Proverbs 6:16

6:16 There are six things that the Lord hates,

even 1  seven 2  things that are an abomination to him: 3 

Proverbs 6:19

6:19 a false witness who pours out lies, 4 

and a person who spreads discord 5  among family members. 6 

1 tn The conjunction has the explicative use here (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 71, §434).

2 sn This saying involves a numerical ladder, paralleling six things with seven things (e.g., also 30:15, 18, 21, 24, 29). The point of such a numerical arrangement is that the number does not exhaust the list (W. M. Roth, “The Numerical Sequence x / x +1 in the Old Testament,” VT 12 [1962]: 300-311; and his “Numerical Sayings in the Old Testament,” VT 13 [1965]: 86).

3 tn Heb “his soul.”

4 sn The Lord hates perjury and a lying witness (e.g., Ps 40:4; Amos 2:4; Mic 1:4). This is a direct violation of the law (Exod 20).

5 sn Dissension is attributed in Proverbs to contentious people (21:9; 26:21; 25:24) who have a short fuse (15:8).

6 tn Heb “brothers,” although not limited to male siblings only. Cf. NRSV, CEV “in a family”; TEV “among friends.”