Proverbs 16:6 (ASV)

Passage

By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:4 Jehovah hath made everything for its own end; Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah: [Though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.

Proverbs 16:7 When a man`s ways please Jehovah, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "mercy", "truth", "iniquity", "atoned", "fear", "jehovah", "depart", and "evil". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "truth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "Every one that is proud in heart..." into verse 7's "When a man s ways please Jehovah...", so "mercy" and "truth" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "mercy" and "truth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.