he pursueth [them with] words; [yet] they are wanting [to him]; or, "they [are] not" ; he presses them with earnest entreaties to relieve him; he urges their own words and promises, and fetches arguments from them, and uses them as far as they will go; but all signifies nothing; his own words and petitions are to no purpose; and their words and promises are all smoke and vapour, vain and empty.
Some understand this, as Gersom, not of the poor man that follows vain words and empty promises, and buoys himself up with them that such an one and such an one has promised to be his friend, of which nothing comes; but of the friend that separates from the poor man, and pursues him with words of accusation, charging it on him as hit own fault that he is poor; which accusations are not true.
This is one of the fifteen places observed by the Masoretes, in which it is written al, "not", and read wl, "to him": both may be retained, and read, "they [are] not to him" ; not profitable to him; either his own words, his petitions; or the words of others, their promises.
wherm "amicus ejus", Vatablus; "ominis amicus", Cocceius; i.e. "quisque amicorum ejus", Michaelis. hmh al "non sunt ii", Junius & Tremillius; "et non sunt, Mercerus. "Nihil illa", Cocceius, Schultens.
Vid. Amamae Antibarb. Bibl. l. 3. p.