God's Hatred

Introduction

God’s hatred may seem like a strange topic to write about but I was stumbled by the following verse 3 of Malachi Chapter 1 which I tripped over when writing my recent God’s Flawed Heroes paper:

1 The burden of the word of Jehovah to Israel by Malachi.
2 I have loved you, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, saith Jehovah: yet I loved Jacob;
3 but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and [gave] his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness. (Malachi 1 ASV)

Whilst it was God’s hatred of Esau that provoked my writing of this paper, I had forgotten in my Old Age (LOL) that I had already written on this issue in my earlier Patriarch’s Sons paper. However, as is God’s want, I think there are still some aspects about God’s hatred of things that are still worthy of consideration.

Just to recap on my previous writings, my prior recollection of the things that God hates were just that: things not named individuals. I certainly do not recall any other specifically named person in Scripture that invokes God’s hatred. Consequently, to see that God hated Esau came as quite a shock to me since Jehovah is a God of love. So, I think an exhaustive look at the scriptures is in order, to check if my previous understanding of the things that God hates was not completely faulty. Amen.

Sixes and Sevens?
Why am I writing this section? Well, it is the usual significant scriptural diversion that seems necessary for me to take every time I put finger to keyboard in producing a new research paper on the JLW website. However, you will soon see its relevance in the context of this paper.

The expression "At sixes and sevens" is an English idiom used to describe a condition of confusion or disarray, according to Wikipedia. For more detail on its derivation check out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_sixes_and_sevens.

So, in this context, we might as well start off in the deep end with a conundrum of ‘things’ that God hates from the wise King Solomon:

16 There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: (ASV)
16שֶׁשׁ-הֵנָּה, שָׂנֵא יְהוָה;    וְשֶׁבַע, תועבות תּוֹעֲבַת נַפְשׁוֹ. (MM)

17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood; (ASV)
17עֵינַיִם רָמוֹת, לְשׁוֹן שָׁקֶר;    וְיָדַיִם, שֹׁפְכוֹת דָּם-נָקִי. (MM)

18 A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, (ASV)
18לֵב--חֹרֵשׁ, מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָוֶן;    רַגְלַיִם מְמַהֲרוֹת, לָרוּץ לָרָעָה. (MM)

19 A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6 ASV)
19יָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים, עֵד שָׁקֶר;    וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ מְדָנִים, בֵּין אַחִים. (Proverbs 6 MM)

There are several aspects to these verses that require some consideration. First off, a word for ‘things’ does not explicitly appear in the Hebrew text. It is an assumed word in relation to the ‘six’. Consequently, it can be said that the six could refer to inanimate things or to people. So, my previous assumption was arguably incorrect in that God hates false witnesses and sowers of discord. While no named individuals are present here, the other ‘things’ such as ‘haughty eyes’, are body parts which clearly belong to a person. So, does God hate the owner of those eyes?

So, God hates six of the above items but not the seventh which is ‘merely’ an abomination to Him. The word ‘abomination’ appears in verse 16 and is a word that is often used in scripture. Let us have a look at the meaning of this word. According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary, it has the following meanings:

‘Synonyms of abomination:
1 something regarded with disgust or hatred : something abominable
2 extreme disgust and hatred : loathing’

Later in this paper, I find a scripture containing something that God abhors. Again, according to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary, this word has the following meanings:

‘Synonyms of abhor:
to regard with extreme repugnance; to feel hatred or loathing for; loathe'

However, I think it best to determine what a selection of Biblical Hebrew concordances make of this translation. The Hebrew word ‘שָׂנֵא’, whilst it does have different meanings in different contexts, in verse 16 it unequivocally does correctly translate as ‘hate’. The Hebrew word ‘תּוֹעֲבַת’, also in verse 16, is also correctly translated as ‘abomination’. It does, however, have a somewhat different meaning in a Biblical context. That word is reserved for acts of idolatry (see later in the next section) and does not appear to be used to describe persons or things.

Let us now have a closer look at the translation of verse 19 above. The Hebrew word ‘עֵד’ is again correctly translated as ‘witness’. Now, whilst this would appear at first sight to refer to a person telling lies, its Hebrew translation can often refer to an inanimate witness. The following verse from the Book of Genesis demonstrates this point:

44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. (Genesis 31 KJV)
44וְעַתָּה, לְכָה נִכְרְתָה בְרִית--אֲנִי וָאָתָּה; וְהָיָה לְעֵד, בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ. (Genesis 31 MM)

Here the derived Hebrew word ‘לְעֵד’ is used to describe a covenant as a witness. So, in this context, the word ‘witness’ effectively describes a piece of evidence. In the case of the Proverbs verse it is describing a piece of false evidence that is metaphorically ‘uttering lies’. So, if we accept these translational considerations, I think we can isolate ‘he that soweth discord among brethren’ as the only person in the list of seven ‘things’. This is therefore the only item that is an abomination but not hated, thereby demonstrating my original thought that God does not hate people.

Whilst not on the main theme of this paper, it appears that these are not the only verses from scripture that are ‘at sixes and sevens’. Let us check out Job 5:19 and the verses following:

19 He will deliver you in six troubles; yea, in seven no evil shall touch you. (GLT)
19 בְּשֵׁשׁ צָרוֹת, יַצִּילֶךָּ;    וּבְשֶׁבַע, לֹא-יִגַּע בְּךָ רָע. (MM)

20 In famine He will redeem you from death; and in war from the hand of the sword. (GLT)
20 בְּרָעָב, פָּדְךָ מִמָּוֶת;    וּבְמִלְחָמָה, מִידֵי חָרֶב. (MM)

21 You shall be hidden from the whip of the tongue; and you shall not be afraid of violence when it comes. (GLT)
21 בְּשׁוֹט לָשׁוֹן, תֵּחָבֵא;    וְלֹא-תִירָא מִשֹּׁד, כִּי יָבוֹא. (MM)

22 You shall laugh at violence and at famine; and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. (Job 5 GLT)
22 לְשֹׁד וּלְכָפָן תִּשְׂחָק;    וּמֵחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ, אַל-תִּירָא. (Job 5 MM)

So here we again have a count of seven items with two of them, famine and violence being repeated. So, we only actually have five different ‘troubles’. Or do we? Again, let us have a look at the Hebrew concordances. In verse 20 above the Hebrew word for ‘famine’ is ‘בְּרָעָב’ which can mean ‘hunger’ or ‘famine’. In verse 22 above we have a different Hebrew word for ‘famine’ of ‘וּלְכָפָן’ which can also mean ‘hunger’ or ‘famine’.

However, God is clearly meaning something different here, otherwise why would He make a point of using two different Hebrew words? In looking in more detail at the differences between these two words’ meanings, I have reached the conclusion that, in context, ‘בְּרָעָב’ means ‘famine’ and ‘וּלְכָפָן’ means hunger. It seems that Young’s Literal Translation would agree with my assessment:

22 At destruction and at hunger thou mockest, And of the beast of the earth, Thou art not afraid. (Job 5 YLT)

So, now we arguably have six different ‘troubles’ with violence correctly translated and repeated to make up the seven. These are in order namely: Famine, War, Whip of the Tongue, Violence (x2), Hunger, Beasts of the Earth.

So, from all these ‘troubles’, God will deliver the righteous man and, especially, He will ensure that no harm comes to him from others’ violent conduct. Violence would seem to be the odd one out since it the only repeated item in the list. I think this is the best that I can make of this ‘sixes and sevens’ account. If any of my readers can come up with a better explanation, I should be pleased to hear from you. Amen.

And then we have slaves to be set free at seven or six years. Which is it? There are three scriptures that refer to this point. The first two are items in the Law, the third being God’s Word spoken through His Prophet Jeremiah, criticising the Israelites’ forebears for their not correctly abiding by this element of the Law:

2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. (Exodus 21 KJV)

12 [And] if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. (Deuteronomy 15 KJV)

13 Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
14 At the end of seven years ye shall let go every man his brother that is a Hebrew, that hath been sold unto thee, and hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear. (Jeremiah 34 ASV)

In looking at these scriptures, it appears that the contract for a Hebrew servant would last for seven years but that, in the seventh year of his service, he should effectively be given a Sabbath year by his master. This seems to be the case even though he has a contractual obligation to continue in his service for the full term. Whilst one might scratch one’s head and ask why the contract for service did not only last six years, I think God is making a point here to further establish the importance of the keeping of the Sabbath.

Consequently, given the importance to God of the six-day working week followed by the Sabbath day, I am now wondering about the previous 'sixes and sevens' examples. Do they also have a greater meaning relating to the seven-day week? Answers in a plain brown envelope please.

God’s Hatred in The Law

When one reads God’s Law, we find His hatred included there. The first example should not come as surprise to us. God hates Idolatry especially when it comes to some of the evil practices that the nations got up to in ancient times and, no doubt, some that still do:

29 When Jehovah thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest in to dispossess them, and thou dispossessest them, and dwellest in their land;
30 take heed to thyself that thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
31 Thou shalt not do so unto Jehovah thy God: for every abomination to Jehovah, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods. (Deuteronomy 12 ASV)

25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Jehovah thy God.
26 And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and become a devoted thing like unto it: thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing. (Deuteronomy 7 ASV)

Just in case we did not quite get it the first time, God confirms His hatred of any form of idolatry. This time though it is aimed at any of the children of Israel who take up such practices. His hatred is aimed at the Israelites committing such sin rather than the practices themselves. This, presumably, is because they should know better as members of God’s chosen people:

9 When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found with thee any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that useth divination, one that practiseth augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
11 or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah: and because of these abominations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee. (Deuteronomy 18 ASV)

Well, this following verse caused me to pause for a moment. What are 'the wages of a dog' and why would they be an abomination to our God? According to Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word ‘כֶּלֶב’ means ‘dog’ but can euphemistically be used to describe a male prostitute. This now makes perfect sense to me in that Jehovah rejects, as an abomination, the provision of a male or female prostitute’s ill-gotten gains as an offering in His holy house:

18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Jehovah thy God for any vow: for even both these are an abomination unto Jehovah thy God. (Deuteronomy 23 ASV)
18לֹא-תָבִיא אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה וּמְחִיר כֶּלֶב, בֵּית יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ--לְכָל-נֶדֶר: כִּי תוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, גַּם-שְׁנֵיהֶם. (Deuteronomy 23 MM)

In these next verses, God is stating that He hates a cheat. This is a message repeated in the next but one section, quoted from the Book of Proverbs:

13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse weights, a great and a small.
14 Thou shalt not have in thy house diverse measures, a great and a small.
15 A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
16 For all that do such things, [even] all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto Jehovah thy God. (Deuteronomy 25 ASV)

God does not actually say that He hates male homosexuals. However, He does pick such acts out for especially heavy condemnation compared with all the other evil sexual practices by describing it as an abomination in two verses of the Law. Also check out my earlier Unholy Matrimony paper, which contains much more on the subject of homosexuality:

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination. (Leviticus 18 KJV)

13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them. (Leviticus 20 KJV)

Man’s Treatment of God

Here we have a scripture from the hand of the Prophet Isaiah in which God is bemoaning His people Israel for their sinful ways. He despises their sticking to the traditional religious ceremonies while acting in other generally unrighteous ways. He uses the same phraseology of hatred here for Israel as He saved up for the idolatrous nations in the Law in the previous section. He considers false worship of the True God to be no better than worship of a false god:

13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear [them]. (Isaiah 1 KJV)

3 He that killeth an ox [is as if] he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, [as if] he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, [as if he offered] swine's blood; he that burneth incense, [as if] he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. (Isaiah 66 KJV)

The Prophet Jeremiah reports on the idolatry of God’s people, an abomination to Jehovah:

3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, [and] to serve other gods, whom they knew not, [neither] they, ye, nor your fathers.
4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending [them], saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. (Jeremiah 44 KJV)

As does the Prophet Malachi regarding Judah’s idolatry:

11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of Jehovah which he loveth, and hath married the daughter of a foreign god. (Malachi 2 ASV)

Amos reports on Israel’s false worship of Jehovah. Their following of their priestly duties is rejected by God in the context of their generally unrighteous behaviour:

21 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. (Amos 5 ASV)

The words of the Prophets were predated by those of the wise King Solomon who identified idol sacrifice and generally wicked behaviour as an abomination to Jehovah:

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah; But the prayer of the upright is his delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah; But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. (Proverbs 15 ASV)

Solomon writes that God hates those proud in heart (check out my earlier Vanity paper). Whilst one might consider this condition to be against man and God, there is little doubt that those truly proud of heart have no regard for Jehovah:

5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah: [Though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished. (Proverbs 16 ASV)

Solomon also eschewed false worship to Jehovah. Prayers to the True God are anathema to Jehovah if they come without regard to keeping His commandments:

9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination. (Proverbs 28 KJV)

As you would have noted thus far, the hatred of our God appears entirely in the Old Testament scriptures. There is the solitary case where His hatred, as represented by Jesus Christ, appears in the New Testament in the Book of Revelation Chapter 2. This is in His criticism of the churches of Ephesus and Pergamos which were polluted by the Nicolaitan sect. The Nicolaitans engendered idolatrous and other practices within those churches in the name of the false teachings of Balaam:

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; (Revelation 2 KJV)

6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2 KJV)

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; (Revelation 2 KJV)

14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. (Revelation 2 KJV)

Man’s Treatment of Man
David identified that God hates all evil doers, specifically picking out the arrogant, liars, those that physically harm their fellow man and the deceivers:

5 The arrogant shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man. (Psalms 5 ASV)

David makes a similar statement in a later Psalm:

5 Jehovah trieth the righteous; But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. (Psalms 11 ASV)

In Solomon’s wisdom and in a reprise of the earlier item in the Law already mentioned previously, he picks out God’s hatred of a retailer’s cheating of a customer by creating a false weight for the goods he is about to sell. Interesting that He should think this specific sin is worthy of His hatred. I think this behaviour demonstrates the deeper issue of a man’s deliberate disregard for his fellow man that provokes God’s disdain in this case:

1 A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah; But a just weight is his delight. (Proverbs 11 ASV)

And just in case we did not get it the first time (see Sixes and Sevens section above), Solomon reminds us that God eschews the lips of a liar:

22 Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah; But they that deal truly are his delight. (Proverbs 12 ASV)

Further words from Solomon identify that unjust behaviour against one’s fellow man is hated by God. How much of that do we see in today’s world where black has become the new white and vice versa. Many folk are going to awake with a big shock upon the Lord’s coming:

15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah. (Proverbs 17 ASV)

The Prophet Isaiah tells us that Jehovah hates robbery and unrighteous behaviour:

8 For I, Jehovah, am loving justice, hating robbery along with unrighteousness. And I will give their wages in trueness, and an indefinitely lasting covenant I shall conclude toward them. (Isaiah 61 NWT)

Jeremiah writes of the abominations carried out by the house of Benjamin. Specific sins are mentioned: greed, false dealing and lying, none of which did they profess any shame for:

13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
14 They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah. (Jeremiah 6 ASV)

The Prophet Hosea has similar words for the house of Ephraim, but without being specific about their areas of wickedness which would appear to be generally sinful:

15 All their wickedness [is] in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes [are] revolters.
16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay [even] the beloved [fruit] of their womb. (Hosea 9 KJV)

The Prophet Ezekiel gives us a list of abominations that are, apart from idolatry, sins against one’s fellow man. They include acts of oppression, violence, not keeping one’s side of a contract and the taking of interest against a loan:

12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. (Ezekiel 18 KJV)

As a matter of personal interest, I find usury to be an interesting 'sin' to commit. The paying of interest against a loan would seem to be a reasonable practice today, so long as that rate of interest is at an appropriate level. I think the difference between those days and these is that today our loans are based on man's fiat currencies which are prone to inflation since they have no inherent value as an asset in their own right. In biblical times, the coinage would have been based on precious or base metals which have their own innate asset value and were therefore not prone to inflation.

The Prophet Zechariah records that God hates a man’s thoughts and actions against his neighbour and the making of a false promise:

17 and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith Jehovah. (Zechariah 8 ASV)

The prophet Malachi sends the Word of God that He hates an unjust divorce of an unloved wife. He sees this as the breaking of a covenant between man and wife and clearly considers this to be the action of an unrighteous spirit:

14 And ye have said, 'Wherefore?' Because Jehovah hath testified between thee And the wife of thy youth, That thou hast dealt treacherously against her, And she thy companion, and thy covenant-wife.
15 And He did not make one {only}, And He hath the remnant of the Spirit. And what {is} the one {alone}! He is seeking a godly seed. And ye have been watchful over your spirit, And with the wife of thy youth, None doth deal treacherously.
16 For {I} hate sending away, said Jehovah, God of Israel, And He {who} hath covered violence with his clothing, said Jehovah of Hosts, And ye have been watchful over your spirit, And ye do not deal treacherously. (Malachi 2 YLT)

Esau Revisited
Well, as I suspected as the rationale for writing this paper in the first place, it seems that Esau has been picked out by our God as the only named individual in the whole of scripture to be identified as an object of God’s hatred. So why was poor old Esau so selected? Well, as I stated at the introduction to this paper, I have already covered that in my Patriarchs’ Sons paper. So, if you want to understand why God would have picked on Esau for such harsh treatment please read that paper.

Synopsis

My original motivation for writing this paper was God’s picking out Esau as the only named person who provoked His hatred. I had forgotten that I had already written about this in my earlier paper on the Patriarch’s Sons.
There are six things which Jehovah hates and seven which are an abomination to Him. Is God at sixes and sevens?
There are two other examples in scripture which confuse the number six with seven. Is this God’s confusion or is He telling us of the importance of the seventh day, the Sabbath?
God’s hatred is described in the Law of Moses. Items such as idolatry, false worship, fraudulent dealings and homosexuality are picked out for such attention.
Outside of the specifics in the Law, God also hates man’s vanity, general evil doing, deceivers, men of violence, those that support the wicked, those that condemn the righteous, theft, covetousness, no conscience for committing evil, rebels against God’s commandments, oppression against one’s fellow man, usury, false oaths and divorce without just cause.
Finally, I confirm that poor old Esau has been picked out for ‘special’ individually named attention amongst a plethora of otherwise generalised and unnamed items for God’s hatred. Amen.

The Holy Hatred of God

Date of Publication: 21st October 2021

Jewish Lords' Witness

Courtesy of The Lutheran Column

God’s Hatred