Psalms 41:9
Context41:9 Even my close friend 1 whom I trusted,
he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. 2
John 13:18
Context13:18 “What I am saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, 3 ‘The one who eats my bread 4 has turned against me.’ 5
[41:9] 1 tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).
[41:9] 2 tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.
[13:18] 3 tn Grk “But so that the scripture may be fulfilled.”
[13:18] 4 tn Or “The one who shares my food.”
[13:18] 5 tn Or “has become my enemy”; Grk “has lifted up his heel against me.” The phrase “to lift up one’s heel against someone” reads literally in the Hebrew of Ps 41 “has made his heel great against me.” There have been numerous interpretations of this phrase, but most likely it is an idiom meaning “has given me a great fall,” “has taken cruel advantage of me,” or “has walked out on me.” Whatever the exact meaning of the idiom, it clearly speaks of betrayal by a close associate. See E. F. F. Bishop, “‘He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me’ – Jn xiii.18 (Ps xli.9),” ExpTim 70 (1958-59): 331-33.