The big picture
Proverbs 23 opens in verse 1 with “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:”, reaches its middle movement near verse 18 with “For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.”, and closes in verse 35 with “They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I…” Repeated or prominent terms include heart, eyes, rejoice, father, lieth. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Proverbs · King James Version · 35Proverbs 23:1-7
1–7: When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is…
Proverbs 23:1–7 opens with “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:” and reaches “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 23 develops its own movement around heart, eyes, rejoice, father, lieth, with particular weight carried by heart, appetite, bread.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
Proverbs 23:1-7
King James Version1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
2And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Proverbs 23:8-14
8–14: The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet…
Proverbs 23:8–14 opens with “The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.” and reaches “Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 23 develops its own movement around heart, eyes, rejoice, father, lieth, with particular weight carried by words, ears, Apply.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.” The line’s distinctive content terms include eaten, lose, morsel. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
Proverbs 23:8-14
King James Version8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
12Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Proverbs 23:15-21
15–21: My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Proverbs 23:15–21 opens with “My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.” and reaches “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 23 develops its own movement around heart, eyes, rejoice, father, lieth, with particular weight carried by heart, rejoice, wise.
Context that brings the passage to life
“My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Proverbs 23:15-21
King James Version15My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Proverbs 23:22-28
22–28: Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when…
Proverbs 23:22–28 opens with “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.” and reaches “She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 23 develops its own movement around heart, eyes, rejoice, father, lieth, with particular weight carried by father, mother, rejoice.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.” Naming Hearken keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Proverbs 23:22-28
King James Version22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
Proverbs 23:29-35
29–35: Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling…
Proverbs 23:29–35 opens with “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without…” and reaches “They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Proverbs 23 develops its own movement around heart, eyes, rejoice, father, lieth, with particular weight carried by wine, eyes, lieth.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Proverbs 23:29-35
King James Version29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Proverbs 23:1 begins with “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:”
Where the chapter turns
Proverbs 23:29 forms a natural hinge: “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?”
The final note
Proverbs 23:35 leaves the reader with “They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words heart, eyes, rejoice, father, lieth, wine help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Why repeat the details of the property?
The description establishes a recognized, witnessed holding for the family.
How do grief and promise coexist?
Abraham mourns fully while securing a burial place in the land associated with the promise.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- begat
- became the father of
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.