Micah 6:11 kjv
Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
Micah 6:11 nkjv
Shall I count pure those with the wicked scales, And with the bag of deceitful weights?
Micah 6:11 niv
Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?
Micah 6:11 esv
Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights?
Micah 6:11 nlt
How can I tolerate your merchants
who use dishonest scales and weights?
Micah 6 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 25:13-15 | "You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small." | Command for honest weights |
| Prov 11:1 | "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight." | Condemnation of dishonest scales |
| Prov 16:11 | "A just weight and balance are the Lord’s; all the weights of the bag are His concern." | God's ownership of true standards |
| Ezek 45:10 | "You shall have just scales, and a just ephah, and a just bath." | Instruction for righteous measures |
| Hosea 12:7 | "Like a merchant, in whose hand are false balances, he loves to oppress." | Denunciation of merchant deceit |
| Amos 8:5 | "that you may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?” | Exploitation of the poor |
| Jer 17:11 | "As the partridge that gathers treasures she has not made, so is he who gets riches, but not by right; It will leave him in the midst of his days, and at his end he will be a fool." | Ill-gotten gains |
| Luke 3:13 | "And he said to them, 'Collect no more than you are appointed.'” | John the Baptist's instruction |
| Matt 7:12 | "So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." | The Golden Rule |
| Lev 19:35-36 | "You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measures of length, in weights, or in measures of volume." | Command for fairness in commerce |
| Job 31:5-7 | "If I have walked with falsehood, or if my foot has hastened to deceit; Let me be weighed on a just balance, and let God know my integrity." | Job's defense of his integrity |
| Deut 18:22 | "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or prove true, that is the word which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken presumptuously, you shall do nothing of it." | True prophecy |
| John 8:32 | "and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." | Truth leads to freedom |
| Ps 119:142 | "Your righteousness is everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth." | God's law as truth |
| Rom 12:17 | "Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all." | honorable conduct |
| Phil 4:8 | "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." | Focus on good |
| Col 3:23 | "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men," | Diligence for God |
| Prov 10:2-3 | "Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked." | Righteousness and wicked gain |
| Prov 15:27 | "Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live." | Greed's consequence |
| Micah 6:12 | "For the rich men of the city are filled with violence and its inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceptive in their mouth." | The city's corruption |
| Rev 18:12-13 | "merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all kind of citron wood, and every article of ivory, and every article made of costly wood, of brass, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and cardamom, and perfumes, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and bodies and souls of men." | Babylon's wicked trade |
Micah 6 verses
Micah 6 11 Meaning
The verse condemns the use of unjust weights and measures in commerce. It highlights the deceitful practice of using dishonest tools for financial transactions, indicating a perversion of justice and integrity in business dealings. This speaks to God's demand for fairness and truthfulness in all aspects of life, including economic interactions.
Micah 6 11 Context
Micah chapter 6 portrays a courtroom scene where God is the judge, the mountains of Israel are witnesses, and the people of Israel are defendants. God presents His case against Israel, reminding them of His faithfulness from the exodus. He questions their actions and their response to His deliverance, highlighting their unfaithfulness. Verses 9-16 detail the specific sins that have provoked God's judgment. Verse 11 is part of God's indictment, accusing the people of practicing commercial dishonesty and widespread deceit in their business dealings. This societal corruption contributed to the injustices that brought them under divine displeasure and predicted judgment. The overall context is a powerful indictment of the nation's unfaithfulness, disobedience, and systemic corruption, particularly among the wealthy and powerful.
Micah 6 11 Word Analysis
- הֵ֑ן (hen): "Lo!" or "Behold!". This interjection draws attention to what follows, signaling an important declaration.
- כִּ֣י (ki): "for" or "that". It introduces the reason or the substance of the accusation.
- אֵֽיפַת (eyphath): "ephah". This refers to a specific Hebrew unit of dry measure, similar to a bushel. Its use highlights the practice of cheating in essential measures of commodities.
- רָשָׁ֑ע (rasha): "wicked" or "unjust". This describes the nature of the ephah used, implying it was not a true measure but one designed for fraudulent gain.
- וְאֵל־ (ve'al-): "and the "-'el' construction often implies a deliberate opposite or perversion. Here, it suggests "and the ephah" which was meant to be a "wicked" ephah.
- שֶׁ֣קֶר (sheqer): "deceit", "falsehood", "lie". This refers to the deceptive nature of the fraudulent measure.
- וּבְכִ֥יס (uvkhis): "and the bag". A "bag" or "purse" used for weights.
- וְאֵ֥ל (ve'al): Similar to above, emphasizing the perversion of the weights within the bag.
- מִשְׁקַל־ (mishqal-): "weight" or "weighing". This points to the physical instrument used for weighing goods, also being tampered with.
- צֶדֶק (tsedeq): "righteousness", "justice", "right". The accusation is that the "mishqal" was perverted from being just, implying that justice itself was being corrupted.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "הֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אֵֽיפַת רָשָׁ֑ע": This phrase directly charges them with using a "wicked ephah." It's a specific accusation of employing a measure that was deliberately reduced or rigged to give less product than promised or charged. This was a common method of cheating in ancient commerce.
- "וְאֵל־ שֶׁ֣קֶר שֶׁ֣קֶר": The repetition of "sheqer" (deceit/falsehood) emphasizes the pervasive and intentional nature of their deception. The "ephah" and the "bag" (containing weights) were both instruments of this deliberate falsehood.
- "וּבְכִ֥יס וְאֵ֥ל מִשְׁקַל־ צֶדֶק": This further indicts them by specifying the weights in their bag as unjust. They not only short-changed with measures of volume (ephah) but also with measures of weight, using false or tampered weights to short-change customers. The phrase "weights of righteousness" points to what these weights should have been – honest and true according to God's standard.
Micah 6 11 Bonus Section
The accusations in Micah reflect broader themes of social injustice and economic exploitation that permeate the book of Micah. The prophet’s messages consistently highlight the corruptions of the powerful, who amass wealth through oppression, dishonesty, and disregard for the law of God. This verse is not an isolated instance but a representative example of the systemic rot within Israelite society. The contrast between "ephah of wickedness" and weights of "righteousness" underscores that justice, for God, has tangible, measurable standards, both in moral conduct and in economic dealings. The imagery of the "bag" with dishonest weights speaks to a hidden corruption, suggesting that the deceit was not always overt but carefully concealed within the instruments of trade. This practice is a metaphor for all forms of dishonesty in modern commerce.
Micah 6 11 Commentary
The verse denounces commercial fraud through unjust measures and weights. God declares the use of a dishonest "ephah" (a dry measure) and deceptive weights in a bag as sinful. This was not merely an error but a deliberate practice of dishonesty in business, common among the wealthy in Israelite society who sought illicit gain at the expense of the poor. Such practices corrupted the principles of fairness and integrity that God mandated for His people. These economic sins were seen as direct affronts to God, who ordained just dealings. The accusation echoes the condemnation found throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing that faithfulness to God extends to economic life. Dishonest practices undermined community trust and violated the covenant relationship with God.
- Practical Usage: Be truthful in all transactions, whether buying, selling, or managing resources. Acknowledge that all dealings are under God's watchful eye.