poor

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Concise Bible Dictionary:

It was said in the Old Testament that “the poor should never cease out of the land,” and in the enactments of the law they were cared for by Jehovah. The Lord said, “Ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good” (Mark 14:77For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. (Mark 14:7)). “Blessed is he that considereth the poor” (Psa. 41:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. (Psalm 41:1)). “The poor have the gospel preached unto them” (Matt. 11:55The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Matthew 11:5)). “When thou makest a feast call the poor” (Luke 14:1313But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: (Luke 14:13)). “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord” (Prov. 19:1717He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. (Proverbs 19:17)). Other passages show that the working of the love of God in the soul issues in a special regard for the poor (Gal. 2:1010Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. (Galatians 2:10)). Of the Lord Jesus it is said, that though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor (2 Cor. 8:99For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Transliteration:
chelka’
Phonic:
khay-lek-aw’
Meaning:
or chelkah {khay-lek-aw'}; apparently from an unused root probably meaning to be dark or (figuratively) unhappy; a wretch, i.e. unfortunate
KJV Usage:
poor