My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 24:13
What does Proverbs 24:13 mean?
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Proverbs 24:13
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This isn't just about enjoying a sweet treat; the "drippings of the honeycomb" emphasize a pure, undiluted sweetness. It’s a specific, delightful part of the honey that hints at how wisdom, when fully embraced, offers not just general goodness but an exquisite, satisfying reward for the mind.
My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage uses the delightful taste of honey and honeycomb as an inviting illustration. It's not about the literal act of eating honey, but rather preparing the reader for the next verse, which will compare the pleasure and benefit of true wisdom to this sweet, wholesome food. The verse sets up an analogy: just as honey is good and pleasant to eat, so too is the pursuit and understanding of wisdom.
You're told to eat honey because it's 'good' and 'sweet.' But what does that really mean for your life? It's about more than just a pleasant flavor.
A Delicious Analogy
The author uses honey as a vivid picture for the value of wisdom. It wasn't just a treat; honey was a staple food, known for its nourishment, medicinal properties, and unique sweetness, especially the pure honey directly from the comb.
This verse isn't just about enjoying a snack; it's setting up a comparison. Just as honey is beneficial and delightful to the body, so too is gaining true wisdom beneficial and delightful to the mind and spirit. The 'drippings of the honeycomb' suggest a pure, concentrated form of this sweetness – the most profound understanding that comes from engaging deeply with wisdom.
This verse might seem like a simple dietary suggestion, but it's actually a clever setup. The sweetness of honey is a stepping stone to understanding something far greater.
A Taste of What's to Come
The wisdom literature of Proverbs often uses relatable, everyday experiences to teach profound truths. Here, the 'concession' to eat honey serves a specific purpose: to prepare the reader for the next verse, which directly links this pleasure to the pursuit of wisdom.
Think of it like this: the physical delight of honey primes your senses and appetite. The author wants you to approach the pursuit of wisdom with that same eagerness. Just as you wouldn't refuse a delicious, nourishing food, you shouldn't turn away from the enriching knowledge that leads to a wise life.
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This Psalm draws a powerful parallel between God's laws and honey, emphasizing their sweetness and value, just as Proverbs 24:13 highlights the sweetness of honey as a metaphor.
Proverbs 16:24This verse directly compares pleasant words to a honeycomb, echoing the theme in Proverbs 24:13 that what is good and sweet can also be beneficial and life-giving.
Song of Solomon 5:1The bride invites her lover to eat honey and drink wine, a passage that uses the imagery of honey to symbolize deep satisfaction and enjoyment, similar to the pleasure derived from the honey in Proverbs.
Luke 24:42The resurrected Jesus eats honeycomb, showing that this sweet and natural food was a simple, tangible source of nourishment and comfort, just as the honey is presented in Proverbs.
pooleProverbs 24:13: "My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:"
This is not a command, but a concession, and is here expressed only to illustrate the following verse. Honey in those parts was excellent, and a usual and an acceptable food. See Deu 8:8 Judges 14:18 1 Samuel 14:25 .
jfbProverbs 24:13: "My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:"
13, 14. As delicious food whets the appetite, so should the rewards of wisdom excite us to seek it.
This isn't just about enjoying a sweet treat; the "drippings of the honeycomb" emphasize a pure, undiluted sweetness. It’s a specific, delightful part of the honey that hints at how wisdom, when fully embraced, offers not just general goodness but an exquisite, satisfying reward for the mind.
This passage uses the delightful taste of honey and honeycomb as an inviting illustration. It's not about the literal act of eating honey, but rather preparing the reader for the next verse, which will compare the pleasure and benefit of true wisdom to this sweet, wholesome food. The verse sets up an analogy: just as honey is good and pleasant to eat, so too is the pursuit and understanding of wisdom.
This passage uses the delightful taste of honey and honeycomb as an inviting illustration. It's not about the literal act of eating honey, but rather preparing the reader for the next verse, which will compare the pleasure and benefit of true wisdom to this sweet, wholesome food. The verse sets up an analogy: just as honey is good and pleasant to eat, so too is the pursuit and understanding of wisdom.
"My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste." — This isn't just about enjoying a sweet treat; the "drippings of the honeycomb" emphasize a pure, undiluted sweetness. It’s a specific, delightful part of the honey that hints at how wisdom, when full…
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Last reviewed October 2026