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Luke 16:21

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Luke 16:21

Verse 21 of 31

Scripture focus

And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luke 16:21 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Luke 16:21

Theological / Devotional

Desiring to be fed. This was the reason for his being at the gate. He was in dire need, and the rich man was able to supply that need. There is nothing in the story to suggest that Lazarus murmured or complained against God because of his poverty and suffering. Apparently, like Job, he bore it all with patience and fortitude.

Crumbs which fell. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 146) the reading “the falling [things]”; that is, the table scraps (see on Mark 7:28). Apparently the rich man never turned a hand to provide Lazarus with food.

Licked his sores. It is not entirely clear whether this alleviated his misery or added to it, though the latter seems the more probable. If so, this was the climax of misery for the poor sufferer. Apparently he was unable to prevent these half-wild scavengers (see on Matt. 7:6 ; 15:26) from licking his ulcers.

By SdaBc