2 Corinthians 9:6

Contextual Overview

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁶ Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.⁶Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing. ⁶Don't forget, a farmer who only plants a few seeds only reaps a small harvest. But the farmer who plants a bunch harvests a bunch. ⁶ But in the Writings it says, He who puts in only a small number of seeds, will get in the same; and he who puts them in from a full hand, will have produce in full measure from them. ⁶ But this [is true], he that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows in [the spirit of] blessing shall reap also in blessing: ⁶ Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. ⁶ Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁶ And this I say, He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully:

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I say: 1 Corinthians 1:12, 1 Corinthians 7:29, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Galatians 3:17, Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 4:17, Colossians 2:4

He which soweth sparingly: 2 Corinthians 9:10, Psalms 41:1-3, Proverbs 11:18, Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 19:17, Proverbs 22:9, Ecclesiastes 11:1, Ecclesiastes 11:6, Luke 6:38, Luke 19:16-26, Galatians 6:7-9, Hebrews 6:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:11 - my blessing Deuteronomy 14:29 - that the Lord Deuteronomy 16:17 - as he is able Deuteronomy 24:19 - may bless Job 4:8 - they that plow Psalms 37:21 - righteous Proverbs 3:10 - General Proverbs 11:17 - merciful Proverbs 28:27 - that giveth Isaiah 32:8 - the liberal Isaiah 58:7 - to deal Ezekiel 18:7 - hath given Malachi 3:10 - and prove Matthew 5:42 - General Matthew 6:2 - when Matthew 7:2 - General Matthew 10:42 - he shall Mark 4:24 - with Mark 12:43 - That Luke 6:30 - Give Luke 11:41 - rather Luke 12:17 - shall Luke 19:19 - Be Luke 21:3 - more Acts 2:44 - had Acts 20:35 - It is 1 Corinthians 15:50 - this 2 Corinthians 8:3 - to 1 Timothy 6:18 - ready

Cross-References

Genesis 4:14
Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

Genesis 4:14
Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

Genesis 4:14
Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and it will be that whoever finds me will kill me."

Genesis 4:14
"Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

Genesis 4:14
Beholde, thou hast cast me out this day from the vpper face of the earth, & from thy face shall I be hyd, fugitiue also and a vacabounde shall I be in the earth: and it shall come to passe, that euery one that fyndeth me shal slay me.

Genesis 4:14
You are forcing me to leave the land, and I will not be able to be near you or have a home! Now I must wander from place to place, and anyone I meet could kill me."

Genesis 4:14
Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me."

Genesis 4:14
to dai thou castist me out fro the face of the erthe; and Y schal be hid fro thi face, and Y schal be vnstable of dwellyng and fleynge aboute in erthe; therfore ech man that schal fynde me schal slee me.

Genesis 4:14
Behold, thou hast driuen me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitiue, and a vagabond in the earth: and it shall come to passe, that euery one that findeth me, shall slay me.

Genesis 4:14
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But this I say,.... This the apostle would have the Corinthians take notice of, and well consider, it being what he could aver for truth, by observation and experience; that as in things natural, so in things of a moral and spiritual kind,

he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully, or with blessings,

shall reap also bountifully; or with blessings; as a man sows, so shall he reap; the one is in proportion to the other. Sowing and reaping are here used in a metaphorical sense. The former signifies doing acts of beneficence and liberality. So it is used in the Old Testament, and in Jewish writings; see Ecclesiastes 9:6. The interpretation of the latter text, give me leave to produce out of the Talmud e as follows, and which will serve to illustrate this of the apostle's.

"Says. R. Jochanan, in the name of R. Benaah, what is that which is written, "blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox, and the ass?" blessed are the Israelites, for when they are employed in the law, ובגמילות חסדים, "and in acts of beneficence", their evil concupiscence is delivered into their hand, and they are not delivered into the hand of their evil concupiscence: or, as it is elsewhere f said, such are worthy of the inheritance of two tribes, Joseph and Issachar; as it is said, "blessed are ye that sow beside all waters", ואין זריעה אלא צדקה, "and there is no sowing but alms"; or, by the word "sowing", nothing else is meant but doing of alms, as it is said, Hosea 10:12 and there is no water but the law, or nothing else is meant by water but the law, as it is said, Isaiah 55:1. And as to these words, "that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass", it is a tradition of the house of Elias, for ever let a man place himself by the words of the law, as an ox to the yoke, and an ass to the burden.''

There is a good deal of likeness between sowing the seed in the earth, and doing of alms, or acts of beneficence. The seed that is sown is what is selected and reserved out of the stock expended or sold off, which if not done, there would be no provision for futurity; so that which a man gives for the relief of the necessitous, is what he lays by him in store of what God has prospered him with; in doing which he may hope for a fruitful harvest, whereas otherwise he could expect none: as seed is cast from, and scattered about by the sower all over the field; so what is given to the poor, it is parted with unto them, and spread among them, everyone has a portion; and it looks like a diminution of a man's substance, and as if it would never return with any advantage; though it does, as in a natural, so in a metaphorical sense. The sower casts and scatters his seed with an open hand; was he to gripe it in his fist, or only let go a grain of corn or wheat here and there, he would have but a poor harvest; so the cheerful giver opens his hand wide, and bountifully supplies the wants of the needy; who, as the sower casts his seed on the empty field, so he bestows his bounty on indigent persons, on all men in want, especially the household of faith: and, as when he has done, he harrows the ground, and covers the seed under the earth, where it lies hid, and is very unpromising for a while, and yet be exercises faith, hope, and patience, with respect to an harvest; so the generous benefactor does what he does in as private a manner as may be; and though for a time his good deeds may seem to be attended with little prospect of reward, yet in the end they certainly shall; for as a man sows, so shall he reap: if he sows, that is, gives nothing, he shall reap nothing; if he sows but little, he shall reap little; and if he sows much, he shall reap much; and that of the selfsame kind which he sows; as he is liberal in things temporal, so shall he prosper and succeed in the same; see Proverbs 3:9.

e T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 5. 2. Zohar in Exod. fol. 2. 4. f T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 17. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But this I say - This I say in order to induce you to give liberally. This I say to prevent your supposing that because it is to be a voluntary offering you may give only from your superfluity, and may give sparingly.

He which soweth sparingly - This expression has all the appearance of a proverb, and doubtless is such. It does not occur indeed elsewhere in the Scriptures, though substantially the same sentiment exciting to liberality often occurs; see Psalms 12:1-3; Proverbs 11:24-25; Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 22:9. Paul here says that it is in giving as it is in agriculture. A man that sows little must expect to reap little. If he sows a small piece of land he will reap a small harvest; or if he is niggardly in sowing and wishes to save his seed and will not commit it to the earth, he must expect to reap little. So it is in giving. Money given in alms, money bestowed to aid the poor and needy, or to extend the influence of virtue and pure religion, is money bestowed in a way similar to the act of committing seed to the earth. It will be returned again in some way with an abundant increase. It shall not be lost. The seed may be buried long.

It may lie in the ground with no indication of a return or of increase. One who knew not the arrangements of Providence might suppose it was lost and dead. But in due time it shall spring up and produce an ample increase. So with money given to objects of benevolence. To many it may seem to be a waste, or may appear to be thrown away. But in due time it will be repaid in some way with abundant increase. And the man who wishes to make the most out of his money for future use and personal comfort will give liberally to deserving objects of charity - just as the man who wishes to make the most out of his grain will not suffer it to lie in his granary, but will commit the seed to the fertile earth. “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it again after many days” Ecclesiastes 11:1; that is, when the waters as of the Nile have overflown the banks and flooded the whole adjacent country, then is the time to cast abroad thy seed. The waters will retire, and the seed will sink into the accumulated fertile mud that is deposited, and will spring up in an abundant harvest. So it is with that which is given for objects of benevolence.

Shall reap also sparingly - Shall reap in proportion to what he sowed. This everyone knows is true in regard to grain that is sowed. It is also no less true in regard to deeds of charity. The idea is, that God will bestow rewards in proportion to what is given. These rewards may refer to results in this life, or to the rewards in heaven, or both. All who have ever been in the habit of giving liberally to the objects of benevolence can testify that they have lost nothing, but have reaped in proportion to their liberality. This follows in various ways.

(1) In the comfort and peace which results from giving. If a man wishes to purchase happiness with his gold, he can secure the most by bestowing it liberally on objects of charity. It will produce him more immediate peace than it would to spend it in sensual gratifications, and far more than to hoard it up useless in his coffers.

(2) In reflection on it hereafter. It will produce more happiness in remembering that he has done good with it, and promoted the happiness of others, than it will to reflect that he has hoarded up useless wealth, or that he has squandered it in sensual gratification. The one will be unmingled pleasure when he comes to die; the other will be unmingled self-reproach and pain.

(3) In subsequent life, God will in some way repay to him far more than he has bestowed in deeds of charity. By augmented prosperity, by health and future comfort, and by raising up for us and our families, when in distress and want, friends to aid us, God can and often does abundantly repay the liberal for all their acts of kindness and deeds of beneficence.

(4) God can and will reward his people in heaven abundantly for all their kindness to the poor, and all their self-denials in endeavoring to diffuse the influence of truth and the knowledge of salvation. Indeed the rewards of heaven will be in no small degree apportioned in this manner, and determined by the amount of benevolence which we have shown on earth; see Matthew 25:34-40. On all accounts, therefore, we have every inducement to give liberally. As a farmer who desires an ample harvest scatters his seed with a liberal hand; as he does not grudge it though it falls into the earth; as he scatters it with the expectation that in due time it will spring up and reward his labors, so should we give with a liberal hand to aid the cause of benevolence, nor should we deem what we give to be lost or wasted though we wait long before we are recompensed, or though we should be in no other way rewarded than by the comfort which arises from the act of doing good.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 9:6. He which soweth sparingly — This is a plain maxim: no man can expect to reap but in proportion as he has sowed. And here almsgiving is represented as a seed sown, which shall bring forth a crop. If the sowing be liberal, and the seed good, the crop shall be so too.

Sowing is used among the Jews to express almsgiving: so they understand Isaiah 32:20: Blessed are ye who sow beside all waters; i.e. who are ready to help every one that is in need. And Hosea 10:12, they interpret: Sow to yourselves almsgiving, and ye shall reap in mercy-if you show mercy to the poor, God will show mercy to you.