Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Riches (o ploutov). Masculine singular, but occasionally neuter to ploutov in nominative and accusative (II Corinthians 8:2). Apparently pleotov fulness (from pleov full, pimplhmi to fill). "Wealth."
Are corrupted (seshpen). Second perfect active indicative of shpw (root sap as in saprov, rotten), to corrupt, to destroy, here intransitive "has rotted." Only here in N.T. On the worthlessness of mere wealth see Matthew 6:19, Matthew 6:24.
Were moth-eaten (shtobrwta gegonen). "Have become (second perfect indicative of ginomai, singular number, though imatia, neuter plural, treated collectively) moth-eaten" (shtobrwta, late and rare compound from shv, moth, Matthew 6:19 f. and brwtov, verbal adjective of bibrwskw to eat John 6:13. This compound found only here, Job 13:28, Sibyll. Orac. Proem. 64). Rich robes as heirlooms, but moth-eaten. Vivid picture. Witness the 250 "lost millionaires" in the United States in 1931 as compared with 1929. Riches have wings.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing James 5:2:
Luke 6:24
James 4:6
James 5:1
James 5:7
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