What Does ‘Hate’ Really Mean in the Bible? Understanding Biblical Language

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You’re reading through your morning devotions when you hit Psalm 5:5: “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.” You pause mid-sip of coffee. Wait—doesn’t God love everyone? Didn’t Jesus die for sinners? Your heart sinks a little as you wonder: Does God actually hate people? Does He hate me when I mess up? And if He does—what does that mean for everything I believed about His love?

If you’ve ever felt that uncomfortable tension, you’re not alone. I’ve sat across from countless believers who’ve wrestled with these same questions, their faces reflecting the confusion you might be feeling right now. Here’s what I want you to know: that discomfort you’re experiencing isn’t a sign of weak faith—it’s the Holy Spirit pointing you toward one of the most important Bible study skills you can develop: understanding how biblical language works.

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The Problem with Our English Word “Hate”

When we read “hate” in our English Bibles, we automatically think of our modern understanding of the word—that burning, emotional animosity we feel toward something truly awful. But here’s what might surprise you: the words in the original Hebrew and Greek mean something quite different from what we expect.

Now, I know what you might be thinking— “Do I need to know about Hebrew and Greek to understand my Bible?” The answer is yes and no, but this one insight will transform how you read dozens of challenging passages.

In the Hebrew Old Testament, the word translated as “hate” is sane. This Hebrew word carries a much wider range of meanings than our English “hate.” Instead of burning with anger, think of a gentle yet firm rejection. Instead of fury, picture deliberately turning away.

When ancient Israelites heard this word, they pictured someone deliberately turning their back on something harmful rather than someone seething with rage. For instance, when Genesis describes family tensions, it often uses this word to describe choosing one person over another, not hatred in our emotional sense.

Understanding Biblical Greek: The Word Miseo

The Greek New Testament carries this same understanding forward, but with an important addition. The word is miseo. Sometimes it means hate like we understand it. But most often, it simply means “to love less.”

Here’s a perfect example. Jesus said in Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”

Was Jesus telling us to hate our families? Of course not. That would be a contradiction with other biblical teachings. He was saying our love for Him should be so overwhelming that everything else looks like “less love” by comparison. The Greek word often describes choosing one thing over another or deliberately separating yourself from something harmful.

Stay with me here—this is going to change how you read some of Jesus’s most confusing statements.

What Psalm 5:5 Really Means

Let’s go back to that troubling verse: “You hate all who do wrong.” To understand what David meant, we need to know he wrote this psalm during a time of intense personal danger. Enemies were plotting against him. Spreading lies. Trying to destroy him. David wasn’t writing theology in a seminary classroom—he was crying out to God from a place of real threat and betrayal.

So, when David declares that God “hates all who do wrong,” what is he saying about God’s character? He wasn’t describing emotional fury. He was declaring God’s holy nature that must, by its very character, turn away from evil. In his moment of crisis, David found comfort knowing that God stands opposed to injustice and wickedness.

Think about it this way: imagine the most loving parent you know discovering their child playing with something dangerous, maybe a sharp knife or toxic chemicals. The parents’ immediate response isn’t hatred of the child. It’s rejection of the dangerous behavior and swift action to create distance between the child and the harmful thing. The parents’ love doesn’t allow them to tolerate the dangerous situation; they must actively oppose it to protect what they treasure most.

Or think about a spouse who “hates” seeing their partner struggle with addiction. The hatred isn’t directed at the person but at the destructive behavior that’s harming someone they love deeply.

Here’s the thing about God’s perfect holiness—it literally cannot be in the same space as evil. Think about turning on a light in a dark room. The darkness doesn’t fight the light or argue with it. It simply cannot exist where light is present. It’s not personal animosity—it’s the natural response of perfect goodness encountering its opposite.

The Bigger Picture of God’s Character

Now you might be wondering: “If that’s what hate means in Hebrew and Greek, what does this tell us about God Himself?” Understanding this biblical language changes everything about how we read difficult passages.

When God says He “hated Esau” in Malachi 1:3, He’s not describing divine fury toward a person. He’s talking about God’s choice—God decided to work through Jacob’s family instead of Esau’s to bring salvation to the world. It’s like a coach choosing one player for the starting lineup over another—it’s about role and purpose, not personal worth or hatred. Think of it like God choosing Abraham’s descendants to be the people through whom the Messiah would come—it wasn’t because they were better people, but because God needed to work through specific families to accomplish His plan to save everyone.

When Proverbs lists things God “hates,” it’s describing His holy opposition to behaviors that damage the people and world He loves.

Here’s the beautiful truth: God’s hatred of sin flows directly from His love for sinners. A God who didn’t oppose evil wouldn’t truly love good. A God who remained neutral toward injustice wouldn’t be worthy of our worship. (We’ll explore this crucial idea much more deeply in a future post—why God’s goodness requires His opposition to evil.)

When God rejects evil, He’s protecting everything good, true, and beautiful in His creation—including you. A firefighter who battles a blaze isn’t angry at the building; he’s fighting to save what’s precious inside. God’s hatred isn’t the opposite of His love—it’s His love in work clothes.

This doesn’t minimize the seriousness of sin or God’s judgment. But it helps us understand that God’s opposition to evil comes from His loving desire to protect and preserve what He treasures—including you and me.

How This Changes Your Bible Study

Now that we understand what biblical “hatred” really means, how should this change the way we read Scripture? Let me put this in everyday terms.

General Principles for Difficult Passages:

When you encounter confusing language about God’s emotions, remember that Scripture often uses human language to help us understand divine realities. God accommodates our finite understanding by speaking in terms we can grasp, while pointing us toward truths that are infinitely greater than our human experience.

Always read confusing passages about God’s feelings in light of what you already know about His character—His love, patience, and desire for all people to find redemption. When we encounter passages that seem to contradict this, it’s usually because we’re missing the cultural, linguistic, or theological context.

Specific Steps When You See “God Hates” Language:

Let me walk you through exactly what this looks like the next time you’re reading Scripture and encounter one of these passages.

First, pause and remember that this probably doesn’t mean what you initially think it means. Ask yourself: “What is God turning away from here?” rather than “Why is God angry?”

Second, look for what God is protecting through His opposition. What does God love so much that He must reject its opposite? Usually, you’ll find that God’s “hatred” is His love in action, defending something precious.

Third, consider the bigger biblical picture. How does this passage fit with what you already know about God’s character from the rest of Scripture? Let the clearer passages about God’s love and mercy inform your understanding of the more challenging ones.

Finally, if you’re still struggling, remember that it’s okay to sit with questions while you grow in understanding. Some of the most mature believers I know are those who’ve learned to wrestle honestly with Scripture while trusting God’s character, even when they don’t immediately understand everything.

Reading Scripture with Confidence

The next time you encounter God’s “hatred” in Scripture, I want you to feel equipped rather than discouraged. You now know that these passages aren’t revealing a cruel, capricious deity, but a loving God whose holiness demands opposition to everything that threatens His beloved creation.

This discovery should flood you with even deeper confidence in God’s love. A God who passively tolerated evil wouldn’t be loving—He’d be indifferent. But a God who actively opposes everything that harms His children? That’s a God whose love you can trust completely.

This isn’t just Bible trivia—it changes everything. As you continue reading difficult passages in Scripture, remember that every challenging text is an invitation to dig deeper into God’s Word. Your questions aren’t problems to be solved quickly—they’re opportunities to develop the kind of Bible study skills that will serve you for a lifetime. The tools you’re learning in this series will help you approach God’s Word with both confidence and curiosity.

In our next post, we’ll look at what Scripture says God opposes, and you might be surprised by how practical and relevant that list is for your daily life.

Keep reading. Keep asking those hard questions—they’re not bothering God; they’re bringing you closer to Him. Keep trusting that the God who gave His Son for you is more loving, wiser, and better than you could ever imagine.

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