The term "loathes" in the biblical context refers to a strong feeling of disgust or intense aversion. This emotion is often directed towards sin, idolatry, or actions that are contrary to God's commandments. The Bible uses this term to describe both God's attitude towards sin and the appropriate response of the faithful towards evil.

Divine Loathing of Sin

God's holiness and righteousness are fundamentally opposed to sin, and this is reflected in His loathing of sinful practices. In Leviticus 20:23, God warns the Israelites, "You must not walk in the customs of the nations that I am driving out before you, because they did all these things, and I loathed them." Here, God's loathing is directed towards the abominable practices of the pagan nations, emphasizing His desire for His people to remain pure and set apart.

Similarly, in Proverbs 6:16-19, a list of things that the Lord hates is provided, which includes "a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren." These are not merely disliked but are loathed by God, indicating the severity of these sins.

Human Response to Evil

Believers are called to mirror God's attitude towards sin by loathing evil. In Romans 12:9, Paul exhorts the church, "Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good." This command to detest, or loathe, evil is a call to reject sin and embrace righteousness wholeheartedly.

The psalmist also expresses a personal loathing for falsehood and wickedness. In Psalm 119:163, he declares, "I hate and loathe falsehood, but Your law I love." This juxtaposition highlights the believer's commitment to truth and God's commandments, contrasting it with a strong aversion to deceit and sin.

Idolatry and Apostasy

Idolatry, as a form of spiritual adultery, is particularly loathed by God. In Ezekiel 6:9, God speaks of the Israelites' idolatry, saying, "Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember Me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from Me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their abominations."

This passage not only reflects God's loathing of idolatry but also the self-loathing that comes upon the people when they recognize their sin and its consequences. It serves as a call to repentance and a return to faithfulness.

Conclusion

The concept of loathing in the Bible underscores the seriousness with which God views sin and the expected response of His people. It is a powerful reminder of the need for holiness and the rejection of anything that stands in opposition to God's will.2092. zaham -- to be foul, loathsome
... 2091, 2092. zaham. 2093 . to be foul, loathsome. Transliteration: zaham Phonetic
Spelling: (zaw-ham') Short Definition: loathes. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2092.htm - 5k

947. bus -- to tread down, trample
... root Definition to tread down, trample NASB Word Usage loathes (1), squirming (2),
trample (1), trample down (1), trampled (1), trampled down (1), tread down (2 ...
/hebrew/947.htm - 6k

What Self Deserves
... self-loathing? First, then:". I. WHAT IS IT THAT THE PARDONED SINNER LOATHES?
You will perceive that he is a pardoned sinner. The ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/what self deserves.htm

Blessed are they that Mourn
... The sinner admires himself. The penitent loathes himself. ... this heart which is a
conclave of wickedness! He not only leaves sin but loathes sin. ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/6 blessed are they that.htm

Attributes of Love.
... His sensibility sympathizes with the intellect. He loathes the sinfulness
of drinking strong drink, and himself on account of it. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xiii attributes of love.htm

Book iv Thus Gently Sang the Lady Philosophy with Dignified Mien ...
... Yea, airy wings are mine to scale the heights of heaven; when these the min
d has donned, swiftly she loathes and spurns this earth. ...
/.../boethius/the consolation of philosophy/book iv thus gently sang.htm

There Is, Let us Say, a Certain Filthy Rookery in Hoxton...
... England. To get men out of a rookery men are put into a tenement; and at
the beginning the healthy human soul loathes them both. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 9 there is let.htm

"Nunc Dimittis"
... The flesh clings to the earth"it is dust, and owns affluity to the ground out
of which it was taken; it loathes to part from mother earth. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/nunc dimittis.htm

Your Own Salvation
... He learns that it is evil, and he regards it as such, loathes it, repents that he
has ever been in love with it, turns his back upon it, becomes, through God's ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/your own salvation.htm

Walamir and St. Telemachus
... As I told him the state of things in Constantinople he fretted and fumed with
indignation. He loathes the very name of Constantinople. ...
/.../chapter lix walamir and st.htm

Christmas Day
... day, which aye reminds us, year by year, What 'tis to be a man: to curb and spurn
The tyrant in us; that ignobler self Which boasts, not loathes, its likeness ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/christmas day.htm

Moses Despondent
... He is overwhelmed with the work; feels his own utter impotence; has himself to
be strengthened; loathes his work; longs for release from it. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/moses despondent.htm

Loathes (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Loathes (4 Occurrences). ... For there is no bread, and there
is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread." (WEB DBY). ...
/l/loathes.htm - 7k

Loathed (13 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 16:45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathes her husband and her
children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands ...
/l/loathed.htm - 10k

Loathest (1 Occurrence)

/l/loathest.htm - 6k

Loathe (19 Occurrences)
... For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread."
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV). Job 7:16 I loathe my life. ...
/l/loathe.htm - 12k

Detest (15 Occurrences)
... in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our
soul loathes this light bread." (See NIV). Deuteronomy 7 ...
/d/detest.htm - 10k

Miserable (11 Occurrences)
... the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul
loathes this light bread." (See NAS NIV). Deuteronomy ...
/m/miserable.htm - 10k

Sisters (20 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 16:45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathes her husband and her
children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands ...
/s/sisters.htm - 13k

Honeycomb (9 Occurrences)
... RSV). Proverbs 27:7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul,
every bitter thing is sweet. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT). ...
/h/honeycomb.htm - 9k

Worthless (103 Occurrences)
... in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our
soul loathes this light bread." (See RSV). Deuteronomy 13 ...
/w/worthless.htm - 35k

Hittite (45 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 16:45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathes her husband and her
children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands ...
/h/hittite.htm - 22k

What is misotheism? What is a misotheist? | GotQuestions.org

What is an abomination? | GotQuestions.org

Why is leprosy talked about so much in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus