Hate; Hatred

hat, ha'-tred (verb, sane', "oftenest," saTam, Ge 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 (Nu 35:20; Ps 109:5; Pr 10:12; Tit 3:3; 1Jo 3:15), but in the Old Testament hatred of evil and evil-doers, purged of personal malice, is commended (Ps 97:10; 101:3; 139:21-22, etc.). The New Testament law softens this feeling as regards persons, bringing it under the higher law of love (Mt 5:43,14; compare Ro 12:17-21), while intensifying the hatred of evil (Jude 1:23; Re 2:6). God himself is hated by the wicked (Ex 20:5; Ps 139:21; compare Ro 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; Ro 9:13); father and mother are to be hated in comparison with Christ (Lu 14:26; compare Mt 10:37).

See ENMITY.

James Orr