Proverbs 27:7

¶ The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

The full {H7649} soul {H5315} loatheth {H947} an honeycomb {H5317}; but to the hungry {H7457} soul {H5315} every bitter thing {H4751} is sweet {H4966}.

A person who is full loathes a honeycomb; but to the hungry, any bitter thing is sweet.

The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet.

The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

Proverbs 27:7 offers a profound insight into human nature, contrasting the perspective of abundance with that of scarcity. It speaks to how our internal state—whether satisfied or needy—shapes our appreciation and perception of external circumstances.

Context

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom sayings, often presenting sharp contrasts to highlight moral and practical truths. This verse, like many others in Proverbs, uses everyday observations to convey deeper principles. In ancient Israel, honeycomb was a highly prized delicacy, symbolizing sweetness, pleasure, and abundance. Hunger, on the other hand, was a common and pressing reality, making any food, even bitter fare, a welcome relief. This cultural context underscores the stark difference in perception described.

Key Themes

  • Perspective and Appreciation: The verse powerfully illustrates how our circumstances dictate our appreciation. What is loathsome to one who has too much is precious to one who has nothing. This highlights the importance of gratitude and humility.
  • Satisfaction vs. Desire: It explores the dynamics of satiety and desire. An overabundance can lead to apathy and a loss of appreciation for even the best things, while genuine need makes even unpleasant things desirable.
  • Spiritual Hunger: Beyond the physical, this proverb has significant spiritual implications. A "full soul" can represent spiritual complacency or self-sufficiency, where one despises the "sweetness" of God's word or grace because they feel no need for it. Conversely, a "hungry soul" yearns for spiritual nourishment, finding even difficult truths or humble provisions of faith to be sweet and life-giving. This resonates with the blessing for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "soul" here is nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ), which can refer to the whole person, appetite, or inner being. So, "the full soul" refers to a person who is completely sated or satisfied, perhaps to the point of being weary or even arrogant. The term "loatheth" (bus, בּוּז) conveys a sense of scorn or disdain, emphasizing the strong rejection of something that should be delightful.

Practical Application

Proverbs 27:7 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual apathy and a call to cultivate a posture of humility and need. It encourages us to:

  • Guard Against Complacency: When we are "full" with worldly successes, comforts, or even spiritual knowledge without application, we risk losing our appreciation for God's blessings and His living word.
  • Cultivate Gratitude: Recognize that true contentment often comes not from endless abundance, but from appreciating what we have, especially when our needs are met.
  • Maintain Spiritual Hunger: Just as physical hunger makes food desirable, spiritual hunger drives us to seek God, His wisdom, and His righteousness. This hunger keeps us dependent on Him and appreciative of every spiritual provision, no matter how humble. This aligns with the wisdom found in Proverbs 24:13, which likens wisdom to honey.

This proverb reminds us that our perspective is everything. A truly hungry heart finds value and sweetness even in life's bitter moments, while a sated, ungrateful heart can find fault with even the best of blessings.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 15:16

    And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

  • Luke 15:17

    And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

  • Numbers 11:18

    And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for [it was] well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

  • Numbers 11:20

    [But] even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which [is] among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

  • Numbers 21:5

    And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

  • Numbers 11:4

    ¶ And the mixt multitude that [was] among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

  • Numbers 11:9

    And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

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