Proverbs 23:20 · Bible study
Proverbs 23:20 Commentary: Warning Against Excess and Bad Company
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Proverbs 23:20: does it forbid wine and meat or warn against excess and bad company? Explore the wisdom warning with commentary and original language.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Avoid associating with drunkards and gluttons, not a ban on moderate use of wine or meat.
- Key words: 'Winebibbers' (סֹבְאֵי) implies habitual heavy drinkers; 'gluttons' (זֹלֲלֵי) denotes wasteful, prodigal eaters.
- Main debate: Does this verse forbid all drinking or just fellowship with the excessive? Commentators consistently affirm the latter.
- Theological theme: Wisdom includes self-control in body and association, flowing from the fear of the Lord.
- Best use: A pastoral warning for small groups and individuals evaluating their social circles and habits.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
KJV King James Version 1769
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Be not among winebibbers, Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Be not in the feasts of great drinkers, nor in their revellings, who contribute flesh to eat:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No estés con los bebedores de vino, ni con los comedores de carne:
Não esteja entre os beberrões de vinho, nem entre os comilões de carne.
Ne sois pas parmi les buveurs de vin,
Sei nicht unter den Säufern und Schlemmern;
Zijt niet onder de wijnzuipers, noch onder de vleesvreters;
Non esser di quelli che son bevitori di vino, che son ghiotti mangiatori di carne;
Nie bywaj między pijanicami wina, ani między żarłokami mięsa;
Не будь между упивающимися вином, между пресыщающимися мясом:
好飲 酒的，好吃 肉的，不要 與他們來往；
Do not be among those who give themselves to wine-drinking, or among those who make themselves full with meat:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 23:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse warns against associating with those who drink wine to excess and gorge on meat, rather than forbidding all use of wine or meat. Gill states that 'wine may be drank, provided moderation is used,' but warns against keeping company with excessive drinkers. Clarke notes that the wise man gives directions about conduct at entertainments, including 'the danger from bad company' and 'contracting irregular habits.' The Cambridge Bible points out that 'gluttonous' is the better rendering of the Hebrew word. Keil and Delitzsch connect the warning to the broader call to wisdom and temperance flowing from the fear of God. The verse is not a prohibition of moderate consumption but a caution against the company and habits of excess that lead to poverty and shame.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse clearly condemns excessive drinking and gluttony, associating them with folly and warning against the company of those who practice them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Total abstinence vs moderate use | Christians agree that drunkenness and gluttony are sins. | Some traditions advocate total abstinence from alcohol as a safeguard; others allow moderate consumption while warning against excess. |
| Interpretation of 'be not among' | The verse warns against being part of a group that indulges in excess. | Some take it as a command to avoid any association with drinkers, while others see it as caution against participating in excess but not avoiding all contact. |
| The role of meat | Gorging on meat is associated with gluttony and waste. | Some Christians apply this as a principle for simplicity in diet, while others emphasize moderation and gratitude. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Proverbs 23:20 sits within a collection of sayings attributed to Solomon, addressed to a 'son' as a pupil receiving moral instruction. The surrounding verses (23:19, 25) form a unit urging wisdom, self-control, and respect for parents. In the ancient Near East, banquets and feasts were common among the wealthy, often involving heavy drinking and lavish meat consumption.
The Hebrew terms are specific. סֹבְאֵי-יָיִן (sove'ei yayin) means 'drinkers of wine' with a connotation of drinking to excess, from the root סבא (saba) meaning to drink deeply or carouse. זֹלֲלֵי בָשָׂר (zolalei basar) refers to 'gluttons of meat,' from זלל (zalal) meaning to be worthless or to squander, implying prodigal consumption. The verse echoes the description of a rebellious son in Deuteronomy 21:20 who is 'a glutton and a drunkard.' Cross-references like Proverbs 28:7 warn that a companion of gluttons shames his father. The wisdom tradition consistently associates excess with poverty and folly.
The broader context of Proverbs 23 includes warnings about table manners before a ruler (vv. 1, 3) and the bitter end of wine abuse (vv. 29, 35). The phrase 'be not among' (אַל-תְּהִי בְּ) appears elsewhere in Proverbs (22:26) as a formula of warning against partnership. This literary context shows the verse is about association, not a blanket ban on food or drink. The Geneva Bible Notes summarize: 'Keepe not company with drunkards, nor with gluttons.'
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 23:20. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and no major translational differences arise from variant readings.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Proverbs 23:20 has been cited in moral teachings about temperance and the dangers of bad company. Early Christian writers like Clement of Alexandria echoed the wisdom tradition in warning against gluttony and drunkenness. The verse was often used in monastic rules to regulate diet and community life. During the Reformation, commentators such as Matthew Henry and John Gill emphasized moderation and the social aspect of the warning. In the temperance movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, the verse was sometimes invoked to support total abstinence, but the majority of historic Christian interpretation has seen it as a warning against excess and association with the excessive, not a prohibition of moderate drinking. This aligns with the broader biblical picture that celebrates wine as a gift (Psalm 104:15) while condemning drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Guard Your Company. The verse directly warns 'Don’t be among' those who indulge in excess. Who we spend time with shapes our habits and character (Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33). Choose friends who encourage wisdom and self-control.
- Recognise the Danger of Excess. Drunkenness and gluttony are not merely personal failures; they lead to poverty, shame, and a dulled conscience. The following verse (21) states the consequence plainly: 'the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.'
- Pursue Wisdom and Moderation. The surrounding passage calls for buying truth, fearing Yahweh, and guiding your heart on the right path. Moderation in eating and drinking is part of a wise life, not an end in itself but a means of honoring God.
Five-point outline
- The Command: Do not join the company of drunkards and gluttons.
- The Character: These are people defined by excess, drinking too much wine and gorging on meat.
- The Consequence: Poverty and drowsiness clothe them in rags (v. 21).
- The Alternative: Instead, pursue wisdom, discipline, and understanding (v. 23). Listen to your parents (v. 22).
- The Motivation: The father of the righteous rejoices (v. 24). Your choices bring joy or grief to those who love you.
Illustration hooks
- At a work party, the pressure to keep drinking can be intense. This verse reminds you that you are not required to stay in a situation that leads to excess.
- In a culture of weekend feasting and all-you-can-eat buffets, the principle of not gluttonizing over meat is countercultural.
- The subtle pull of friendship: when your closest friends treat drinking heavily as normal, it is hard to resist. This verse warns to evaluate such company.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it a sin to drink alcohol at all?
- How do I know when I have crossed the line from enjoyment to gluttony?
- What should I do if my closest friends or family members are heavy drinkers?
Leading a Discussion
This short verse raises an important question: is it the act or the association that is warned against? As you read, consider how your choices of company affect your walk with God. The context in Proverbs 23 makes clear that the warning is embedded in a call to wisdom, self-control, and honoring parents.
Discussion questions
- What does the verse actually say? Who is it addressing?
- Why do you think the warning includes both 'winebibbers' and 'gluttons of flesh'?
- How does the following verse (21) reinforce the warning?
- In what ways might 'being among' such people affect a person's own behavior?
- How does this passage connect to the overall theme of wisdom in Proverbs?
- What does this teach about the relationship between self-control and community?
- How can we apply this verse when we find ourselves in social situations where excess is the norm?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Proverbs 20:1 | Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise. |
| Proverbs 23:29 | Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? |
| Proverbs 23:35 | “They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.” |
| Proverbs 28:7 | Whoever keeps the law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father. |
| Proverbs 31:6 | Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul. |
| Proverbs 31:7 | Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. |
| Isaiah 5:11 | Woe to those who rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, who stay late into the night, until wine inflames them! |
| Isaiah 5:22 | Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and champions at mixing strong drink; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that avoiding wine drinkers helps prevent waste of money and time. It also shields a person from bad company and the chance of developing weak or improper habits.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes the word used here means gluttonous not riotous. This translation shows the passage warns against eating too much food.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Keepe not company with drunkards, nor with gluttons.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill carefully distinguishes between lawful use of wine and meat and sinful excess. While moderate drinking and eating are permitted, he warns strongly against keeping company with drunkards and gluttons. The real danger is that association with such people can lead to acquiring their intemperate habits.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes some read riotous flesh as meaning wasteful eating beyond need. Others understand it as referring to flesh used for pleasure. Both views describe behavior that distracts from God.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the warning here is specifically against wasting money on lavish meals and wine, not just against drunkenness in general. They trace the Hebrew word for glutton to a root meaning to squander, pointing out that the "flesh" refers to meat purchased for feasting, not the glutton's own body. The result of such excess is drowsiness, poverty, and rags.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the whole chapter as a unified warning against various forms of sensual self-indulgence, with the fear of God as the only safeguard. He stresses that the hope of an eternally blessed life, which outlasts the grave, is the glorious fruit of that fear.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that hearing a parent’s words is the way to gain wisdom. He adds that obeying a father and mother brings them true joy.