The Meaning of Proverbs 17:19 Explained

Proverbs 17:19

KJV: He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

YLT: Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

Darby: He loveth transgression that loveth a quarrel; he that maketh high his gate seeketh destruction.

ASV: He loveth transgression that loveth strife: He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He loveth  transgression  that loveth  strife:  [and] he that exalteth  his gate  seeketh  destruction. 

What does Proverbs 17:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

". . . the gate is the mouth, and so to make it high is to say lofty things-he brags too much (see 1 Samuel 2:3; Proverbs 18:12; Proverbs 29:23)." [1]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 17

1  Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked

What do the individual words in Proverbs 17:19 mean?

He who loves transgression loves strife and he who exalts his gate seeks destruction
אֹ֣הֵֽב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־ שָֽׁבֶר

אֹ֣הֵֽב  He  who  loves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
פֶּ֭שַׁע  transgression 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
אֹהֵ֣ב  loves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
מַצָּ֑ה  strife 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַצָּה  
Sense: strife, contention.
מַגְבִּ֥יהַּ  and  he  who  exalts 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: גָּבַהּ  
Sense: to be high, be exalted.
פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ  his  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
מְבַקֶּשׁ־  seeks 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
שָֽׁבֶר  destruction 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבֶר 
Sense: breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering.