Proverbs 13:8

8. Ransom… man’s life… riches Under a crushing despotism wealth sometimes causes men to be accused of serious crimes in order to extort money from them. This is done, also, under other circumstances by private threats of accusation, or of giving publicity to crimes or pretended crimes, “blackmailing.” in the East a man has often to purchase his life by a part or the whole of his wealth. The second clause is more obscure; the most probable meaning is, the poor is free from such risks no such accusations are brought against him for purposes of extortion.

Rebuke May be rendered restraint, distraint, or distress, as these terms are used in law. He hears nothing of it. “The traveller who has nothing can sing in the presence of the robber.” Juvenal. Following the Septuagint: some render נערה , ( ge’harah,) “rebuke,” by threatenings. (So French, Noyes, and Zockler.) It does not clearly appear that the Hebrew word ever has this sense. Some understand the verse thus: Riches frequently buy off a man from punishment or other evils, yet, notwithstanding this obvious advantage, the poor man will not listen to those who “rebuke” him for his faults, which are the cause of his poverty. Conant translates: “The ransom of a man’s soul is his wealth, and the poor hear not rebuke;” and comments thus: “The ransom of the soul its redemption from the power of ignorance and sin is the true riches; and poor is he who heeds not rebuke, since instructive reproofs (Proverbs 6:23) are the way of life.” Miller is to the same effect.