Proverbs 26:24-26
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This verse reveals that genuine hatred isn't openly declared, but is instead carefully disguised with smooth words, showing that a deceitful heart often hides behind the appearance of kindness. The hatred isn't just a fleeting emotion; it's "laid up," meaning it's deliberately stored and nurtured in secret.
Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears within a section of Proverbs that offers sharp, often counter-intuitive observations about fools and their destructive behavior. It follows warnings about responding to fools in ways that make you like them, and precedes verses that expose the danger of flattering speech and the hidden traps set by those who plot harm. The passage is highlighting how malice can be disguised with pleasant words, urging the reader to see beyond outward appearances.
Ever felt betrayed by someone who seemed like a friend? This verse unpacks how deep-seated hatred can hide behind a smile and kind words.
The verse paints a stark picture: hatred isn't always loud or obvious. Instead, it often wears a mask. The Hebrew word used here can mean 'to act like a stranger' or 'to disguise oneself.'
This means someone harboring ill will doesn't typically confront you directly. Instead, they pretend to be friendly, using their words like a disguise. They might offer compliments, reassurances, or even expressions of concern, all while nursing deceit in their heart. It's a calculated act, designed to keep their true feelings hidden, making their eventual betrayal all the more potent.
Why go to such lengths to hide hatred? This verse reveals the insidious nature of concealed ill will.
The second part of the verse tells us the hater 'harbors deceit in his heart.' The word for 'harbors' or 'lays up' suggests something intentionally stored away, like a hidden treasure or a carefully planned scheme.
This isn't just passive deceit; it's active planning. The person isn't just feeling deceitful; they are cultivating it. They are setting traps, devising ways to harm or undermine the object of their hatred, all while maintaining a facade of goodwill. Their lips speak peace, but their heart is busy plotting destruction. This makes the deceit even more dangerous because it's premeditated and deep-seated.
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Understand the original words
sane · Hebrew Verb
Refers to an attitude of hatred or malice towards others. It is the active opposite of the command to love one's neighbor and is often characterized by bitterness and resentment.
nakar · Hebrew Verb
To conceal, mask, or act in a way that hides one's true intentions or nature. It implies a calculated effort to appear differently than one truly is.
mirmah · Hebrew Noun
The quality of being misleading, dishonest, or treacherous. It is the deliberate attempt to deceive others and is strongly condemned throughout Scripture.
to'ebah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to something that is truly detestable to God. It highlights things that are morally repulsive and completely incompatible with His holiness, often associated with idolatry or severe social sins.
sin’ah · Hebrew Noun
An intense, often irrational, feeling of hostility, malice, or ill will directed toward others, which is fundamentally contrary to God's command to love one's neighbor. In Scripture, it is often associated with murder and spiritual darkness.
massa’on · Hebrew Noun
A deliberate misrepresentation of the truth intended to mislead, manipulate, or hide reality. It is condemned in Scripture as an attribute of the enemy and a practice that opposes the nature of God, who is Truth.
ra’ah · Hebrew Noun
Moral corruption, evil behavior, or deliberate wrongdoing. It represents a state or action that is contrary to God’s holy standards and inevitably invites divine judgment.
qahal · Hebrew Noun
The congregation or public community of God's people. It is the place where matters are brought to light, where justice is sought, and where the community discerns truth from falsehood.
This Psalm describes intense betrayal from someone close, whose words were 'smoother than butter' but whose heart was war, perfectly mirroring the deceptive speech of hidden hatred.
Matthew 23:27-28Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their outward cleanliness and inward corruption, comparing them to whitewashed tombs – a powerful image of hypocrisy and hidden deceit that aligns with the verse's theme.
Romans 16:17-18Paul warns believers about those who cause divisions and discord, urging them to be 'innocent concerning evil' and to watch out for those who, with 'flattering and fair speech,' deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
1 John 3:15This verse directly states that 'anyone who hates a brother is a murderer,' highlighting the deadly nature of inner malice, which Proverbs 26:24 shows is often masked by deceptive words.
pooleProverbs 26:24: "He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;"
Dissembleth, or, carrieth himself like another man; pretends love and kindness; which sense seems to agree best both with the next clause of this verse, and with the two following verses,
gillProverbs 26:24: "He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;"
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips,.... He that bears a grudge in his mind, and retains hatred in his heart against any person, hides it all he can, till he has an opportunity of showing it as he would; he pretends a great deal of friendship with his lips, that his hatred might not be known; he would be thought to be a friend, when he is really an enemy; he does not choose as yet to make himself k…
This verse reveals that genuine hatred isn't openly declared, but is instead carefully disguised with smooth words, showing that a deceitful heart often hides behind the appearance of kindness. The hatred isn't just a fleeting emotion; it's "laid up," meaning it's deliberately stored and nurtured in secret.
This verse appears within a section of Proverbs that offers sharp, often counter-intuitive observations about fools and their destructive behavior. It follows warnings about responding to fools in ways that make you like them, and precedes verses that expose the danger of flattering speech and the hidden traps set by those who plot harm. The passage is highlighting how malice can be disguised with pleasant words, urging the reader to see beyond outward appearances.
This verse appears within a section of Proverbs that offers sharp, often counter-intuitive observations about fools and their destructive behavior. It follows warnings about responding to fools in ways that make you like them, and precedes verses that expose the danger of flattering speech and the hidden traps set by those who plot harm. The passage is highlighting how malice can be disguised with pleasant words, urging the reader to see beyond outward appearances.
"Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception,…" — This verse reveals that genuine hatred isn't openly declared, but is instead carefully disguised with smooth words, showing that a deceitful heart often hides behind the appearance of kindness. The h…
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Last reviewed October 2026
