Complete Bible Study Guide
What Does the Bible Say About Eating?
19 Scripture references with full text and commentary
Understanding Eating in the Bible
Explore what the Bible says about eating. This collection of 12 key Scripture passages reveals God's wisdom and guidance on this important theme.
Top 10 Verses About Eating
- 1Genesis 1:29
“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. bearing: Heb. seeding seed yielding: Heb. seeding seed”
KJV - 2Genesis 9:3
“Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.”
KJV - 3Genesis 18:8
“And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.”
KJV - 4Genesis 43:34
“And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him. were: Heb. drank largely”
KJV - 5Exodus 32:6
“And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”
KJV - 6
- 7Judges 1:7
“And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. their thumbs: Heb. the thumbs of their hands and of their feet gathered: or, gleaned”
KJV - 8Proverbs 23:20
“Be not among winebibbers ; among riotous eaters of flesh: of flesh: Heb. of their flesh”
KJV - 9Ecclesiastes 9:7
“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.”
KJV - 10Amos 6:4
“That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; stretch: or, abound with superfluities”
KJV
Subtopics of Eating
Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Eating? (11 Verses)
“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. bearing: Heb. seeding seed yielding: Heb. seeding seed”
“Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.”
“And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.”
“And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him. were: Heb. drank largely”
“And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”
“And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,”
“And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. their thumbs: Heb. the thumbs of their hands and of their feet gathered: or, gleaned”
“Be not among winebibbers ; among riotous eaters of flesh: of flesh: Heb. of their flesh”
“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.”
“That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; stretch: or, abound with superfluities”
“Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.”
New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Eating? (8 Verses)
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”
“Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”
“And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,”
“And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.”
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
“He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?”
“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. not: or, not to judge his doubtful thoughts”
How to Study What the Bible Says About Eating
- 1
Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.
- 2
Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about eating. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.
- 3
Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.
- 4
Memorise at least one key verse about eating and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.
Practical Application
Studying what the Bible says about eating is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:
Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on eating needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.
Share what you have learned about eating with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.
Pray through the key verses about eating, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.
How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Eating?
You have studied 19 verses about eating. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.
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Topics Included
This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics: