Proverbs 6:16 · Bible study
Proverbs 6:16 Commentary: The Six-Seven Abomination Pattern
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the numerical 'six, seven' pattern in Proverbs 6:16, why God hates these sins, and what the term 'abomination to his soul' means.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God personally and powerfully opposes these specific sins, climaxing in the sin that destroys community.
- Key words: Hates (sane): strong emotional opposition; Abomination (toʿevah): ritual and ethical repugnance; His soul (nafsho): intensifies the personal nature.
- Main debate: Whether the seventh item is uniquely worse or the entire list is equally abominable (Barnes/Keil argue for a climax; Gill views the seventh as the occasion for the list but not necessarily worse).
- Theological theme: God’s moral character: He is not indifferent to sin, and His hatred is an expression of His love for justice and community.
- Best use: A diagnostic tool for self-examination and a warning against sins that disrupt relationships, especially in the church.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
WEB World English Bible 2000
There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
KJV King James Version 1769
These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
These six hath Jehovah hated, Yea, seven are abominations to His soul.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
These six [things] doth Jehovah hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Seis cosas aborrece Jehová, y aun siete abomina su alma:
Estas seis coisas o SENHOR odeia; e sete sua alma abomina:
Il y a six choses que hait l’ Éternel,
Diese sechs Stücke haßt der HERR, und am siebenten hat er einen Greuel:
Deze zes haat de HEERE; ja, zeven zijn Zijn ziel een gruwel:
Sei cose odia l’Eterno, anzi sette gli sono in abominio:
Sześć jest rzeczy, których nienawidzi Pan, a siódma jest obrzydliwością duszy jego;
Вот шесть, что ненавидит Господь, даже семь, что мерзость душе Его:
耶和華 所恨惡的有 六樣，連他心 所憎惡的 共有七樣：
Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 6:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Proverbs 6:16 uses a distinctive numerical form, six things Yahweh hates, seven that are an abomination, to draw attention to a list of sins that climaxes in the seventh. Barnes calls it a recognized Hebrew form of climax, seen also in Proverbs 30 and Amos 1, 2. Keil and Delitzsch identify it as a Midda-proverb, a numerical saying where the final item is the non plus ultra of what God detests.
All major commentators (Cambridge, Keil, Gill) connect the list directly to the “worthless person” of verses 12, 15, whose signature sin is sowing discord among brothers (v.14, 19). Gill notes that the phrase “abomination to him” renders the Hebrew toʿavat nafsho, “abomination to his soul,” making God’s opposition intensely personal. Wesley adds that these sins are singled out above many others that have a worse name in the world, precisely because they destroy community.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Climactic interpretation (seventh worst): Barnes and Keil argue the pattern builds to the seventh (sowing discord) as the worst; supported by similar 'x, x+1' proverbs (Prov 30:18, Amos 1).
- All equally abominable, seventh is last on a list: Gill suggests all are equally hateful to God, but the seventh is the one that prompted the list because it was the last detail in the preceding character sketch (v.14).
- Representative list of covenant-breaking sins: The list covers sins against God (pride, lies) and neighbor (violence, false witness, discord); may represent the whole category of sin that God abhors.
What is clear: God is personally and powerfully opposed to these specific sins, and the list serves as a warning for readers to avoid them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Literary function of the six-seven pattern | The pattern is a Hebrew numerical saying that builds to a climax. | Some (Keil, Barnes) stress that the seventh item is the worst; others (Gill) argue all seven are equally detestable but the seventh is the last named in the preceding context. |
| Connection to the worthless person | The list belongs with the description in verses 12, 15. | Some see the list as a general catalog of sins; most (Cambridge, Keil, Gill) identify it as specifically describing the ‘man of Belial’ from those verses. |
| Meaning of 'abomination to his soul' | It expresses God's intense, personal opposition. | Whether this is pure anthropomorphism or reveals something about God's emotional life is left open; commentators generally treat it as a vivid figure of speech. |
| Scope of the list | All seven items are sins against God and neighbor. | Whether the list is exhaustive of the sins God hates or merely representative; Wesley suggests these are singled out above others that have a worse name in the world. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The numerical saying “six…seven” is a wisdom-teaching device found in Proverbs 30:15, 18, 24 and Amos 1, 2. It builds expectation by counting, then lands on a seventh item as the climax. In this case the seventh, sowing discord, connects back to the “worthless person” of verses 12, 14, a man of Belial who uses body language to deceive (winking, foot-signaling) and whose heart is bent on strife. The list that follows itemizes specific sins: arrogance (haughty eyes), false speech (lying tongue), violence (hands shedding innocent blood), malicious scheming (heart devising wickedness), eagerness to do evil (feet swift to mischief), perjury (false witness), and finally community destruction (sowing discord).
The Hebrew term toʿevah (abomination) carries both ritual and ethical weight. In Deuteronomy it describes idolatry, child sacrifice, and dishonest weights, things so repugnant that God drives out nations because of them (Deut 18:12). Here it is applied to interpersonal sins, elevating them to the same category as covenant-breaking. The intensity is heightened by nafsho (“his soul”), an anthropomorphism that does not lessen God’s transcendence but emphasizes that these sins strike at the heart of who God is. The surrounding passage (vv.12, 19) forms a self-contained warning: the worthless person’s end is sudden calamity (v.15), and this list explains why.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note a minor textual issue. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the Masoretic text writes תועבות (toʿavot, a plural form) here, an error occasioned by the preceding numeral; the Qere (marginal reading) corrects to the singular תועבה (toʿevah), which fits the grammar of the phrase “abomination to his soul.” No other significant variants are mentioned in the consulted sources.
Reception History
This verse has been used in Jewish tradition as part of ethical instruction emphasizing the gravity of sins that destroy community. Early Christian writers, including the church fathers, cited these verses when warning against pride, slander, and divisions within the body of Christ. The numerical pattern made the list easy to memorize and employ in catechetical settings. In the Reformation, commentators like Calvin and Luther pointed to this passage to show that God’s moral law targets not only outward acts but also inner dispositions. Evangelical tradition has treated the list as a mirror for self-examination and a call to pursue peace. Across traditions, the seventh sin, sowing discord, has been given special attention as the fruit of the other six, making the passage a foundational text for church unity.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s hatred is not arbitrary, The numerical pattern and the word “abomination” show that God’s opposition is measured, consistent, and grounded in His character.
- The list covers the full person, Eyes (pride), tongue (lies, false witness), hands (violence), heart (scheming), feet (eagerness for evil). No part of the human being is exempt from the call to holiness.
- The climax is what tears community apart, Sowing discord among brothers is the seventh item, the sin that undoes the peace God desires for His people.
Five-point outline
- God hates pride, the root of rebellion (Prov 8:13).
- God hates dishonesty, lying and false witness corrupt justice.
- God hates violence, shedding innocent blood destroys the image of God.
- God hates evil scheming, the heart that devises wickedness fuels all outward sin.
- God hates those who spread strife, the discord-sower dismantles the family, the church, and the nation.
Illustration hooks
- An office worker who spreads rumors about a colleague, using subtle words to make others lose trust. That is discord-sowing.
- A driver who cuts off another, then makes an obscene gesture. The quick anger reveals feet swift to mischief.
- A family dispute where one member constantly stirs up old wounds to keep siblings divided. God calls that an abomination.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God hate people? How do we understand divine hatred without turning God into a wrathful tyrant?
- Why these seven sins? Why not include greed, envy, or adultery?
- If I struggle with pride or lying, does that mean God hates me personally?
Leading a Discussion
This passage uses a striking pattern to name what God opposes most. It does not leave us guessing; it lists specific behaviors that break relationship with God and others. As you work through the questions, notice how the list moves from internal attitudes (pride, scheming) to external actions (violence, lying, sowing discord). The goal is not to condemn but to examine, and to ask what it means to live in a way that aligns with God’s heart.
Discussion questions
- Read Proverbs 6:12, 19. How does the description of the “worthless person” in verses 12, 14 prepare you for the list in verses 16, 19?
- The Hebrew behind verse 16 says these things are “an abomination to his soul.” What does that phrase communicate about the depth of God’s opposition?
- Of the seven items, which one stands out to you as surprising? Which feels most relevant to your own life or community?
- How does the pattern “six…seven” function in wisdom literature? What effect does it have on the reader?
- How does this list compare with other biblical lists of sins (e.g., the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes)?
- If God hates these things, how should we respond when we see them in ourselves, and in the church?
- What practical steps could a small group take to ensure they are not “sowing discord among brothers”?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 18:10 | There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, |
| Deuteronomy 18:12 | For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh. Because of these abominations, Yahweh your God drives them out from before you. |
| Deuteronomy 23:18 | You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Yahweh your God. |
| Deuteronomy 24:4 | her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she is defiled; for that would be an abomination to Yahweh. You shall not cause the land to sin, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance. |
| Deuteronomy 25:16 | For all who do such things, all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to Yahweh your God. |
| Psalms 11:5 | Yahweh examines the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and him who loves violence. |
| Proverbs 3:32 | For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright. |
| Proverbs 8:13 | The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the seventh thing hated is someone who sows discord among people. This person uses lies to cause others to hate their fellow believers. His actions harm the peace within families and communities.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that all seven detestable qualities belong to the same wicked man introduced earlier. The seventh is worst of all, following the Hebrew climax pattern where seven signifies completeness. Yet here the six and the seventh all describe the man of Belial.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that six or seven specific actions describe the worthless person. These actions show why God hates and punishes such a person.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that the Lord hates six specific actions; additionally his soul loathes seven more. Christians who hold this view point to Proverbs 6:16, while others understand it as pointing to deeper spiritual realities. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that these are not the only sins God hates — sins against God himself are even more offensive. But the six listed here, plus the seventh, are singled out because they mark the character of the wicked man just described. All seven are equally abominable to the Lord from his very soul.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes six and seven are used to draw focus in this verse. This pattern helps the reader pay close attention to the message being given.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that the seven things God hates are not six items plus an extra; the numerical proverb builds to a climax. The seventh, a person who sows strife among brothers, is the ultimate abomination. The grammar shows each item is counted separately, with the seventh as the worst.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange defends the list of six things the Lord hates as an original part of Proverbs 6, not a later addition. He points to similar numerical sayings in chapter 30 as evidence that the same author could compose these verses. The passage fits naturally into the flow of the chapter.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that such a person uses his eyes feet and fingers to hide his evil plans. He also points out that his heart is full of wicked thoughts and he constantly seeks to cause trouble among others.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that hatred is a greater sin than many offenses that carry a worse public reputation. He insists that the sin of hatred, though less condemned by society, ranks above those sins in its actual guilt before God.