Proverbs 23:6

Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: AN EVIL EYE. Contrast "a bountiful eye," . An envious, grudging, illiberal spirit ()....

Verse Proverbs 23:6. _OF_ HIM THAT HATH _AN EVIL EYE_] Never eat with a covetous or stingy man; if he entertains you at his own expense, he grudges every morsel you put in your mouth. This is well marked by the wise man in the next verse: "Eat and drink, saith he: but his heart is not with thee....

A different danger from that of Proverbs 23:1. The hazard here is the hospitality of the purse-proud rich, avaricious or grudging even in his banquets. EVIL EYE - Not with the later associations of a mysterious power for mischief, but simply, as in the margin ref. and in Matthew 20:15....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 23:1 A hexastich closely connected with the last verse of the preceding chapter, as if the warning was addressed to the man of skill whom his talents had made the guest of kings. PROVERBS 23:1 WHEN THOU SITTEST TO EAT WITH A RULER. This, of course, would be a great honour to a man of lowly birth, or to one of the middle class, to whom the manners of courts and palaces were practically unknown. CONSIDER DILIGENTLY WHAT IS BEFORE THEE. So the Vulgate, _Qua apposita sunt ante faciem tuam_;_ _and the Septuagint, Τὰ παρατιθέμενά σοι_. _Take heed lest the unusual dainties on the table tempt thee to excess, which may lead not only to unseemly behavi

EAT THOU NOT THE BREAD OF [HIM THAT HATH] AN EVIL EYE,.... A sordid covetous man, that grudges every bit that is eaten, in opposition to a man of a good eye, or a bountiful one, that is liberal and generous, Proverbs 22:9; if he invites to a meal, do not accept of it, sit not down at his table to eat with him: NEITHER DESIRE THOU HIS DAINTY MEATS; or savoury food, so as to lust after it; Proverbs 23:3....

CHAPTER 23 INSTRUCTIONS CONTINUED The opening proverbs of this chapter treat of self-restraint in curbing the appetite and give manners to be observed in the presence of a superior. Warnings against riches and their uncertainty are contained in Proverbs 23:4 and Proverbs 23:5. How well it would be if the great mass of professing Christians, and some true believers also, would consider this instruction: “Labor not to be rich.” But this exhortation as well as the exhortation in 1Ti 6:1-10 is overlooked, and many who profess to have their riches in Christ, in the heavenly places and never ending glory, weary themselves with earthly gain, and aim to become wealthy. But riches have wings; they can fly away swiftly as does the eagle when he mounts heavenward. This too is mentioned in the epistle to Timoth

It is possible to take these three verses together as a warning against treachery lurking in the dainties of a royal table. In that case, in Proverbs 23:1 we should render consider diligently what (_mg._) is set before thee, and in Proverbs 23:2 continue, For thou wilt put (_mg.)._ But possibly the general interpretation represented by RV is more suitable, and Proverbs 23:3 has come in by error from Proverbs 23:6, where it more naturally belongs. Proverbs 23:4 f. The uncertainty of riches. The general sense is clear, but the text is

_evil_ i.e. _grudging_. See Proverbs 22:9 note, and comp. Deuteronomy 15:9; Matthew 20:15. _dainty meats_ Better, DAINTIES....

CHAPTER 23 TEXT Proverbs 23:1-12 1. When thou sittest to eat with a ruler Consider diligently him that is before thee; 2. And put a knife to thy throat, If thou be a man given to appetite. 3. Be not desirous of his dainties; Seeing they are deceitful food. 4. Weary not thyself to be rich; Cease from thine own wisdom. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven. 6. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, Neither desire thou his dainties: 7. For as he thinketh within himself, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee. 8. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, And lose thy sweet words

1. RV 'him that is before thee.' Do not excite his contempt....