💡WEB · Proverbs 16:5
What does Proverbs 16:5 mean?
"Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh: they shall certainly not be unpunished."
— Proverbs 16:5 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weighs the motives.
Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed.
Yahweh has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh: they shall certainly not be unpunished.
By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.
When a man’s ways please Yahweh, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
Explanation
Proverbs 16:5 states plainly that God views pride as detestable, and that those who harbor it will not escape consequences. In plain language, the verse teaches two things: first, that an arrogant, self-exalting heart is not a minor character flaw in God's eyes but something he actively finds repugnant; second, that pride does not go unnoticed or unaddressed—there is an assurance of accountability built into the moral order God has established.
This proverb comes from the collection traditionally attributed to Solomon, part of a large body of wisdom literature written to instruct young people—often addressed as "my son"—in how to live skillfully and rightly before God. Proverbs frequently uses the phrase "abomination to Yahweh" (or "the LORD") to mark out attitudes and actions that stand in direct opposition to God's character, such as dishonest scales, lying lips, or perverse hearts. This phrase appears repeatedly throughout the book (see 6:16-19, 11:1, 12:22) as a rhetorical device to press home the seriousness of certain sins, pride being chief among them.
Theologically, this verse reflects a consistent biblical theme: God resists the proud. Pride, at its root, is a heart posture that refuses to acknowledge dependence on God—it exalts self, seeks autonomy, and often looks down on others. Because God is the source of all wisdom, life, and blessing, a heart puffed up with self-sufficiency is fundamentally out of step with reality as God has made it. The verse also reflects the broader wisdom-
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