“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.”
My Notes
What Does Proverbs 17:15 Mean?
"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD." Solomon names two opposite actions and gives them the same verdict: abomination. Both are equally detestable to God.
"Justifieth the wicked" (matsdiq rasha) — to declare the guilty innocent, to acquit the one who should be condemned. This could describe a corrupt judge taking bribes, a community that celebrates someone's sin, or any situation where wrong is called right. "Condemneth the just" (marshia tsaddiq) — to declare the innocent guilty, to punish someone who has done right. False accusations, scapegoating, persecution of the righteous.
"Abomination" (to'evah) is the strongest word for moral revulsion in Hebrew. It's the same word used for idolatry and the most serious covenant violations. God doesn't just disapprove of inverted justice. He finds it detestable — on the level of idol worship.
The pairing matters. We instinctively understand that condemning the innocent is wrong. But Solomon gives equal weight to justifying the wicked. Letting the guilty off the hook isn't mercy — it's abomination. Both inversions of justice grieve God equally because both corrupt the moral order He established.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where do you see 'justifying the wicked' happening in your world — people being celebrated or defended for things that are clearly wrong?
- 2.Have you ever been condemned for doing the right thing? How did you process that experience?
- 3.What's the difference between showing mercy to a wrongdoer and justifying their wickedness? Where does that line get blurry?
- 4.Solomon uses the word 'abomination.' How does the strength of that language change the way you think about inverted justice?
Devotional
We live in a world that constantly inverts justice in both directions. Some people who've done terrible things are celebrated, defended, and given platforms. And some people who've done the right thing are punished, silenced, and accused. Solomon says God finds both equally revolting.
The first inversion — justifying the wicked — is the one we often miss. Because it can look like compassion. Like grace. Like being non-judgmental. But there's a difference between showing mercy to someone who's repentant and declaring that what they did wasn't wrong. Mercy acknowledges the sin and chooses to forgive. Justification of the wicked pretends the sin didn't happen. One is grace. The other is abomination.
The second — condemning the just — is the one that stings when you're on the receiving end. If you've ever been punished for doing the right thing, accused falsely, or watched someone righteous get torn down, Solomon wants you to know: God doesn't just notice. He's revolted by it. Your false condemnation isn't something God shrugs at. It's something He categorizes with idol worship in terms of how deeply it offends Him.
Both inversions share the same root: calling something what it isn't. Calling evil good. Calling good evil. Isaiah 5:20 carries the same warning. The moral order isn't negotiable. And the God who established it takes its corruption personally.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,.... That absolves and clears the guilty, and pronounces…
People need to be warned against an unjust acquittal, no less than against unjust condemnation. The word “justifieth”…
This shows what an offence it is to God, 1. When those that are entrusted with the administration of public justice,…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture