James 5:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Your riches are corrupted,— By riches here are very probably meant their stores of corn, wine, oil, and other perishing goods, which they used to lay up in great abundance: see James 5:4 and Luke 12:16-19. Dr. Heylin reads it, your stores. Another thing which confirms this conjecture is, that the word σεσηπε, which we render corrupted, signifies any thing's being putrified by being kept too long,—like the manna, Exodus 16:20. Such riches as gold, silver, &c. afterwards mentioned, are not liable to a putrefaction of this kind. We have heretofore observed, that the rich among the ancients used to have many changes of garments ready made up, as many (or more sometimes,) as would serve them all their lives; and those they kept by them, as a considerable part of their possessions. The apostle alludes to this, when he says, Your garments are moth-eaten. See the note on Matthew 22:11.

James 5:2

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.