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Turn Away from Morally Objectionable Behavior

Proverbs 8:13 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
¹³The fear of Jehovah is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and the perverted mouth I hate.

The fear of Jehovah is hatred of evil: Again, the fear of Jehovah is mentioned, meaning that we possess reverential awe of our Creator, hating what he hates. “Fear of [Jehovah] Wisdom does not stand alone. It is closely connected with fearing God and involves a proper attitude of respect and obedience.”[1] The Hebrew word (שָׂנֵא sane) rendered hatred appears about 145 times in the Bible and can range from a weak dislike, shunning, not love, lacking love and compassion to intense hatred. Here in this context (sane) hatred is to abhor, detest, loathe, dislike intensely, feel hostility or an aversion towards evil. Evil (רַע ra) is anything that is morally objectionable behavior based on the moral standards found in God’s Word. Those practicing what is evil, not morally pure, sever their relationship with God.

Pride and arrogance and the way of evil: The Hebrew noun (geah) rendered pride is the quality of one who has an attitude of superiority, believing that he is superior to others. The one has unreasonable and unwarranted or undue and excessive self-esteem of himself. He is haughty and arrogant. The Hebrew noun (גָּאוֹן gaon) rendered arrogance has a very similar meaning. He is full of himself, having or revealing an exaggerated sense of his own importance or abilities. He is conceited; he has an unwarranted and undue high status of himself, which is a moral failure on his part. The way of evil means one’s wicked ways, following evil paths that lead to bad or wicked behavior or conduct.

And the perverted mouth I hate: The Hebrew noun (tahpukot) that is rendered perverted is one who willfully deviates from what is good and in this case, with his mouth (פֶּה peh), that is, speech, what he says. In the Scriptures, perversity usually applies to one’s words; what is said is morally crooked (distorted, dishonest, unscrupulous, unprincipled, untrustworthy, corrupt) from the moral standard set out in the Word of God.

Pride, arrogance, immoral behavior, and mouth of perversity should be no part of the Christian life. If we hate what is evil, it will protect us against the deceptive desires of this world. Therefore, it is paramount that we all seek wisdom. Regardless of their intelligence, those who live irresponsible lives are stupid ones, and these ones lack wisdom. Wisdom gives its owner the right path in life and eventually eternal life, but now also the strength to deal with adversities. Choices that are made by ones who lack prudence and discretion are more than likely to end badly.

[1] John D. Barry, Michael R. Grigoni, Michael S. Heiser et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012), Pr 8:13.