Topical Bible: Weights: The Jews: Forbidden to Have Unjust

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In the ancient Jewish society, the use of weights and measures was integral to daily life, particularly in trade and commerce. The Bible provides explicit instructions regarding the use of just weights, emphasizing the importance of honesty and integrity in business dealings. The prohibition against unjust weights is rooted in the broader biblical principle of justice and righteousness, reflecting God's character and His expectations for His people.

Biblical Mandate for Just Weights

The Torah, the foundational text of Jewish law, contains clear commandments regarding the use of weights and measures. In Leviticus 19:35-36 , the Lord commands, "You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume. You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt." This directive underscores the importance of fairness and honesty, linking the command to God's identity as the deliverer of Israel.

Similarly, Deuteronomy 25:13-16 reiterates this command: "You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light. You shall not have two differing measures in your house, one large and one small. You must maintain accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. For everyone who behaves dishonestly in regard to these things is detestable to the LORD your God." This passage not only prohibits the possession of unjust weights but also promises a blessing for those who adhere to the command, highlighting the moral and spiritual significance of honest dealings.

Prophetic Condemnation of Unjust Weights

The prophets of Israel also spoke against the use of unjust weights, viewing them as symptomatic of broader societal corruption. In Micah 6:10-11 , the prophet Micah condemns the city for its dishonest practices: "Am I still to forget, O wicked house, your ill-gotten treasures and the short ephah, which is accursed? Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales and with a bag of false weights?" Here, the use of false weights is equated with wickedness and is seen as deserving of divine judgment.

Proverbs, a book of wisdom, also addresses the issue, stating in Proverbs 11:1 , "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight." This proverb succinctly captures the divine perspective on the matter, contrasting the abomination of dishonesty with the delight God takes in fairness and truth.

Cultural and Religious Significance

The emphasis on just weights and measures reflects the broader biblical theme of justice, which is central to the covenant relationship between God and His people. The use of honest weights is not merely a legal requirement but a reflection of the ethical and spiritual values that God desires for His people. It serves as a tangible expression of the command to love one's neighbor and to act justly, as articulated in passages such as Micah 6:8 : "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"

In summary, the biblical injunction against unjust weights is a clear and consistent mandate that underscores the importance of integrity in all aspects of life. It is a call to reflect God's righteousness in everyday actions, ensuring that justice prevails in the community of God's people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 19:35,36
You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in length, in weight, or in measure.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Duty and Superstition
... That Jews were forbidden to covet, but that Christians are not ... may; that Jews might
not use false weights and measures ... Moses to make a nation of the Jews; who is ...
/.../kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon vii duty and superstition.htm

The Eighth Commandment
... command, Thou shalt not steal.' The thing forbidden in this ... He who uses false weights
and measures steals from others ... The ephah was a measure the Jews used in ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 8 the eighth commandment.htm

Book ii.
... for no other people but the Jews have avoided all ... to our houses, like supplicants,
we are forbidden to slay ... one cheats another in measures or weights, or makes ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/against apion/book ii.htm

Some Gospel Truths Opened, According to the Scriptures; Or, the ...
... Short weights and deceit were declared an abomination to the Lord, in fairs and ... And
again, The Jews knew this very well, or else they would have been sure ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/some gospel truths opened according.htm

Faustus States his Objections to the Morality of the Law and the ...
... you should join with me in condemning the Jews for injuring ... And by unlawful is meant
what is forbidden by the law ... if he had so chosen, he would not have fallen ...
/.../faustus states his objections to.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... sin, is to be dead to those things forbidden in the ... vagabond Jews, the exorcists,
there say, 'We adjure you by ... yea, it did hang upon them as weights to hinder ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
... ought to be punished as felony; double weights, too heavy ... as it was given in particular
to the Jews, but as ... upon the account that now they have an opportunity ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the life and death of.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... DOWER. 'We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of
the power may be of God, and not of us.'"2 Corinthians 4:7. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm