Proverbs 23:6

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אַל־תִּלְחַ֗ם אֶת־לֶ֭חֶם רַ֣ע עָ֑יִן וְאַל־*תתאו **תִּ֝תְאָ֗יו לְמַטְעַמֹּתָֽיו׃

Transliteration

Not tilḥam with leḥem raʿ ʿāyin and not titʾāyw to maṭʿammōṯāyw.

Grammar Details

• *tilḥam*: qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - eat/dine
• *leḥem*: noun, masculine singular - bread/food
• *raʿ ʿāyin*: adjective + noun construct - evil of eye/one with evil eye
• *titʾāyw*: hithpael imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - desire/crave
• *maṭʿammōṯāyw*: noun, feminine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his delicacies/dainties

Word Meanings

• *tilḥam*: eat/dine/partake of
• *leḥem raʿ ʿāyin*: bread of one with evil eye/food of a stingy person/meal of a begrudging host
• *titʾāyw*: desire/crave/long for
• *maṭʿammōṯāyw*: his delicacies/tasty foods/delights

Referenced Verses

• Ps 141:4 : 4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
• Deut 15:9 : 9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
• Prov 23:3 : 3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
• Dan 1:8-9 : 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
• Prov 22:9 : 9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
• Deut 28:56 : 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,
• Matt 20:15 : 15 {G2228} Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
• Mark 7:22 : 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
• Prov 28:22 : 22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.