Proverbs 26:24-28
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It's easy to read this verse as someone simply saying nice things while secretly hating you. But the Hebrew word translated as "disguises" here actually means to act like a stranger or to make oneself unrecognizable, suggesting a far more deliberate and calculated act of deception than just polite lies. This isn't just about fake kindness; it's about actively masking true malice behind an unfamiliar, friendly face to ensure the target is completely unsuspecting.
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. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a section in Proverbs that warns against deceitful speech and hidden malice. It immediately follows verses describing the folly of dismissing fools and the danger of giving a fool his desires. Here, the focus sharpens on the specific hypocrisy of someone who outwardly pretends kindness while inwardly harboring hatred, setting the stage for warnings about the destructive nature of such hidden wickedness in the following verses.
Ever felt like someone's words didn't match their actions? This verse dives deep into that kind of hidden hostility.
The verse paints a picture of someone who is inwardly hostile but outwardly presents a false front. The Hebrew word here can mean 'to act like a stranger' or 'to disguise oneself.' So, when someone hates another, they don't openly show it. Instead, they 'disguise' themselves with their lips, meaning they use pleasant words, kind speech, and even pretend friendship to hide their true feelings. It's a deliberate act of deception, designed to make their hatred unrecognizable.
It's not just about what you say, but what you're planning while you say it. This verse unpacks that dangerous combination.
The second part of the verse reveals the true motive behind the deceptive words: 'and harbors deceit in his heart.' This isn't just a slip of the tongue; it's a deep-seated intention to trick and harm. The person isn't just hiding their hatred; they are actively 'laying up' or storing away deceit. This implies a calculated, ongoing effort to plan and execute treachery, all while maintaining a facade of kindness. The lips speak one thing, but the heart is busy plotting something entirely different.
Understand the original words
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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.
lashon sheqer · Hebrew Noun phrase
An act of communication that purposefully deviates from the truth. In biblical wisdom literature, it is viewed as a source of discord, destruction, and moral decay, serving as a primary tool of the wicked.
peh machaliq · Hebrew Noun phrase
Speech characterized by excessive, insincere praise often used to manipulate or gain personal advantage. It is depicted in Scripture as a form of moral corruption that blinds the victim and ensnares the speaker.
madcheh · Hebrew Noun
The state of being destroyed, brought to nothing, or ruined. In Proverbs, it refers to the inevitable catastrophic consequence that follows sinful behavior and rejection of God's wisdom.
This passage describes someone whose words are smooth and peaceful, but whose heart is full of hostility, mirroring the deceptive speech and hidden malice of the person described in Proverbs.
Matthew 23:27-28Jesus likens the Pharisees to whitewashed tombs, outwardly beautiful but inwardly full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness, highlighting the theme of outward pretense masking inner corruption.
Romans 16:17-18Paul warns believers about those who cause divisions and create disturbances by their teaching, urging them to be wise about the simple and innocent regarding evil, connecting to the idea of hidden deceit.
2 Samuel 3:27This verse recounts Joab's treacherous murder of Abner immediately after he had spoken peaceably to him, illustrating the dangerous reality of hidden hatred manifesting in deceitful actions.
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…
It's easy to read this verse as someone simply saying nice things while secretly hating you. But the Hebrew word translated as "disguises" here actually means to act like a stranger or to make oneself unrecognizable, suggesting a far more deliberate and calculated act of deception than just polite lies. This isn't just about fake kindness; it's about actively masking true malice behind an unfamiliar, friendly face to ensure the target is completely unsuspecting.
This passage is part of a section in Proverbs that warns against deceitful speech and hidden malice. It immediately follows verses describing the folly of dismissing fools and the danger of giving a fool his desires. Here, the focus sharpens on the specific hypocrisy of someone who outwardly pretends kindness while inwardly harboring hatred, setting the stage for warnings about the destructive nature of such hidden wickedness in the following verses.
This passage is part of a section in Proverbs that warns against deceitful speech and hidden malice. It immediately follows verses describing the folly of dismissing fools and the danger of giving a fool his desires. Here, the focus sharpens on the specific hypocrisy of someone who outwardly pretends kindness while inwardly harboring hatred, setting the stage for warnings about the destructive nature of such hidden wickedness in the following verses.
"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,…" — It's easy to read this verse as someone simply saying nice things while secretly hating you. But the Hebrew word translated as "disguises" here actually means to act like a stranger or to make onesel…
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Last reviewed October 2026
