Proverbs 23:20-21
Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse warns against more than just overeating; it cautions against joining gatherings specifically centered around excessive indulgence in food and drink. The emphasis is on the shared experience of riotous consumption, suggesting that the danger lies not just in personal habits, but in the corrupting influence of such company.
This section of Proverbs is guiding a young person through the nuances of social engagements, particularly feasts and banquets, warning against both excessive drinking and gluttony. The verses immediately before discuss navigating the table of a ruler, and the verses following warn against squandering wealth on drunken revelry and the enticement of prostitutes. This specific verse serves as a direct admonition to avoid company known for unrestrained indulgence in food and drink, highlighting the dangers of such associations.
Ever heard 'you are who you hang out with'? This verse says that's not just a saying, it's a spiritual hazard.
Solomon isn't just advising against the act of drinking or gluttony; he's warning against the company you keep. Being among these people means adopting their habits, their conversations, and their worldview.
Why Company Matters
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It's more than just enjoying a good meal. This verse calls out a specific kind of excess that steals your focus.
The phrase 'riotous eaters of meat' (or 'gluttonous eaters') describes those who indulge excessively in food, not for need, but for sheer pleasure and gratification.
Understanding the Excess
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.
saba' · Hebrew Noun
One who habitually drinks alcoholic beverages to excess. Biblically, it signifies a lack of self-control and stewardship over one's life, leading to both physical and spiritual ruin.
zolel · Hebrew Noun
One who consumes food excessively or is overly indulgent. In Proverbs, it represents a reckless waste of resources and a failure to discipline one's appetites.
resh · Hebrew Noun
A state of extreme lack or deprivation, often resulting from laziness, lack of discipline, or poor stewardship of resources.
tenumah · Hebrew Noun
The state of being drowsy or lazy; in a biblical context, it is often associated with a lack of spiritual alertness and a refusal to do necessary work, leading to degradation.
Jesus warns His followers about being weighed down by 'dissipation and drunkenness and the anxieties of life,' directly linking excessive indulgence with a spiritual danger that can make one unprepared for His return.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10This passage lists 'drunkards' and 'gluttons' among those who 'will not inherit the kingdom of God,' highlighting the severe spiritual consequences of unchecked indulgence.
Romans 13:13-14Paul urges believers to 'live decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and envy,' contrasting these behaviors with 'clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.'
Ephesians 5:18This verse directly contrasts drunkenness, which leads to 'debauchery,' with being 'filled with the Spirit,' showing that excessive indulgence distracts from and opposes a Spirit-filled life.
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…
This verse warns against more than just overeating; it cautions against joining gatherings specifically centered around excessive indulgence in food and drink. The emphasis is on the shared experience of riotous consumption, suggesting that the danger lies not just in personal habits, but in the corrupting influence of such company.
This section of Proverbs is guiding a young person through the nuances of social engagements, particularly feasts and banquets, warning against both excessive drinking and gluttony. The verses immediately before discuss navigating the table of a ruler, and the verses following warn against squandering wealth on drunken revelry and the enticement of prostitutes. This specific verse serves as a direct admonition to avoid company known for unrestrained indulgence in food and drink, highlighting the dangers of such associations.
This section of Proverbs is guiding a young person through the nuances of social engagements, particularly feasts and banquets, warning against both excessive drinking and gluttony. The verses immediately before discuss navigating the table of a ruler, and the verses following warn against squandering wealth on drunken revelry and the enticement of prostitutes. This specific verse serves as a direct admonition to avoid company known for unrestrained indulgence in food and drink, highlighting the dangers of such associations.
"Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags." — This verse warns against more than just overeating; it cautions against joining gatherings specifically centered around excessive indulgence in food and drink. The emphasis is on the shared experienc…
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