Proverbs 6:14
Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
Original Language Analysis
בְּלִבּ֗וֹ
is in his heart
H3820
בְּלִבּ֗וֹ
is in his heart
Strong's:
H3820
Word #:
2 of 8
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything
חֹרֵ֣שׁ
he deviseth
H2790
חֹרֵ֣שׁ
he deviseth
Strong's:
H2790
Word #:
3 of 8
to scratch, i.e., (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad
בְּכָל
H3605
בְּכָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
5 of 8
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
Micah 2:1Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.Romans 16:17Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.Hosea 8:7For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
Historical Context
Proverbs frequently warns against the contentious person who sows strife (6:19, 16:28, 26:20-21). Ancient communities depended on social cohesion for survival. Discord threatened communal stability. The New Testament similarly condemns divisive people: Titus 3:10 instructs rejecting factious persons after warnings. Unity matters to God; discord-sowers offend Him.
Questions for Reflection
- How can you recognize those who deliberately sow discord versus those who unintentionally create conflict?
- What role might you be playing in sustaining rather than resolving relational division?
- How does God call peacemakers to address those who continually devise relational evil?
Analysis & Commentary
Perversity in the heart devises evil continually, sowing discord. The Hebrew 'tahpukah' (perverseness/distortion) and 'charadash' (devise/plow) describe continuous moral plotting. The perverse heart doesn't occasionally stumble into sin but constantly cultivates it. 'Sowing discord' ('shalach midyanim') indicates deliberate troublemaking. Some people are relationally destructive - they thrive on conflict and deliberately create division.