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Commentary on Proverbs 23 verses 29–35
Solomon here gives fair warning against the sin of drunkenness, to confirm what he had said, Pro 23:20.
I. He cautions all people to keep out of the way of temptations to this sin (Pro 23:31): Look not thou upon the wine when it is red. Red wine was in Canaan looked upon as the best wine, it is therefore called the blood of the grape. Critics judge of wine, among other indications, by the colour of it; some wine, they say, looks charmingly, looks so well that it even says, "Come and drink me;" it moves itself aright, goes down very smoothly, or perhaps the roughness of it is grateful. It is said of generous strong-bodied wine that it even causes the lips of those that are asleep to speak, Sol 7:9. But look not thou upon it. 1. "Be not ruled by sense, but by reason and religion. Covet not that which pleases the eye, in hopes that it will please the taste; but let thy serious thoughts correct the errors of thy senses and convince thee that that which seems delightful is really hurtful, and resolve against it accordingly. Let not the heart walk after the eye, for it is a deceitful guide." 2. "Be not too bold with the charms of this or any other sin; look not, lest thou lust, lest thou take the forbidden fruit." Note Those that would be kept from any sin must keep themselves from all the occasions and beginnings of it, and be afraid of coming within the reach of its allurements, lest they be overcome by them.
II. He shows the many pernicious consequences of the sin of drunkenness, for the enforcement of this caution. Take heed of the bait, for fear of the hook: At the last it bites, Pro 23:32. All sin will be bitterness in the end, and this sin particularly. It bites like a serpent, when the drunkard is made sick by his surfeit, thrown by it into a dropsy or some fatal disease, beggared and ruined in his estate, especially when his conscience is awakened and he cannot reflect upon it without horror and indignation at himself, but worst of all, at last, when the cup of drunkenness shall be turned into a cup of trembling, the cup of the Lord's wrath, the dregs of which he must be for ever drinking, and shall not have a drop of water to cool his inflamed tongue. To take off the force of the temptation that there is in the pleasure of the sin, foresee the punishment of it, and what it will at last end in if repentance prevent not. In its latter end it bites (so the word is); think therefore what will be in the end thereof. But the inspired writer chooses to specify those pernicious consequences of this sin which are present and sensible.
1.It embroils men in quarrels, makes them quarrel with others, and say and do that which gives others occasion to quarrel with them, Pro 23:29. He asks, Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who has not, in this world? Many have woe and sorrow, and cannot help it; but drunkards wilfully create woe and sorrow to themselves. Those that have contentions have woe and sorrow; and drunkards are the fools whose lips enter into contention. When the wine is in the wit is out and the passions are up; and thence come drunken scuffles, and drunken frays, and drunken disputes over the cups; many a vexatious ruining law-suit has begun thus. There is babbling, quarrels in word and the exchanging of scurrilous language; yet it rests not there: you shall have wounds without cause, for causes are things which drunkards are in no capacity to judge of, and therefore they deal blows about without the least consideration why or wherefore, and must expect to be in like manner treated themselves. The wounds which men receive in defence of their country and its just rights are their honour; but wounds without cause, received in the service of their lusts, are marks of their infamy. Nay, drunkards wound themselves in a tender part, for they have redness of eyes, symptoms of an inward inflammation; their sight is weakened by it, and their looks are deformed. This comes, (1.) Of drinking long, tarrying long at the wine, and spending that time in drunken company which should be spent in useful business, or in sleep, which should fit for business, Pro 23:30. O the precious hours which thousands throw away thus, every one of which will be brought into the account at the great day! (2.) Of drinking that which is strong and intoxicating. They go up and down to seek wine that will please them; their great enquiry is, "Where is the best liquor?" They seek mixed wine, which is most palatable, but most heady, so willingly do they sacrifice their reason to please their palate!
2.It makes men impure and insolent, Pro 23:33. (1.) The eyes grow unruly and behold strange women to lust after them, and so let in adultery into the heart. Est Venus in vinis - Wine is oil to the fire of lust. Thy eyes shall behold strange things (so some read it); when men are drunk the house turns round with them, and every thing looks strange to them, so that them they cannot trust their own eyes. (2.) The tongue also grows unruly and talks extravagantly; by it the heart utters perverse things, things contrary to reason, religion, and common civility, which they would be ashamed to speak if they were sober. What ridiculous incoherent nonsense men will talk when they are drunk who at another time will speak admirably well and to the purpose!
3.It stupefies and besots men, Pro 23:34. When men are drunk they know not where they are nor what they say and do. (1.) Their heads are giddy, and when they lie down to sleep they are as if they were tossed by the rolling waves of the sea, or upon the top of a mast; hence they complain that their heads swim; their sleep is commonly unquiet and not refreshing, and their dreams are tumultuous. (2.) Their judgments are clouded, and they have no more steadiness and consistency than he that sleeps upon the top of a mast: they drink and forget the law (Pro 31:5): they err through wine (Isa 28:7), and think as extravagantly as they talk. (3.) They are heedless and fearless of danger, and senseless of the rebukes they are under either from God or man. They are in imminent danger of death, of damnation, lie as much exposed as if they slept upon the top of a mast, and yet are secure and sleep on. They fear no peril when the terrors of the Lord are laid before them; nay, they feel no pain when the judgments of God are actually upon them; they cry not when he binds them. Set a drunkard in the stocks, and he is not sensible of the punishment. "They have stricken me, and I was not sick; I felt it not: it made no impression at all upon me." Drunkenness turns me into stocks and stones; they are scarcely to be reckoned animals; they are dead while they live.
4.Worst of all, the heart is hardened in the sin, and the sinner, notwithstanding all these present mischiefs that attend it, obstinately persist in it, and hates to be reformed: When shall I awake? Much ado he has to shake off the chains of his drunken sleep; he can hardly get clear of the fumes of the wine, though he strives with them, that (being thirsty in the morning) he may return to it again. So perfectly lost is he to all sense of virtue and honour, and so wretchedly is his conscience seared, that he is not ashamed to say, I will seek it yet again. There is no hope; no, they have loved drunkards, and after them they will go, Jer 2:25. This is adding drunkenness to thirst, and following strong drink; those that do so may read their doom Deu 29:19, Deu 29:20, their woe Isa 5:11, and, if this be the end of the sin, with good reason were we directed to stop at the beginning of it: Look not upon the wine when it is red.
A person sleeps in the midst of the sea who in the temptations of this world neglects to look out for the motions of vices that rush in on him like impending heaps of waves. And the steersman, as it were, lets the rudder go when the mind loses earnestness in guiding the ship of the body. For, indeed, to let the rudder go in the sea is to abandon intentness of forethought among the storms of this life. For, if the steersman carefully holds the rudder fast, he now directs the ship against the billows right and cleaves the assaults of the winds. So, when the mind vigilantly guides the soul, it now surmounts some things and treads them down, now warily turns aside from others, so that it may by hard exertion overcome present dangers and by foresight gather strength against future struggle.
And you will be like one sleeping in the midst of the sea, etc. He sleeps in the midst of the sea, who, placed in the temptations of this world, neglects to foresee the movements of impending vices, as if neglecting the impending heaps of waves, and like a sleeping helmsman loses the rudder, when the mind, to govern the ship of the body, loses its diligence.
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SUMMARY
Proverbs 23:34 delivers a potent and disquieting warning against the perils of excessive drinking, employing two vivid similes to illustrate the drunkard's precarious state. It likens them to someone helplessly adrift in the vast, uncontrollable ocean or precariously balanced atop a ship's mast, thereby encapsulating the profound vulnerability, disorientation, and imminent danger that accompany intoxication. This verse serves as a climactic summation of the preceding verses' detailed portrayal of the woes and sorrows inherent in a life given over to intemperance.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Proverbs 23:34 is profoundly impactful due to its masterful use of Imagery and two striking Similes. The first simile, "as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea," conjures a vivid image of overwhelming powerlessness and being completely adrift. The Imagery of the vast, uncontrollable sea effectively symbolizes the profound loss of self-control, the boundless nature of reckless indulgence, and the dangerous, unanchored state of a life consumed by drink. The second simile, "or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast," introduces a different but equally potent image of extreme precariousness. This Imagery highlights the instability, the dizzying height, and the certainty of a devastating fall, representing the imminent ruin, public disgrace, and catastrophic consequences that await the habitually intoxicated. The use of Hyperbole in depicting such extreme and life-threatening situations underscores the severity of the warning, emphasizing that the consequences of drunkenness are not merely inconvenient or embarrassing but are utterly disorienting, life-threatening, and potentially fatal.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This proverb serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of wisdom versus folly, demonstrating how the pursuit of fleeting pleasure through intoxication leads to a state of profound spiritual, physical, and moral vulnerability. It underscores the biblical principle that true freedom, security, and stability are found not in self-indulgence or escapism but in self-control, discernment, and adherence to God's wise precepts. The imagery of being adrift or precariously balanced speaks powerfully to the loss of a firm foundation, which biblically is found exclusively in God and His immutable Word. The drunkard's state mirrors a soul without spiritual anchor, susceptible to every spiritual and moral current, unable to discern truth from deception, and ultimately exposed to profound harm.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Proverbs 23:34 offers a timeless and deeply sobering reflection on the deceptive allure of indulgence and the profound dangers of surrendering self-control. It challenges us to critically examine the foundations upon which we build our lives and the sources from which we seek comfort or escape. The potent imagery of being adrift in the vast sea or teetering precariously on a mast serves as an enduring reminder that any habit, pursuit, or unchecked desire that diminishes our self-awareness, impairs our judgment, or compromises our spiritual and emotional stability will ultimately lead to a state of extreme vulnerability and peril. This principle extends far beyond the literal consumption of alcohol, encompassing any form of excess that promises temporary relief but delivers lasting bondage—be it digital addiction, compulsive consumerism, unchecked anger, or an insatiable pursuit of power. True wisdom, as taught throughout Proverbs, calls us to embrace sobriety not merely in terms of abstinence from substances, but in cultivating a clear mind, a discerning spirit, and a disciplined life, firmly anchored in God's eternal truth. Only then can we navigate life's inevitable challenges with stability, purpose, and integrity, rather than being swept away by destructive currents or falling from grace into ruin.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this proverb only apply to alcohol, or does it have broader implications for other forms of indulgence or addiction?
Answer: While Proverbs 23:34 is indeed situated within a passage specifically warning against the dangers of excessive wine consumption, its powerful imagery and underlying principles extend far beyond alcohol. The "midst of the sea" and "top of a mast" are profound symbols of a state of extreme vulnerability, disorientation, and a complete loss of control. This can be broadly applied to any form of addiction, unchecked indulgence, or reckless behavior that causes an individual to lose their bearings, compromise their judgment, and become susceptible to profound harm. The core message is about the perils of surrendering self-control and discernment, whether through substance abuse, excessive gambling, uncontrolled anger, an unbridled pursuit of wealth, or even an obsessive engagement with technology that leads one to neglect wisdom and righteousness. The Bible consistently warns against anything that masters us and leads us away from a life of wisdom and godliness, as seen in passages like 1 Corinthians 6:12, which teaches that while "all things are lawful," not all are "profitable" or beneficial.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Proverbs 23:34, with its stark imagery of a soul adrift and utterly unstable, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Humanity, apart from Christ, is indeed like one who "lieth down in the midst of the sea," lost in the vastness and overwhelming power of sin, without direction, hope, or any means of self-rescue, completely at the mercy of spiritual currents and the inevitable power of death (Romans 3:23). We are also like those who "lieth upon the top of a mast," precariously balanced on the edge of eternal judgment, with no secure footing or inherent ability to save ourselves from the inevitable, catastrophic fall (Hebrews 9:27). However, Jesus Christ, who is Himself the true wisdom of God incarnate (1 Corinthians 1:24), provides the stability, rescue, and firm foundation that the drunkard in Proverbs so desperately lacks. He is our unshakeable anchor in the tumultuous storms of life, the solid rock upon which we can build our lives with eternal security (Matthew 7:24-27). Through His perfect life, atoning sacrifice on the cross, and glorious resurrection, He takes away the sin that leads to such spiritual disorientation and offers us new life, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, enabling us to live lives of self-control, sobriety, and righteousness, no longer enslaved to destructive habits or the whims of a fallen world (Titus 2:11-12). In Christ alone, we find true freedom, a secure standing before God, and the unwavering hope that rescues us from the perilous sea of sin and firmly plants us on the eternal rock of our salvation.