Here is Young’s Literal Translation of these verses: “These six hath Jehovah hated, Yea, seven [are] abominations to His soul. Eyes high—tongues false—And hands shedding innocent blood—A heart devising thoughts of vanity—Feet hasting to run to evil—A false witness [who] doth breathe out lies—And one sending forth contentions between brethren” (Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible).
As a review, I want to share with you what another commentator has written on these verses.
“Here again we encounter a popular memory verse. Both Harris and Delitzsch consider these seven sins as climactic, the seventh, “sowing discord among brethren” being considered as the most serious of the seven. It appears to this writer, as Driver expressed it that, “All these things belong together,” giving a number of characteristics of the same person, a person revealed here as totally evil. Note that his eyes have a proud look; his tongue tells lies; his hands murder the innocent; his heart is full of wicked purposes; his feet run quickly on evil errands—all of these are parts of one man! The last two abominable things are the composite product of all this, namely, that person who by lying speeches sows discord among brethren. In that sense, of course, we may view these as presenting a climax in the seventh. However, “It is the heart that underlies the seven vices which are an abomination to God; and it occupies the central position here,” because it is the fountain from which all evil flows” (James Burton Coffman, Commentary on Proverbs).
Another significant thing here is the fact that this passage reflects an acquaintance with the Old Testament, especially the Pentateuch. The Law of Moses gave specific prohibitions against all of the things mentioned here.
It has also been noted that there is an amazing resemblance in the thought of these verses as compared with the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. This can especially be noted in the first and last of the two lists. “The Lord hates a proud look” is spoken in the positive sense in the Beatitudes when Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” And “He that soweth discord among brethren” is the exact opposite of “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
I would suggest that we read and study this list given by Solomon often and that we put forth a dedicated effort to delete these things from our lives. When you read and analyze these seven abominable things, it is easy to see why they are labeled as such. No one enjoys being around a proud person who looks down on others; no one likes a liar, or hands shedding innocent blood. Who wants to be with those who have hearts that devise wicked imaginations, or who are always going in haste to do mischief? I know of no one who loves a troublemaker in—or out—of the church.
Paul M. Wilmoth
