Bible Strands
Proverbs 23:7
for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — An unnamed wise teacher warns a reader against accepting a miser's hospitality, positioned between the command (v. 6) and the consequence (v. 8).
The words — שָׁעַר (sha'ar), "he calculates," is the root of the shekel (a unit of weight); the man is not merely thinking but weighing, keeping a private ledger.
The thread — The same gap between smooth words and a hostile heart appears in Psalms 12:2, Psalms 55:21, and Judges 16:15.
Why it lands — It asks the reader to stop accepting "eat and drink" at face value and to read the distance between what is offered and what is being counted.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Cross-references
- Psalms 12:2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Psalms 55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- Judges 16:15 “How can you say, ‘I love you,’” she asked, “when your heart is not with me? This is the third time you have mocked me and failed to reveal to me the source of your great strength!”
- Matthew 9:3 On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
- Luke 11:37 As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.
- Luke 7:39 When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
- Daniel 11:27 And the two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.
- Proverbs 19:22 The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.
- 2 Samuel 13:26 “If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked.