Hate; Hatred

hat, ha'-tred (verb, sane', "oftenest," saTam, Gen 27:41, etc.; noun, sin'ah; miseo): A feeling of strong antagonism and dislike, generally malevolent and prompting to injury (the opposite of love); sometimes born of moral resentment. Alike in the Old Testament and New Testament, hate of the malevolent sort is unsparingly condemned (Num 35:20; Ps 109:5; Prov 10:12; Titus 3:3; Titus 3:1), but in the Old Testament hatred of evil and evil-doers, purged of personal malice, is commended (Ps 97:10; Ps 101:3; Ps 139:21; Ps 139:22, etc.). The New Testament law softens this feeling as regards persons, bringing it under the higher law of love (Matt 5:43; Matt 5:14; compare Rom 12:17-21), while intensifying the hatred of evil (Jude 1:23; Rev 2:6). God himself is hated by the wicked (Exod 20:5; Ps 139:21; compare Rom 8:7). Sometimes, however, the word "hate" is used hyperbolically in a relative sense to express only the strong preference of one to another. God loved Jacob, but hated Esau (Mal 1:3; Rom 9:13); father and mother are to be hated in comparison with Christ (Luke 14:26; compare Matt 10:37).

See ENMITY.

James Orr