Proverbs 16:6
By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easily missed here is that "mercy and truth" aren't presented as human actions that earn atonement, but rather as qualities through which God's atonement is received. It's by God's faithful love and His truth in fulfilling promises, accessed through a repentant heart, that sin is covered, not by our own efforts.
This verse comes as Solomon continues his collection of wisdom, offering advice on how to live a life pleasing to God and how to navigate the world. It follows discussions about the importance of trusting the Lord and bringing our plans before Him, setting up this thought about the basis of true atonement and the result of fearing God.
The verse says "steadfast love and faithfulness" atone for sin. Does that mean your love and faithfulness? Let's dig in!
The first part of this verse, "By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for," is crucial for understanding how sin is dealt with. While it might sound like it's talking about our efforts, the deeper meaning points to God's own character and actions.
God's Initiative
The verse then pivots to the 'fear of the Lord.' What kind of fear are we talking about, and how does it lead us away from evil?
The second half of the verse, 'by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil,' highlights the practical outworking of encountering God's mercy and faithfulness.
Understanding 'Fear of the Lord'
Understand the original words
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A covenantal attribute of God representing loyal, committed, and persistent love; it is often translated as 'lovingkindness' or 'mercy' and reflects God's active, faithful devotion to His people.
emeth · Hebrew Noun
Relates to truth, reliability, and stability; it describes the character of one who is trustworthy, constant, and in alignment with God’s revealed truth.
avon · Hebrew Noun
Moral perversion, twistedness, or guilt; it refers to acts that miss the mark of God's holiness and require a means of covering or payment to be rectified.
kaphar · Hebrew Verb
To cover, cleanse, or make reconciliation; it implies the removing of the barrier created by sin between God and humanity, ultimately pointing toward the sacrificial work of Christ.
This passage echoes Proverbs 16:6 by highlighting that God requires 'justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God,' rather than just sacrifices, showing how our moral actions are tied to true atonement.
Psalm 51:17King David, after his sin, offers 'a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise,' indicating that a contrite spirit, which embodies mercy and faithfulness towards God, is what God accepts for atonement, not mere ritual.
Romans 3:23-26The New Testament reveals that iniquity is truly purged through God's mercy and faithfulness shown in Jesus Christ, who is 'set forth as a propitiation by his blood, to show his righteousness.'
Proverbs 3:3-4This earlier Proverb speaks of not letting 'steadfast love and faithfulness' leave you, linking these very qualities to being held in honor, reinforcing their importance in how we relate to God and others.
Hosea 6:6The prophet Hosea directly critiques reliance on ritual, stating 'I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings,' aligning with Proverbs' emphasis on inner qualities over outward rites for atonement.
ellicottProverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil."
(6) Mercy and truth.— See above on Proverbs 3:3 . Mercy and truth cannot, of course, in themselves “purge iniquity,” only so far as they are signs of the “faith which worketh by love” ( Galatians 5:6 ), which accepts the salvation offered by God ( Romans 1:16-17 ). (Comp. the statement with regard to charity, 1Peter 4:8 .) By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.—Or, rather, escape mis…
pooleProverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil."
By mercy and truth; either, 1. By God’s mercy or grace, and by his truth in performing his promises made to sinners in Christ. Or, 2. By men’s mercy and truth, as those very words are jointly used, Proverbs 3:3 20:28 , and elsewhere; and as, in the following clause, the fear of the Lord is a grace or disposition in men; by a merciful, and just, and faithful frame of heart and course of life…
What's easily missed here is that "mercy and truth" aren't presented as human actions that earn atonement, but rather as qualities through which God's atonement is received. It's by God's faithful love and His truth in fulfilling promises, accessed through a repentant heart, that sin is covered, not by our own efforts.
This verse comes as Solomon continues his collection of wisdom, offering advice on how to live a life pleasing to God and how to navigate the world. It follows discussions about the importance of trusting the Lord and bringing our plans before Him, setting up this thought about the basis of true atonement and the result of fearing God.
This verse comes as Solomon continues his collection of wisdom, offering advice on how to live a life pleasing to God and how to navigate the world. It follows discussions about the importance of trusting the Lord and bringing our plans before Him, setting up this thought about the of true atonement and the of fearing God.
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yirah · Hebrew Noun
A reverential, awe-filled submission to the authority, holiness, and majesty of God; it is the foundational posture of wisdom that results in obedience and departure from wickedness.
ra · Hebrew Noun
Moral evil, wickedness, or calamity; it denotes that which is harmful to the soul, contrary to God's nature, and destructive to one's relationship with Him.
"By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil." — What's easily missed here is that "mercy and truth" aren't presented as human actions that earn atonement, but rather as qualities through which God's atonement is received. It's by God's faithful…
