What is an “abomination” to the LORD? What does the LORD “abhor”…”detest”… “despise”… or “loathe”?

All these are reasonable translations of the Hebrew words “to’ab” (the verb) or “tow’ebah” (the noun).

And we know — don’t we? — what such things are. We’ve been reading the Bible for some time; and it is plain. The LORD “abhors” or “abominates” the vilest, most sickening, and most disgusting of sins: the ones we can hardly mention, or surely don’t want to think about.

And that is true… but it’s only part of the truth.

Here is the whole truth (at least, insofar as an exhaustive Hebrew concordance can yield it):

• Of course, the LORD abhors, or “abominates”:

  • Incestuous sexual relations of any sort (Lev 18:6-17; Eze 22:11).
  • Committing adultery with your neighbor’s wife (Lev 18:20; Eze 22:11; Eze 23:37; 33:26).
  • Sacrificing your children in the fire to Molech (Lev 18:21; Deu 12:31; 18:10; 2Ki 16:13; 2Ch 28:3; Jer 32:35; Eze 23:37; Psa 106:37,38).
  • Male homosexual behavior (Lev 18:22; 20:13).
  • Sexual relations with an animal (Lev 18:23).
  • The images of the false gods of the Canaanite peoples, and even the gold and silver on the images (Deu 7:25; 32:16; Isa 44:19; Eze 11:18,21).
  • Encouraging others to worship idols (Deu 13:13,14).
  • Worshipping other gods (Deu 17:2-6; Jer 16:18; 44:4,5; Eze 5:9,11; 6:9,11; 7:3-9; 16:36; Eze 23:37; Psa 106:38).
  • Anyone who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead (Deu 18:10-12).
  • Female prostitutes, and male prostitutes (Deu 23:18; 1Ki 14:24; Eze 16:22).
  • Lewdness (Eze 16:43,58).
  • Carving an image or casting an idol (Deu 27:15; Eze 7:20; all of Eze 8).
  • Building altars to Baal and Asherah poles (2Ki 21:3), to Ashtoreth and Chemosh and Molech (2Ki 23:13), and to “all the starry hosts” of heaven (2Ch 33:3).
  • Shedding innocent blood (Pro 6:17).

But the LORD also abhors, and considers “abominable”:

  • Taking your wife’s sister as a second or rival wife, while your wife is living (Lev 18:18).
  • Having sexual relations during the uncleanness of the woman’s monthly period (Lev 18:19).
  • Eating any of the foods on the extended “non-kosher” list, including rabbits, oysters, shellfish of various sorts, and — especially — pigs: bacon, ham, pork, pork sausage, the whole lot! (Deu 14).
  • Sacrificing to the LORD any animal with any defect or flaw in it (Deu 17:1).
  • A woman wearing men’s clothing, or a man wearing women’s clothing (Deu 22:5).
  • A man remarrying a woman whom he has divorced, after she has been married and divorced by a second man (Deu 24:1-4).
  • Bringing foreigners into the sanctuary of the LORD (Eze 44:7).

This article is analyzing all the usages of the primary Hebrew words for “abomination”. We realize, of course, that the above seven items are included here for the sake of completeness alone. These seven items especially pertain to the keeping of the Law of Moses by the Jews in Old Testament times. We also realize that, outside of the period when that Law was in force for the LORD’s people, these particular “abominations” do not apply. Most particular in this matter is the prohibition of certain kinds of foods. This prohibition — and hence the “abomination” for violating it — was explicitly put to the side by an angel of the LORD, who told the apostle Peter: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15). And also by the Lord Jesus Christ, who told his disciples: “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean? (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods ‘clean’)” (Mark 7:18,19; cf Rom 14:14; 1Cor 8:8). That is not all. The LORD ALSO detests these “abominations” as well (exactly the same Hebrew words are used in the immediate context, in each case):

  • Dishonest business practices (differing weights and measures) (Deu 25:13-16; Pro 11:1; 20:10,23).
  • A perverse man, one who is “crooked” (deceptive, dishonest) in his ways (Pro 3:32); 11:26).
  • Pride, as well as those who are proud or arrogant (Pro 6:17; 16:5).
  • Lying, and those who tell lies (Pro 6:17; 12:22).
  • A heart that devises wicked schemes (Pro 6:18).
  • A false witness — as in a judicial setting (Pro 6:19).
  • Anyone who stirs up dissension among brothers (Pro 6:19).
  • Sacrifices offered by wicked, rebellious people (Pro 15:8; 21:27; Isa 1:13 and context).
  • All the ways (the lifestyle) of the wicked (Pro 15:9).
  • Even the thoughts of the wicked (Pro 15:26).
  • Acquitting the guilty, in a judicial setting (Pro 17:15).
  • Condemning the innocent, in a judicial setting (Pro 17:15).
  • Even the prayers of those who ignore the Law of God (Pro 28:9).
  • Deceitful men (Psa 5:6).
  • Men who say IN THEIR HEARTS, “There is no God!” (Psa 14:1; 53:1).
  • Mingling with the nations and adopting their customs (Psa 106:35).
  • Those who are greedy for gain (Jer 6:13,15).
  • Religious leaders who practice deceit (Jer 6:13,15).
  • The hypocrisy of committing grievous sins, and then running back to the house of the LORD and saying, “Now we are safe!” — in other words, cheap “grace”, or hypocritical “repentance” and “absolution” (Jer 7:9,10).
  • Those who turn away from God in their hearts, but still claim to keep His Law (Jer 8:4-12).
  • Oppressing the poor and the needy (Eze 18:12).
  • Robbery (Eze 18:12).
  • Not honoring a pledge (Eze 18:12).
  • Taking excessive interest (Eze 18:13). “Will such a man live? He will not!”
  • “Marrying the daughter of a foreign god” (Mal 2:11).
  • Being “arrogant”, and “not helping the poor and needy” (Eze 16:47,49,52).