Proverbs 23:6-10

 

Prov 23:6 (KJB)

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

 

This verse reverts to verse 1, in that those who are invited to a banquet given by someone who has less than honest reasons, should refuse the invitation. This goes back to the teaching that if you go to the banquet and you see all the dainty meats that this man offers, it may cause you to lust after the same things. This is what he is hoping for, that you will desire to have those things and he will help you get them. The problem is, that when you partner with an evil man, once he is done with your talents, he will let you go and he will not care what condition he leaves you in. For a Christian to make any type of partnership with an evil man is forbidden because the believer can be dragged down to his level of evil. (1 Cor 15:33 KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. As we have seen in past verses, it is better to have little and maintain your integrity than to have much goods and lose your testimony along with the blessing of God.

 

Prov 23:7 (KJB)

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

 

He thinketh - Hebrew word denotes that outward actions comes from a person’s heart and soul

If a person does not have a regenerated soul, that is, they are unsaved, the actions which emanate from that person will be of an evil nature. This verse is stating that the person who invited the diligent man to the banquet is doing so for personal reasons. It may be to win his favor so he will perform many favors for the rich man. We see he has an ulterior motive because he is offering all his dainty goods to the man but his heart is not with him, that is, he is doing it as a bribe. He may not like the man he invited but he will play the role as friend as long as it is to his advantage. The one who gave the banquet is a user, in that he uses people for his own disreputable advantage. The Christian must be very careful when forming alliances. If they have been misled and they find out later, they must withdraw and that is another reason to never be surety, so you can pull out of any evil deals without loss.

 

Prov 23:8 (KJB)

The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

 

This verse speaks of the fact that when a person has found out that he was invited to the feast to be used or bribed for some reason by the host, then figuratively he will reject all the bribery by vomiting what he has eaten. This means he rejects the evil ways of the host and his attempted bribery. The person may have kind words for the host when he first arrived but when he found out the real reason he was there, the kind words were no longer present. The words that have come out now are the words which expose and see him for what he really is. Just as the Christian is to figuratively shake the dust off their feet as a sign of the rejection of the Gospel by those he was visiting. To vomit up the food was also figuratively used as a rejection of the person and his ways. If the host repents of his ways and wants to make amends, then the Christian must make sure it is true repentance and not the repentance of the world which is just acting to manipulate someone. (Heb 12:17 KJV) For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (2 Cor 7:10 KJV) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

 

Prov 23:9 (KJB)

Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

 

Once again the fool is in view here. If a wise person give wise advice to a fool, the fool will mock what he has been told. Whenever someone does not understand something, the first response is to mock it. Therefore, Solomon is counseling his hearers that it is better not to give advice to a fool, even though we know what the end will be. The fool will only get into more trouble and the more he is counseled, the more he will reject it. (Mat 7:6 KJV) Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. The Lord gave advice that we are not to cast our pearls before the swine, that is, the pearl of the Gospel. If we have given someone the Gospel and they have rejected and mocked it, then there is no need to give it to them a second time, since they will only make sport of it. If any we speak to become saved or are being drawn and they are sincere about the Gospel, then we can begin to speak with them but as long as they remain in mocking unbelief, then we need to avoid them.

 

Prov 23:10 (KJB)

Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

 

This verse is akin to 22:28 concerning the landmarks. They were the boundaries which were set for each individual estate and they could not be moved because the law had forbidden it. In ancient times, those who were orphans were susceptible to nefarious landowners who would enlarge their own holdings by moving the landmarks. This is why God made provision in the Law for those who are considered fatherless. (Exo 22:22 KJV) Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. (Deu 27:19 KJV) Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen. God had pronounced a curse upon those who attempted to steal from the fatherless or the widow. If an orphan’s field yielded a good crop, it was to be left alone until it was harvested. It would be easy to steal crops when you are a long distance from the sight of anyone but that would fall under the commandment against stealing.

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