Proverbs 6:17-19 · Bible study
Proverbs 6:17-19 Commentary: Seven Abominations
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the seven things Yahweh hates in Proverbs 6:17, 19, pride, deceit, violence, and more. Discover their meaning and why they matter.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A list of seven attitudes and actions that God considers an abomination, with sowing discord as the climax.
- Key words: Haughty eyes (ramot, exalted), lying tongue (sheqer, falsehood), shed innocent blood (shafakh dam naqi), wicked schemes (machshevot aven, plans of evil), false witness (ed sheqer), sows discord (meshalach medanim).
- Main debate: Whether the seven items describe one specific “man of Belial” (so Barnes, Cambridge) or form a general catalog of sins God hates (most other commentators).
- Theological theme: God’s moral character: He actively hates what destroys persons, truth, and community. The list traces sin from the heart to social ruin.
- Best use: Personal examination of our secret thoughts and words; a framework for teaching the seriousness of relational sin; a reminder that God’s hatred is part of His love for His people.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
WEB World English Bible 2000
17arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
KJV King James Version 1769
17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood;
18A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
17Eyes high--tongues false--And hands shedding innocent blood--
18A heart devising thoughts of vanity--Feet hasting to run to evil--
19A false witness who doth breathe out lies--And one sending forth contentions between brethren.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood;
18a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations; feet that are swift in running to mischief;
19a false witness that uttereth lies, and he that soweth discords among brethren.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,
19A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 6:17
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 6:17, 19 completes the portrait of the worthless person (the “man of Belial”) introduced in 6:12. Barnes notes that all seven items belong to one character, with the seventh, sowing discord among brothers, as the climax. The numerical saying “six things … yes, seven” was a Hebrew teaching device to heighten attention (JFB). Gill points out that pride heads the list because it was the first sin, of angels and of humanity. The list moves from inner disposition (haughty eyes, a scheming heart) to speech (lying tongue, false witness) to violent action (hands that shed blood, feet that rush to evil). Keil and Delitzsch confirm that the form is a classic numerical proverb, where the seventh item is the non plus ultra of what God detests.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: These seven attitudes and actions are an abomination to God and characterize the wicked person described in the preceding verses.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Pride as the first sin listed | All traditions see pride as a foundational sin, detestable to God. | Some (e.g., Gill) take the ordering as chronological, pride was the first sin of angels and Adam. Others see it as simply the first in an ethically significant pattern, not necessarily temporal. |
| Relation to the 'man of Belial' (v. 12) | All agree the passage follows from vv. 12, 15 and describes the same type of wicked person. | Some commentators (Barnes, Cambridge) argue the seven items are <em>exclusively</em> about one man; others read them as a general list of abominations applicable to all, both views are supported by the repetition of 'sows discord' in v. 14 and v. 19. |
| The climax in sowing discord | The seventh item is considered the worst in the numerical series (Keil: non plus ultra). | Why discord is worst: some emphasize horizontal damage (destroying covenant community), others see it as uniquely satanic (opposing God who creates unity). |
| Meaning of 'abomination' (tôʿēbâ) | It indicates something ritually and morally repulsive to God, often connected to idolatry. | Whether the term applies culturally (Israelite covenant context) or universally to all humans, most affirm both, but some argue the list reflects specific ancient Near Eastern social concerns. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage sits within a fatherly instruction in Proverbs 6, warning against reckless surety (vv. 1, 5), laziness (vv. 6, 11), and the ways of a deceitful man (vv. 12, 19). The “man of Belial” (v. 12) is a vivid stock figure of the ancient Near East, someone utterly worthless, whose speech, gestures, and heart are bent on harm. The numerical proverb form (“six … seven”) appears elsewhere in the Old Testament (Amos 1, 2, Job 5:19, Proverbs 30:15, 31) and creates a rhetorical build: the reader counts with growing dread to the worst offense.
In ancient Israel, community cohesion was sacred. Shedding innocent blood (Deuteronomy 19:10, 27:25) defiled the land. False testimony threatened justice itself (Exodus 20:16). And “sowing discord among brothers” tore apart the covenant community that God had bound together. Pride, the very first item, was seen as the root of rebellion, both against God and against neighbor (Gill connects it to the fall of Satan and Adam). The list is not random: it moves from the heart’s attitude to destructive words and acts, showing how internal evil inevitably works outward.
Culturally, honor was corporate and fragile; a whisperer could wreck a lifetime of trust. By naming these seven things as an “abomination” (tôʿēbâ), the teacher uses a word often reserved for idolatry and ritual defilement, driving home that these sins are not merely socially dangerous but spiritually repulsive to God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant textual issue. In Proverbs 6:16, the Masoretic text (Ketiv) has תועבות (tôʿēbôt, a plural construct), while the Qere (marginal reading) corrects it to the singular תועבה (tôʿēbâ). Keil and Delitzsch consider the written form an error occasioned by the numeral. Most modern translations follow the Qere. No other substantive variants for verses 17, 19 are discussed in the supplied sources.
Reception History
From the early church through the Reformation, Proverbs 6:17, 19 was used in moral catechesis as a vivid catalog of sins to flee. The list appears in Christian vice lists and was frequently cited by Puritan and Reformed commentators (Matthew Henry, Gill) to teach the seriousness of pride, lying, and divisiveness. In Jewish tradition, the numerical saying is part of the wisdom heritage, and the term “abomination” links these sins to the spiritual defilement that separates people from God. The passage continues to be read in lectionaries and ethical teaching across denominations, often paired with James 3 (the power of the tongue) and Matthew 5 (peacemaking).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Root sin: Pride (v. 17a). The first abomination, haughty eyes, is the origin of all rebellion against God (Gill). Without dealing with pride, no other sin is truly confronted.
- The path from heart to hands (vv. 17b, 18). A lying tongue, shedding blood, a scheming heart, and swift feet: internal corruption produces external violence. The whole person becomes an engine of evil.
- Worst of all: destroying community (v. 19). Sowing discord among brothers is the seventh and climactic sin. It unravels the family, the church, and society, the very things God is building.
Five-point outline
- Haughty eyes, Pride that refuses to see others as worthy.
- A lying tongue, Deception that breaks trust.
- Hands that shed innocent blood, Violence against the vulnerable.
- A heart devising wicked schemes / feet swift to mischief, Deliberate plotting and eagerness to harm.
- A false witness and one who sows discord, Speech that destroys justice and relationships.
Illustration hooks
- A workplace where a colleague spreads rumors about another to gain promotion, that is sowing discord.
- Social media: a shared post that inflames division between friends or within a family, all from a single “lie” repeated.
- Refusal to apologize when proven wrong, pride of eyes that cannot look down.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible say God “hates” these things? Isn’t God love?
- How do I know if I am guilty of “sowing discord” even unintentionally?
- Is pride really the worst sin? It seems so common and small.
Leading a Discussion
This passage is a mirror for the human heart. As you read Proverbs 6:17, 19 together, notice that God does not merely dislike these actions, He calls them an abomination. Yet the list is not meant to crush us but to invite honest self-examination. The same God who hates these sins also provides grace and transformation through His Spirit.
Discussion questions
- Look at the list again. Which of these seven sins seems most common in your everyday life? Why?
- The passage begins with “haughty eyes.” Why do you think pride heads the list? What does Gill’s note about pride being the first sin add to your understanding?
- Compare verse 18, “a heart that devises wicked schemes”, with the description of the worthless person in verses 12, 14. How do internal thoughts lead to external actions?
- Why might “sowing discord among brothers” be the worst item in the climax? (Consider its connection to the “man of Belial” in v. 14, who “always sows discord.”)
- Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). How does this list help you appreciate the value of peace in your family, church, or workplace?
- Thinking about a “false witness”: Have you ever witnessed or participated in spreading a half-truth that damaged someone’s reputation? What made it easy to justify?
- How can a small group or church be a community where these seven abominations are replaced by humility, truthfulness, and peacemaking?
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 19:10 | This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you. |
| Deuteronomy 27:25 | ‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ |
| II Kings 24:4 | and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Yahweh would not pardon. |
| Psalms 5:6 | You will destroy those who speak lies. Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. |
| Psalms 10:4 | The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God. |
| Psalms 18:27 | For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down. |
| Psalms 31:18 | Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt. |
| Psalms 73:6 | Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
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 the six or seven things listed in verses sixteen through nineteen are what actually destroy the worthless person. These factors show why God hates and punishes him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes lists six types of people who cause harm. These include those with harmful eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocents, a heart plotting evil, feet that act quickly in wrongdoing, and a false witness who spreads lies. You may find hope in Christ and Scripture.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees pride shown in a person’s eyes as the first hateful sin. He also lists a lying tongue harmful to others and hands that kill innocent people as other serious evils. You are loved by Your Creator. Christ died and rose again. Hope is found in His resurrection.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes the eyes of loftiness in verse sixteen refer to a proud look. It also explains that the numbers six and seven in verse eighteen are used to draw attention. Both terms come from other parts of Scripture.
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.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes such a person uses his eyes feet and fingers to hide his evil plans. He also speaks lies and sows discord among others.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley focuses on two distinct traits of the wicked: they habitually devise evil schemes, and they eagerly carry them out with greed. His point is that the full picture of evil includes both the planning and the swift, zealous execution.