.htm

Samson's Wedding Feast
... wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee
and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/iv samsons wedding feast.htm

A Life Lost and Found [Footnote: Preached after the Funeral of Mr. ...
... Now we shall very much impoverish the meaning and narrow the sweep of these great
and penetrating words, if we understand by 'losing one's life' only the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/a life lost and found.htm

April the Fifteenth Degrading Holy Things
... make it the agent of degradation. Instead of hallowing the life it will
debase and impoverish it. I will therefore remember that ...
/.../april the fifteenth degrading holy.htm

August the Eighteenth the Church of the Firstborn
... "They shall prosper that love thee." I cannot be healthy if I am bereft of
fellowship. If I ignore the house of prayer I impoverish my home. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/august the eighteenth the church.htm

December the First a Faithful Friend
... How we impoverish ourselves by separating these precious gifts from their Giver?
We desecrate many a fair shrine by emptying it of God. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/december the first a faithful.htm

Letter xi. --For the Time of Retreat.
... assured that He will act in you, although it may be in an imperceptible manner,
and the result of His action should be, at this time, to impoverish and despoil ...
/.../de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/letter xi for the time of.htm

Whether one who is under Another's Power Can Give Alms?
... alms, out of that property, without asking her husband's permission: yet such alms
should be moderate, lest through giving too much she impoverish her husband. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether one who is under.htm

Impoverish (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To make poor; to reduce to poverty or indigence;
as, misfortune and disease impoverish families. ...Impoverish (3 Occurrences). ...
/i/impoverish.htm - 7k

Impotent (5 Occurrences)

/i/impotent.htm - 9k

Undo (9 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To bring to poverty; to impoverish; to ruin, as in reputation, morals, hopes,
or the like; as, many are undone by unavoidable losses, but more undo ...
/u/undo.htm - 9k

Invite (20 Occurrences)
... and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish
us?" (Root in DBY NAS RSV NIV). 1 Samuel 9:24 The cook ...
/i/invite.htm - 12k

Impoverished (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Impoverish. Multi-Version Concordance
Impoverished (4 Occurrences). Luke 15:14 When he had ...
/i/impoverished.htm - 7k

Ish
... 2. (n.) A verb ending, originally appearing in certain verbs of French origin;
as, abolish, cherish, finish, furnish, garnish, impoverish. Int. ...
/i/ish.htm - 7k

Trustedst (3 Occurrences)
... and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they
shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced ...
/t/trustedst.htm - 7k

Riddle (11 Occurrences)
... father's house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Is it not
so?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Judges 14:16 ...
/r/riddle.htm - 11k

Rob (27 Occurrences)
... you and your father's house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish
us? Is it not so?" (See NIV). 1 Samuel 23:1 David was told ...
/r/rob.htm - 15k

Entice (15 Occurrences)
... father's house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Is it not
so?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Judges 16:5 ...
/e/entice.htm - 11k

What is truth? | GotQuestions.org

How should Christians view weapons of mass destruction / nuclear weapons? | GotQuestions.org

Impoverish: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus