Parsimony (stinginess)

Scripture seldom lectures about stinginess; it shows a closed hand. Deuteronomy 15 warns against a hard heart that will “shut” its hand from a poor brother, and against counting the years until debts are cancelled so that nothing need be given. Proverbs notes that some “withholdeth more than is meet,” and that it “tendeth to poverty.” Paul, collecting for struggling believers, says “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly,” and adds that giving should not be “grudgingly, or of necessity” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). The remedy in every case is the same: an open hand and a willing heart. Deuteronomy 15:7-11 is a plain place to begin.

332 verses

Exodus

Exodus 13:2

Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

Exodus 13:12

That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S.

Exodus 22:29

Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

Exodus 22:30

Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

Exodus 23:15

Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread:(thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

Exodus 25:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Exodus 25:2

Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

Exodus 25:3

And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

Exodus 25:4

And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,

Exodus 25:5

And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,

Exodus 25:6

Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

Exodus 25:7

Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

Exodus 25:8

And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 34:20

But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

Exodus 35:4

And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,

Exodus 35:5

Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,

Exodus 35:6

And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,

Exodus 35:7

And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,

Exodus 35:8

And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,

Exodus 35:9

And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

Exodus 35:10

And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;

Exodus 35:11

The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets,

Exodus 35:12

The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering,

Exodus 35:13

The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and the shewbread,

Exodus 35:14

The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,

Exodus 35:15

And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle,

Exodus 35:16

The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,

Exodus 35:17

The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court,

Exodus 35:18

The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,

Exodus 35:19

The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.

Exodus 35:20

And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.

Exodus 35:21

And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

Exodus 35:22

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.

Exodus 35:23

And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them.

Exodus 35:24

Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD'S offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it.

Exodus 35:25

And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.

Exodus 35:26

And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.

Exodus 35:27

And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;

Exodus 35:28

And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.

Exodus 35:29

The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

Exodus 36:3

And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.

Exodus 36:4

And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;

Exodus 36:5

And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

Exodus 36:6

And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

Exodus 36:7

For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

Exodus 38:8

And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus

Leviticus 19:5

And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will.

Leviticus 22:29

And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.

Numbers

Numbers 31:48

And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:

Numbers 31:49

And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.

Numbers 31:50

We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.

Numbers 31:51

And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.

Numbers 31:52

And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.

Numbers 31:53

( For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

Numbers 31:54

And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

Numbers 35:8

And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 12:11

Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:

Deuteronomy 12:12

And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

Deuteronomy 12:17

Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:

Deuteronomy 12:18

But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

Deuteronomy 12:19

Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

Deuteronomy 14:27

And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

Deuteronomy 14:28

At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:

Deuteronomy 14:29

And the Levite,(because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

Deuteronomy 15:7

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

Deuteronomy 15:8

But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

Deuteronomy 15:9

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

Deuteronomy 15:10

Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

Deuteronomy 15:11

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Deuteronomy 15:12

And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

Deuteronomy 15:13

And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:

Deuteronomy 15:14

Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

Deuteronomy 15:15

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.

Deuteronomy 15:16

And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;

Deuteronomy 15:17

Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

Deuteronomy 15:18

It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

Deuteronomy 16:10

And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

Deuteronomy 16:17

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.

Deuteronomy 18:1

The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.

Deuteronomy 18:2

Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.

Deuteronomy 18:3

And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

Deuteronomy 18:4

The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

Deuteronomy 18:5

For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.

Deuteronomy 18:6

And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;

Deuteronomy 18:7

Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD.

Deuteronomy 18:8

They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.

Deuteronomy 24:19

When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

Deuteronomy 24:20

When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

Deuteronomy 24:21

When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

Deuteronomy 24:22

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 7:2

That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

2 Samuel 8:11

Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;

2 Samuel 17:27

And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

2 Samuel 17:28

Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,

2 Samuel 17:29

And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

2 Samuel 24:24

And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

1 Kings

1 Kings 4:29

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

1 Kings 5:4

But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

1 Kings 5:5

And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

1 Kings 7:51

So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.