AN EVIL EYE – “As he Thinketh in his Heart…”

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” —Proverbs 23:7

This is an oft repeated verse of Scripture, but usually misquoted.  Most of the time it is quoted as, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”  That is not what the verse says.  The key word is the pronoun “he.”  Who is the “he” referring to? What is the context of Solomon’s admonition?  There is something here to “consider diligently” (v. 1).

First, consider the context (vs. 1-8). “He” refers to “a ruler” (v. 1) who has “an evil eye” (v. 6).

Second, consider the circumstance.  It is a warning about an occasion when you may sit down at meal table with a person of authority.  He has a table spread before you with all kinds of “dainties” (vs. 3, 6). But he has “an evil eye” (v. 6). His heart “is not with thee” (v. 7). He is only seeking to entrap you or harm you.

Solomon, who wrote Proverbs 23:1-8, was a son of David.  No doubt Solomon knew of a time when his father, David, was in this same kind of scenario.  The ruler was King Saul. He had “an evil eye” toward David (see 1 Sam. 18:9).  David was invited to a banquet set by King Saul, but Saul was intent to murder David.  David wisely rejected Saul’s invitation knowing mischief was in Saul’s heart (1 Sam. 20:5-7, 24). When Saul eyed David’s seat at the dinner table was empty, the truth came out (vs. 25-31).  Saul exploded in anger and threw a spear at his own son. There was no doubt that Saul’s heart was not with David (v. 33).

Finally, consider the caution.  Not every invitation is safe for you to accept. The devil will seek to tempt you by your “appetite” (v. 2) and with his “dainties.” But his “dainty meats” are “deceitful meat” (v. 3).

Beware!  Just ask Eve (Genesis 3:6) or the martyr John Huss.