Proverbs 6:16-19

ADMONITIONS AGAINST THE PRACTICE OF SEVEN HATEFUL THINGS, Proverbs 6:16-19.

Here the teacher seeks to guard his charge against personal vices, as he had before against associational ones.

16-19. Six things… yea, seven, are specified. These are favourite forms with the Hebrews, and the numbers are not always used definitely. The expression is, perhaps, equivalent to our “six or seven,” meaning several. The origin of this peculiar proverbial form, the using of symbolical numbers, Elster derives from the demands of the parallelism. “The form of parallelism could not, on account of harmony, be sacrificed in any verse; but how should a parallel be found for a number? Since it was not any definite number that was the important thing, relief was found in taking one of the next adjacent numbers as the parallel to that which was chiefly in the mind.”

An abomination unto him Literally, to his soul. נפשׁ , ( Nephesh,) soul or life, is often put for the person himself. The expression is forcible.

A proud look Literally, eyes of loftiness indicative of a haughty spirit. Comp. Proverbs 30:13; Psalms 18:27; Psalms 131:1.

Wicked imaginations Plans or purposes.

A false witness עד שׁקר , ‘ hadh sheker, Miller renders, “a deceived witness.” It occurs Proverbs 12:17; Proverbs 14:5; Proverbs 14:25; Proverbs 19:5; Proverbs 21:28.

That speaketh lies Breathes falsehood, or, as we say, “utters lies with every breath” one who has no regard for truth. Comp. Proverbs 14:5; Proverbs 14:25; Proverbs 19:5; Psalms 5:9; Matthew 12:34.

There is one parallel worthy of notice between the seven cursed things here and the seven blessed things in Matthew 5:0. The first and the last of the seven are identical in the two lists. “The Lord hates a proud look “is precisely equivalent to “Blessed are the poor in spirit;” and, “that soweth discord among brethren” is the exact reverse of the “peacemaker.”