John Gill Commentary Proverbs 23

When you sit to eat with a ruler
Either a supreme ruler, a king, or a subordinate ruler, a nobleman, a judge, a civil magistrate, a person of honour, dignity, and authority; and to sit at table with such is sometimes allowed, and is always reckoned an honour; this particularly diligent and industrious persons are admitted to, who not only are brought to stand before kings and great persons, but to sit at table with them, and eat food with them. And now the wise man advises such how to behave themselves when this is the case: consider diligently what [is] before you ;
or, "considering consider" {q}: take special notice of the food and drink set upon the table, and consider well which may be most proper and safe to eat and drink of; for though a man may lawfully eat of whatsoever is set before him; every creature of God being good, if it be received with thanksgiving, and sanctified by the word of God and prayer; yet it is a piece of wisdom to make use of that which is most conducive to health, and less ensnaring; and to observe moderation in all, and not indulge to gluttony and drunkenness: and he should consider also who is before him, which sense the words will bear; the ruler that has invited him, and sits at the table with him, and take care that he says or does nothing that may give him offence; and also the noble personages that are guests with him, and behave towards them suitably to their rank and dignity; observe their words and conduct, and imitate the same; yes, even he should consider the servants and waiters that attend, lest, behaving in an indecent and disorderly manner, they should report it to his disadvantage to their ruler or others.

But how much greater an honour is it to sit at table with the King of kings, and with his princes, and sup with him! when it becomes the saints, who have this honour, to consider what is set before them; the richest dainties, a feast of things, the body and blood of Christ, which should be spiritually discerned by faith; and not the elements of bread and wine only: likewise the persons before whom they are should be considered; Christ, who sits at his table, and the princes of his people with him; and therefore should not feed without fear, and in a disorderly and indecent manner, as the Corinthians are charged, but with all reverence and humility.

And put a knife to your throat
Refrain from too much talk at the table; give not too loose to your tongue, but bridle it, considering inwhose presence you are; do not use too much freedom, either with the ruler or fellow guests; which, whenpersons have ate and drank well, they are too apt to do, and sometimes say things offensive to one or theother; it is good for a man to be upon his guard; see (Ecclesiastes 5:2) .

Or restrain your appetite; denyyourself of some things agreeable, that would lead you to what might be hurtful, at least if indulged toexcess: put as it were a knife unto your appetite, and mortify it; which is the same as cutting off a righthand, or plucking out a right eye (Matthew 5:29Matthew 5:30) .

Or while you are at such a table, at sucha sumptuous entertainment, consider yourself as in danger, as if you had a knife at your throat; andshould you be too free with the food or liquor, it would be as it were cutting your own throat;

if you are a man given to appetite ;there is then the more danger; and therefore such a person should be doubly on his guard, since he is in theway of temptation to that he is naturally inclined to.

Or, "if you are master of appetite" ^F18 :so the Targum,``if you are master of your soul;'' if you have power over it, and the command of it, andcan restrain it with ease; to which agrees the Vulgate Latin version: but the former sense is moreagreeable to the Hebrew idiom.

FOOTNOTES:

• F18: (vpn leb) "dominus animae", Vatablus, Mercerus, Michaelis.

Be not desirous of his dainties
His savoury food, which is very grateful to the taste, his rich provisions and royal dainties; do not lust after them, as the word ^F19 signifies, in an immoderate way, as the Israelites lusted after the fleshpots in Egypt: these may be lawfully desired, but not sinfully lusted after; and in feeding on them nature may be satisfied, and not the sensual lusts gratified in such a manner they crave, which would be criminal;

for they [are] deceitful meat ;
or, "bread of lies" ^F20 : through the pleasant and agreeable taste of them, they lead on to luxury and excess before a man is aware, and so deceive him; they promise him a great deal of pleasure, but, being too much indulged to, they produce sickness and nauseousness.

Some think they are called so, from the intention and issue of them; being designed to draw out secrets, which men are very apt to divulge, when they have ate and drank freely. Some apply this to false doctrines, which are framed sometimes in a very plausible manner, and deceive the simple; are bread of lies, lies in hypocrisy, and are very pernicious; such words eat, as do a canker, instead of yielding solid nourishment.

FOOTNOTES:

• F19: (watt la) "ne concupiscas", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Schultens; "ne coucupiscito", Piscator.
• F20: (Mybzk Mxl) "panis mendaciorum", Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; "cibus mendaciorum", Piscator, Schultens.

Labour not to be rich In an immoderate over anxious way and manner, to a weariness, as the word ^F21 signifies, and even as to gape for breath. Men ought to labour, that they may have wherewith to support themselves and families, and give to others and, if they can, lay up for their children;

but then persons should not toil and weary themselves to heap up riches when they know not who shall gather them and much less make use of indirect and illicit methods to obtain them; resolving to be rich at any rate: rather men should labour for durable riches, lay up treasure in heaven, seek those things which are above, and labour to be accepted of God both here and hereafter; which only is in Christ. The Targum is, ``do not draw nigh to a rich man;'' and so the Syriac version; to which agree the Septuagint and Arabic versions;

cease from your own wisdom: worldly wisdom in getting riches, as if this was the highest point of wisdom; do not be always laying schemes, forming projects, inventing new things in order to get money; or do not depend upon your own wisdom and understanding and expect to be rich by means thereof; for bread is not always to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, (Ecclesiastes 9:11) . The Targum is, ``but by your understanding depart from him;'' the rich man; and to the same purpose the Syriac and Arabic versions.

FOOTNOTES:

• F21: (egyt la) "ne fatiges", Mercerus, Junius & Tremellius; "ne hiascas", Schultens.

Wilt you set your eyes upon that which is not ?
&c.] The Vulgate Latin version is, ``do not lift up thine eyes to riches which thou canst not have;'' riches no doubt are intended, and which may be said to be "not"; they are not the true riches, have only the shadow and appearance of riches; they are not lasting and durable; in a little time they will not be; they are perishing things, they have no substance or solidity in them; they are not satisfying; they do not make them happy; they are rather nonentities than realities; and therefore the eyes of the mind and the affections of the heart should not be set on them: it may be rendered, "wilt you cause your eyes to fly upon that which is not?" <sup>F23</sup> denoting the intenseness of the mind, and the eagerness of the affections, and with what rapidity and force they move towards them. The Targum is, ``if thou fixest thine eyes on him, he shall not appear to thee;'' meaning the rich man: and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions. Ben Melech makes mention of other senses very different; according to R. Judah, the word signifies darkness, "wilt thou make thine eyes dark?" two according to others, signifies light, "wilt thou make thine eyes to shine?" and, according to Jarchi, "wilt thou double?", or shut your eyes?

for [riches] certainly make themselves wings ;
or, "it in making makes itself wings" ^F24 ; even that which is not, on which men cause their eyes to fly; no sooner are their eyes upon that, but that flies away from them like a bird with wings; see (Hosea 9:11) . Either men are taken from that, or that from them, and sometimes very swiftly and suddenly;

they fly away as an eagle towards heaven ;
the eagle flies very swiftly, none more swiftly; it flies towards heaven, out of sight, and out of reach, and out of call; so riches flee away to God, the original giver of them, from whence they came, and who is the sole disposer of them; they own him as the proprietor and distributor of them; and they flee to heaven as it were for fresh orders where they should be, and into whose hands they should come next; they flee away, so as not to be seen any more, and be recovered by those who have formerly enjoyed them.

FOOTNOTES:

• F23: (Pyeth) "numquid involare facies", Michaelis; "ut involent", Junius & Tremellius; "ut volent", Piscator; "ad sineves volare", Cocceius.
  
• F24: (hvey hve yk) "quis faciendo faciet", Montanus, Baynus.