Proverbs 6:17 names three things that the LORD hates: pride in the eyes, lying speech, and hands that kill the innocent. The verse is a short list in a longer warning, and its purpose is to show the kinds of wrongdoing that stand most directly against God’s character and against the wellbeing of other people. It is spoken by a wise parent or teacher to a young man, addressing him as “my son” in the surrounding passage.
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood…
Proverbs 6:17 (WEB)
What Proverbs 6:17 Means
The verse begins with “haughty eyes,” a picture of someone who looks down on others and carries an attitude of superiority. In Hebrew wisdom literature, proud eyes often signal an arrogant heart that thinks it needs neither God nor anyone else. The second item, “a lying tongue,” points to speech that deceives, distorts, or betrays trust. The third, “hands that shed innocent blood,” describes actual violence against people who have done no wrong.
What the verse does not do is offer a complete catalogue of sins or a formula for measuring how bad a person is. The seven items in the wider passage are representative, not exhaustive. It also does not promise that every proud or dishonest person will face immediate ruin, though Proverbs as a whole teaches that such paths tend to end badly. The verse is best read as a clear statement of what God opposes, offered to help the reader choose a different way of living.
The Context of Proverbs 6:17
The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings, traditionally attributed to Solomon, who is credited with much of its material, along with other contributors. It is addressed to young people learning how to live well before God, and much of its teaching is framed as a father’s instruction to his son. The sayings are practical as well as moral, aiming at shaping daily choices, friendships, speech, and work.
Just before the verse, the passage describes a person whose heart is full of perversity and who “sows discord,” and it warns that such a person’s calamity will come suddenly. The verse then lists what God hates, and the passage ends by returning to the son, urging him to keep his father’s commandment and not forsake his mother’s teaching. Read this way, the list is not a random set of offenses. It is a portrait of the corrupt character the young man is being warned to avoid.
Key Phrases in Proverbs 6:17
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
(WEB)
This verse connects directly to the “haughty eyes” of Proverbs 6:17 by linking pride with downfall. Reading the two together helps show that humility is not weakness but a safeguard against ruin.
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who do the truth are his delight.
(WEB)
This verse expands the concern about lying in Proverbs 6:17 by stating plainly that the Lord delights in people who act faithfully. It reinforces that honesty is central to a life that pleases God.
A Short Prayer From Proverbs 6:17
Lord, you see the pride in my heart more clearly than I do. Show me where I look down on others, and teach me to see them as you do. Guard my tongue from deceit and from careless words, and help me speak what is true and kind. Keep my hands from harm, and let my life honor the people you have made. Give me a humble heart that seeks your wisdom every day. Amen.