Proverbs 28:9

The one who turns away his ear ¹  from hearing the law, even his prayer ²  is an abomination. ³ 

If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.

He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

The prayers of a person who ignores the law are despised.

God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him.

As for the man whose ear is turned away from hearing the law, even his prayer is disgusting.

When one will not listen to the law, even one’s prayers are an abomination.

One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

The one who turns away his ear ¹  from hearing the law, even his prayer ²  is an abomination. ³ 

¹ sn The expression “turn away the ear from hearing” uses a metonymy to mean that this individual will not listen – it indicates a deliberate refusal to follow the instruction of the law.

² sn It is hard to imagine how someone who willfully refuses to obey the law of God would pray according to the will of God. Such a person is more apt to pray for some physical thing or make demands on God. (Of course a prayer of repentance would be an exception and would not be an abomination to the Lord.)

³ sn C. H. Toy says, “If a man, on his part, is deaf to instruction, then God, on his part, is deaf to prayer” (Proverbs [ICC], 499). And W. McKane observes that one who fails to attend to God’s law is a wicked person, even if he is a man of prayer (Proverbs [OTL], 623).