Proverbs 17:15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. Solomon's throne room where he witnessed corrupt judges taking bribes to acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent.
The emotion here: righteous anger at perverted justice
The original word
toebah (תּוֹעֵבָה) — ritualistic abomination, same word used for idolatry
Why it matters
Ancient Near Eastern law codes like Hammurabi's had death penalties for corrupt judges
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 17:15
God hates both actions EQUALLY - protecting the guilty is as evil as condemning the innocent
Common misconceptionPeople focus on condemning the righteous but miss that God equally hates justifying the wicked - like enabling addiction or covering for abuse.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 17:15
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 17:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 17:15 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include justice, righteousness. Notable phrases: justifies the wicked; condemns the righteous; abomination to Yahweh.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 17:15 mean to you, today?
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