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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 (sane) rendered hatred appears about 145 times in the Bible and can range from a weak dislike, shun, not love, a 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 (Heb. 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 (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, that is, 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, his 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 (peh), that is, speech, what he says. In the Scriptures perversity usually applies to one’s words, what is said that 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. Those who live irresponsible lives, regardless of their intelligence, are stupid ones. Really, these ones lack wisdom. Wisdom gives its owner the right path to life and the strength to deal with adversities. Choices that are made by ones who lack prudence and discretion are more than likely 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.