The Imperatives of Restraint: Jussive and Imperative in Proverbs 23:6

אַל־תִּלְחַ֗ם אֶת־֭לֶחֶם רַ֣ע עָ֑יִן וְאַל־תתאו לְמַטְעַמֹּתָֽיו׃

In Proverbs 23:6, wisdom literature urges discernment not only through imagery, but through grammar. The verse commands the reader not to eat the bread of one with an “evil eye,” nor to desire his delicacies. While this appears straightforward in English, the Hebrew uses two imperative-like constructions with different moods and implications: אַל־תִּלְחַם and אַל־תִּתְאָו.

This article explores the nuanced use of negative imperatives in Biblical Hebrew, especially the relationship between the imperfect with אַל and the jussive mood. We’ll also explore how poetic structure and grammar combine in proverbial warnings to signal moral and social caution.

Word-by-Word Morphological Analysis

1. אַל־ (ʾal) –
   Root: אַל;
   Form: particle of negation for volitive mood;
   Translation: “Do not”;
   Notes: Unlike לֹא which negates indicative verbs, אַל negates jussives and imperatives.
2. תִּלְחַ֗ם (tilḥam) –
   Root: ל־ח־ם;
   Form: Qal imperfect 2ms (volitive);
   Translation: “you fight” (volitive: “do not fight”);
   Notes: Appears jussive in force due to אַל; idiomatically, this means “do not eat” or “do not engage in eating.”
3. אֶת־לֶחֶם (ʾet-leḥem) –
   Root: ל־ח־ם;
   Form: direct object marker + masculine noun;
   Translation: “the bread of”;
   Notes: Direct object of the verb תִּלְחַם.
4. רַ֣ע עָ֑יִן (raʿ ʿayin) –
   Root: ר־ע, ע־י־ן;
   Form: adjective + noun (construct-like phrase);
   Translation: “one with an evil eye”;
   Notes: An idiom meaning a stingy or envious person.
5. וְאַל־תִּתְאָו (vəʾal-titʾāw) –
   Root: א־ו־ה;
   Form: Hitpael jussive 2ms with אַל;
   Translation: “do not desire”;
   Notes: A reflexive/reciprocal stem (Hitpael); the jussive form is negated with אַל.
6. לְמַטְעַמֹּתָֽיו (ləmaṭʿammōtāw) –
   Root: ט־ע־ם;
   Form: plural noun with 3ms pronominal suffix;
   Translation: “his delicacies”;
   Notes: A rare noun form from the root meaning “taste” or “savory item.”

Negating with אַל: Mood Matters

Biblical Hebrew distinguishes how it negates depending on the verbal form. For example:

Both verbs in Proverbs 23:6 are imperfect in form but jussive in function, as indicated by אַל. This is especially common in wisdom literature, which often uses imperatives and jussives to command behavior or express prohibition.

The Appetite of Grammar

Here, grammar and ethics converge. The verse urges you not to share bread with a stingy man. But it doesn’t simply say “don’t eat” and “don’t desire.” Instead, it uses jussive forms to give gentle but firm imperatives—carrying the tone of wise instruction rather than angry rebuke.

The dual structure of אַל + imperfect creates an elegant prohibition: deliberate, restrained, and wise. In a text about controlling appetite and avoiding corruption, even the grammar models self-discipline.