Proverbs 23:7

Posted by on April 12, 2018 · Leave a Comment 

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
– Proverbs 23:7

Verse 7 gives explanation for the warning in verse 6. The verse continues from the previous statement and is considering the man with an evil eye. Begrudging hospitality is hypocritical and deceptive. The evil eyed host says one thing and thinks another. The dainty meats phrase from verse 6 hints at the host being well off and therefore having such rich food to offer. Wisdom knows it’s better to be in company with an honest and kind man, though his cupboards are bare (Proverbs 19:22).

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Proverbs 23:6

Posted by on April 11, 2018 · Leave a Comment 

Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
– Proverbs 23:6

Verses 6-8 teach wariness to begrudging hospitality. The man with an evil eye is a stingy begrudging host. The figure of the evil eye consistently describes a person greedy of gain, so they are not generous, are grasping, and are also described as in a hurry to be rich (Proverbs 28:22). The evil eye is contrasted with the bountiful eye of the generous giver and sharer (Proverbs 22:9). This figure is used consistently elsewhere, as in the parable with the greedy laborers (Matthew 20:15). They begrudged the generosity of the master (Matthew 20:10-15). Jesus also used the figure in the Sermon on the Mount, warning of the internal darkness of the soul of the man with an evil eye (Matthew 6:22-23). Wisdom here teaches to discern the evil eye and refuse what such a man offers.

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