Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 23:20
What does Proverbs 23:20 mean?
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Proverbs 23:20
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The "riotous eaters of flesh" aren't just people who overeat, but those who make eating flesh their primary pursuit for pleasure. This verse warns against joining those who dedicate themselves to such indulgence, not just for the sake of their own habits, but because such company can lead you to ruin.
Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a larger section where Solomon is giving practical wisdom, particularly to his son, about navigating social life and avoiding destructive habits. He’s warned against greed and urges caution at the table of a rich man, now turning to the dangers of company that indulves in excessive drinking and feasting. The instruction is to steer clear of such people altogether, lest their lifestyle become contagious and lead to ruin.
Wisdom often whispers, but folly can shout. When we surround ourselves with certain voices, our own hearts can start to echo their tune.
Solomon isn't just talking about avoiding actual acts of excess; he's warning us against the company of those who indulge.
Why Company Matters
It's easy to mistake indulgence for enjoyment. But Solomon draws a sharp line between life lived for pleasure and life lived for purpose.
The verse targets two specific excesses: drunkenness and gluttony. These aren't just about overeating or overdrinking; they represent a life consumed by appetite.
The Core Issue
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Understand the original words
sobe' · Hebrew Noun
Those who are habitually addicted to intoxicating drink, characterized by a lack of self-control and often associated with moral folly and reckless behavior in the wisdom tradition.
zolel · Hebrew Noun
Someone who is habitually greedy or self-indulgent in eating, reflecting a lack of temperance and a tendency toward wastefulness and lack of discipline.
This passage describes Jesus being called a 'glutton and a drunkard,' highlighting how those who live differently, like Jesus, can be wrongly accused by those who indulge in excess.
Romans 13:13Paul directly links 'carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy' to living by the sinful 'mind of the flesh,' echoing the self-indulgence warned against in Proverbs.
1 Corinthians 6:10This verse lists 'drunkards' and 'revilers' as those who will not inherit the kingdom of God, underscoring the seriousness of uncontrolled indulgence and its devastating consequences.
Galatians 5:21Paul lists 'drunkenness and carousing' as works of the flesh, emphasizing that such practices are contrary to the life led by the Spirit and lead to destruction, just as Proverbs warns.
Philippians 3:19This verse speaks of those whose 'god is their appetite' and whose glory is in their shame, directly reflecting the idea of being consumed by physical desires warned against in Proverbs.
jfbProverbs 23:20: "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:"
- riotous … flesh—prodigal, or eating more than necessary. Instead of "their flesh" (compare Margin), better, "flesh to them," that is, used for pleasure.
pulpitProverbs 23:20: "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:"
Verse 20. - Wine bibbers; persons who meet together for the express purpose of drinking intoxicating liquors. Among riotous eaters of flesh. The Hebrew is "of flesh for themselves," whence some take the meaning to be "of their own flesh," i.e. who by their gluttony and luxury ruin their own bodies. But the parallelism with the wine drinker shows plainly that the flesh which they eat is meant, and the idea is that they ea…
The "riotous eaters of flesh" aren't just people who overeat, but those who make eating flesh their primary pursuit for pleasure. This verse warns against joining those who dedicate themselves to such indulgence, not just for the sake of their own habits, but because such company can lead you to ruin.
This verse is part of a larger section where Solomon is giving practical wisdom, particularly to his son, about navigating social life and avoiding destructive habits. He’s warned against greed and urges caution at the table of a rich man, now turning to the dangers of company that indulves in excessive drinking and feasting. The instruction is to steer clear of such people altogether, lest their lifestyle become contagious and lead to ruin.
This verse is part of a larger section where Solomon is giving practical wisdom, particularly to his son, about navigating social life and avoiding destructive habits. He’s warned against greed and urges caution at the table of a rich man, now turning to the dangers of company that indulves in excessive drinking and feasting. The instruction is to steer clear of such people altogether, lest their lifestyle become contagious and lead to ruin.
"Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat," — The "riotous eaters of flesh" aren't just people who overeat, but those who make eating flesh their primary pursuit for pleasure. This verse warns against joining those who dedicate themselves to suc…
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Last reviewed October 2026