A righteous [man] hateth lying,.... Or, "a word of falsehood" y; as being contrary to honour, truth, and conscience. He hates it in himself and others; he hates all sorts of lies, lies in common conversation, religious lies, doctrinal ones, false doctrines, lies spoken in hypocrisy; such as the followers of antichrist spread, being given up unto them that they might be damned, 1 Timothy 4:2; these are an abomination to God and all good men, Revelation 21:27;
but a wicked [man] is loathsome, and cometh to shame; or, "causes" or "spreads a stink" z: all wicked men are loathsome and abominable, being very corrupt in principle and practice; all over defiled with sin, and covered with wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores, from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet; and especially liars, who are often brought to shame and confusion in this life, and will hereafter come to everlasting shame and contempt. Or, "makes himself to stink" a; in the nostrils of all good men, and so brought to shame: or "digs"; a metaphor, as Cartwright thinks, from those that dig in the earth, where such as are covered with shame would gladly put their heads.
y דבר שקר "verbum falsitatis", Montanus, Michaelis; "verbum fuci", Schulteus. z יבאיש "foetere facit", Vatablus, Mercerus; "foetere faciet", Montanus; "foetere fecit foetorem", Gussetius, p. 114. "foetorem spargit", Schultens. a "Se ipse foetere facit", Coccei Lexic. col. 77. "foetidum se reddit", Piscator.