“Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.”
My Notes
What Does Proverbs 19:6 Mean?
"Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts." Solomon observes human nature with unflinching honesty: everyone wants to be friends with the generous giver and the powerful prince. The word "intreat" (chalah — to smooth the face, to flatter, to seek favor) describes the behavior of people who want something from the powerful. And "every man is a friend" to the gift-giver describes the social phenomenon of generosity attracting companions.
The proverb isn't cynical — it's observational. It describes how social dynamics actually work without prescribing whether they should. The observation is useful: if everyone seeks the favor of the powerful and befriends the generous, then the powerful and generous need discernment about who's genuine and who's opportunistic.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How do you discern who's in your life because of who you are versus what you offer?
- 2.When has generosity attracted companions who disappeared when the giving stopped?
- 3.What does the proverb's observation (without moral judgment) teach about honestly assessing social dynamics?
- 4.Who in your life would still be there if you had nothing to give?
Devotional
Everyone wants to be friends with the person who gives gifts. Everyone courts the favor of the prince. Solomon observes this the way a scientist observes gravity — not recommending it, just noting that it happens consistently.
The powerful attract flatterers. The generous attract companions. Neither group can be sure which relationships are genuine and which are transactional. The prince can't tell if the person bowing deeply actually respects him or just wants access. The gift-giver can't tell if the new friend actually likes them or likes what they give.
This is the loneliness of power and generosity. The more you have to offer, the less you can trust the motives of the people around you. Everyone smiles at the person with the checkbook. Everyone flatters the person with the authority. And the person in the center wonders: would any of these people be here if I had nothing to give?
The proverb doesn't condemn the behavior. Some of the people seeking the prince's favor may have legitimate needs. Some of the gift-giver's friends may be genuinely grateful. But the pattern exists: human beings are drawn to resources and power like iron to a magnet. And the magnetic pull isn't always love. Sometimes it's opportunism wearing love's clothing.
If you're in a position of giving or authority, this proverb is your discernment guide: the people who show up when you have something to give might not be the same people who show up when you need something received. The test of genuine friendship isn't who attends the feast. It's who visits the prison.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Many will entreat the favour of the prince,.... Or of the liberal and bountiful man; as kings and princes generally are,…
Intreat the favor ... - literally, “stroke the face” of the man of princely nature, who gives munificently.
These two verses are a comment upon Pro 19:4, and show, 1. How those that are rich and great are courted and caressed,…
prince It is better to preserve the parallelism, and to render the Heb. word in its primary sense of princely…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture