eat, meat

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Offensive to eat or drink outside of certain limits (Gen. 43:32³²And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. (Genesis 43:32); Matt. 9:11¹¹And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? (Matthew 9:11); John 4:9⁹Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. (John 4:9)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Besides the common use of this word, it is employed symbolically for to “consume, destroy:” they “eat up my people as they eat bread” (Psa. 14:4⁴Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord. (Psalm 14:4); compare Prov. 30:14¹⁴There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. (Proverbs 30:14); Hab. 3:14¹⁴Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly. (Habakkuk 3:14); 2 Tim. 2:17¹⁷And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; (2 Timothy 2:17)). Also for receiving, digesting, and delighting in God’s words: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jer. 15:16¹⁶Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)). To eat together of the same bread or food is a token of friendship (Josh. 11:14¹⁴And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe. (Joshua 11:14); Psa. 41:9⁹Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. (Psalm 41:9); Song of Sol. 5:1¹I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. (Song of Solomon 5:1); John 13:18¹⁸I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. (John 13:18)): and such an expression of intimacy is forbidden towards those walking disorderly (1 Cor. 5:11¹¹But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. (1 Corinthians 5:11)). It is used to express the satisfaction of doing the work that is before the soul: the Lord said, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of” (John 4:32³²But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. (John 4:32)). Also to express appropriation to the eater of the death of Christ: “except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you” (John 6:53⁵³Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (John 6:53)). (In John 6:51,53⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51)
⁵³Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (John 6:53) there is eating for reception, φάγω; and in John 6:54,56-57⁵⁴Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54)
⁵⁶He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6:56‑57), eating as a present thing for the maintenance of life, τρώγω.) In the Lord’s Supper the Christian eats that which is a symbol of the body of Christ (Matt. 26:26²⁶And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. (Matthew 26:26)), and in eating he has communion with Christ’s death (1 Cor. 10:16¹⁶The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

5315 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

φάγω

Transliteration:

phago

Phonic:

fag’-o

Meaning:

a primary verb (used as an alternate of 2068 in certain tenses); to eat (literally or figuratively)

KJV Usage:

eat, meat