Definition and Context:
The term "eater" in the Bible is often associated with consumption, appetite, and sometimes destruction. It is used both literally and metaphorically to describe those who consume food and those who devour or destroy. The concept of eating is significant in biblical narratives, symbolizing sustenance, fellowship, and sometimes judgment.

Biblical References:

1. Literal Eating:
The act of eating is a fundamental human activity depicted throughout the Bible. In Genesis, God provides food for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, highlighting the provision and sustenance from God (Genesis 1:29). Eating is also central to the Passover meal, where the Israelites are instructed to eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8).

2. Metaphorical Use:
The term "eater" is used metaphorically in the Bible to describe destruction or consumption by forces or entities. In the book of Joel, locusts are described as "eaters" that devastate the land, symbolizing judgment and the need for repentance (Joel 1:4).

3. Proverbs and Wisdom Literature:
The book of Proverbs often contrasts the wise and the foolish in terms of their eating habits. Proverbs 23:20-21 warns against being among "winebibbers" and "gluttonous eaters of meat," as these behaviors lead to poverty and drowsiness . This highlights the moral and spiritual implications of indulgence and self-control.

4. Samson's Riddle:
In Judges 14:14, Samson poses a riddle: "Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet" . This riddle refers to the lion he killed, from which bees later produced honey. The riddle illustrates the unexpected provision and the mysterious ways God can bring forth sustenance from unlikely sources.

5. New Testament Teachings:
In the New Testament, Jesus addresses the concept of eating in both physical and spiritual terms. In John 6:35, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst" . Here, eating is a metaphor for believing in Christ and receiving eternal life.

Theological Implications:

The concept of "eater" in the Bible underscores the importance of recognizing God's provision and the consequences of indulgence. It serves as a reminder of the balance between physical needs and spiritual nourishment. The Bible encourages believers to seek sustenance from God, who provides both materially and spiritually, and to exercise wisdom and self-control in their consumption.398. akal -- to eat
... 30), devourer (2), devouring (3), devours (7), dine (1), eat (398), eat freely
(1), eaten (66), eaten at all (2), eaten freely (1), eater (2), eater's (1 ...
/hebrew/398.htm - 6k

Ep. V.
... thirsting in the midst of waters, and that pitiable feast with nothing to eat, to
which we were invited from Cappadocia, not as to a Lotus-eater's poverty, but ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/cyril/select letters of saint gregory nazianzen/ep v.htm

Letter cxxviii. To Gaudentius.
... They quote the passage which says that "the lips of a strange woman drop as an
honeycomb;" [3588] which is sweet indeed in the eater's mouth but is afterwards ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxviii to gaudentius.htm

Letter cxc. To Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium.
... 3. Philo, on the authority of some Jewish tradition, explains the manna to have
been of such a nature that it changed with the taste of the eater: that of ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter cxc to amphilochius bishop.htm

Again on the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. 28, "Come unto Me, all ...
... And although a boar or a stag be caught, it is more sweet to the hunter's mind because
it has been caught, than it is to the eater's palate because it is ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xx again on the.htm

Rom. xiv. 1, 2
... this. And yet to be despised was the eater's share, as a glutton, but to
be judged, his that did not eat, as of little faith. But ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxv rom xiv 1.htm

The Hermit and the Boy
... Macedonius the hermit, the barley-eater, was seated at the entrance of his cavern,
and enjoying"so far as he thought it not sinful to enjoy"the cool air of ...
/.../chapter v the hermit and.htm

La Brea
... priest of such a temple, a wild brown man, who feeds his hogs on Moriche fruit and
Mombin plums, and whose only object was to sell us an ant-eater's skin, we ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter viii la brea.htm

Eater's (1 Occurrence)
...Eater's (1 Occurrence). Nahum 3:12 All thy fortresses 'are' fig-trees with
first-fruits, If they are shaken, They have fallen into the mouth of the eater. ...
/e/eater's.htm - 6k

Eatest (5 Occurrences)

/e/eatest.htm - 7k

Eaters (1 Occurrence)

/e/eaters.htm - 6k

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