There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.
(Prov 6:16-19)
Q: Six things or seven; which is it? What exactly is Solomon saying here?
A: This is what's known as a Semitic expression, similar to those we frequently use in English. For example, it is not uncommon to hear someone say: "It's six on one hand and half a dozen on the other." In other words, it is essentially the same either way you look at the matter.
"There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him," simply means the list is incomplete. Solomon begins with the sins of the flesh that are the most serious infractions against God, but there are many, many more which follow. Interestingly, the first sin Solomon mentions is not murder, but pride. Also, the list of sins seems to follow closely the order that they took place in the early chapters of Genesis.
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