[ 1 minutes to read ]

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
– Proverbs 6:16

[V]erses 16-19 roundly condemn the wicked man from the previous section. Each sin enumerated corresponds to his description in verses 12-15. Solomon uses a particular arrangement for this list. The form is to list a number of things and plus one. This form is used elsewhere in Proverbs (Proverbs 30:15, 18, 21) and other books (Job 5:19; Ecclesiastes 11:2; etc.). This framework is used to show the last item as being the best or worst of the group. The plus one formula also shows the list is not exhaustive. In this case, these are not the only things God hates.

Yahweh hates the first six things. The seventh is an abomination, or abhorrent. The expressions of these sins means that God is completely separate from these sins and therefore they have no place in the wisdom that is from above. This also points to the fact that those who walk in these will not stand before God, but meet with his judgment against them.

Listen to the Proverbs sermon series