The Meaning of Proverbs 17:15 Explained

Proverbs 17:15

KJV: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

YLT: Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these are an abomination to Jehovah.

Darby: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are abomination to Jehovah.

ASV: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that justifieth  the wicked,  and he that condemneth  the just,  even they both  [are] abomination  to the LORD. 

What does Proverbs 17:15 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 17

1  Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked

What do the individual words in Proverbs 17:15 mean?

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just [are] an abomination to Yahweh alike the two of them
מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם

מַצְדִּ֣יק  He  who  justifies 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָדַק  
Sense: to be just, be righteous.
רָ֭שָׁע  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ  and  he  who  condemns 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָשַׁע  
Sense: to be wicked, act wickedly.
צַדִּ֑יק  the  just 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת  [are]  an  abomination  to 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּועֵבָה  
Sense: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
גַּם־  alike 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
שְׁנֵיהֶֽם  the  two  of  them 
Parse: Number, mdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.