Deuteronomy 25:13-16
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This isn't just about avoiding two different sets of weights; it's about guarding against the very instruments of deceit. God's command to not even have the dishonest weights in your bag shows that integrity means purging the temptation itself, not just refraining from the act. It calls us to a standard of purity that extends beyond mere outward behavior to the very disposition of our hearts and the tools we possess.
“You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the LORD your God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This command about dishonest weights appears within a section of laws addressing various social injustices and moral purity. Following instructions on fair treatment of laborers and prohibited sexual relationships, Moses now details how the Israelites must conduct honest business dealings. This prohibition against having two sets of weights is presented as a foundational principle of integrity in trade, directly preceding further instructions on just measures and long, prosperous life for the obedient.
Imagine a world where fairness is a flexible concept. This verse speaks directly to that temptation, revealing a hidden sin in everyday commerce.
God's people were commanded to have only one set of weights. This wasn't just about avoiding literal fraud; it was a principle against living with a double standard.
The Sin of the 'Great and Small'
Why would God care so much about something as mundane as weights and measures? This command has profound implications for justice and community.
This law wasn't just about a fair marketplace; it was about protecting the vulnerable and upholding God's character.
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Justice for the Needy
Understand the original words
eben · Hebrew Noun
In biblical commerce, honesty in weights and measures is a reflection of God’s own character. Fraudulent practices are considered an abomination, as they represent a failure to love one's neighbor and an attempt to cheat the economic order established by God.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the one true God of Israel. It represents His self-existence, His faithfulness to His promises, and His supreme authority as the Lawgiver and Redeemer of His people.
shalem · Hebrew Adjective
A state of being complete, whole, or intact. In economic terms, it signifies a standard that is accurate and untainted by corruption or deceit, aligning with the biblical mandate for integrity in all dealings.
tsedeq · Hebrew Adjective
Being upright, righteous, or level. It characterizes a life or an action that is balanced and conforms to God’s standard of truth, devoid of the crookedness associated with sin or dishonesty.
toebah · Hebrew Noun
A formal, legal, or moral offense that is loathsome or detestable in the eyes of God, often associated with idolatry or severe violations of the covenant.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The LORD; the covenant-keeping, self-existent God of Israel who revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush.
This passage echoes the same call for integrity in trade, commanding the Israelites to use honest weights and measures, reinforcing the seriousness of fair dealings.
Proverbs 11:1It highlights that dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord, showing that this concern for fairness extends beyond just practical commandments to a matter of the heart and God's view of our actions.
Amos 8:5The prophet Amos condemns the practice of using false measures and selling inferior goods, demonstrating that this issue of commercial dishonesty was a recurring problem addressed by God's messengers throughout Israel's history.
Luke 3:12During John the Baptist's ministry, tax collectors and soldiers asked him, 'What should we do?', and he responded by telling them to stop extorting money and to be content with their wages, showing that ethical business practices were foundational even in the New Testament era.
gillDeuteronomy 25:13: "Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small."
Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights,.... Or, "a stone and a stone" (y); it being usual, in those times and countries, to have their weights of stone, as it was formerly with us here; we still say, that such a commodity is worth so much per stone, a stone being of such a weight; now these were not to be different: a great and a small; great weights, to buy with them, and small weights, to sell with…
pooleDeuteronomy 25:13: "Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small."
The great, either to buy with, or openly to make show of; the small, for their private use in selling.
This isn't just about avoiding two different sets of weights; it's about guarding against the very instruments of deceit. God's command to not even have the dishonest weights in your bag shows that integrity means purging the temptation itself, not just refraining from the act. It calls us to a standard of purity that extends beyond mere outward behavior to the very disposition of our hearts and the tools we possess.
This command about dishonest weights appears within a section of laws addressing various social injustices and moral purity. Following instructions on fair treatment of laborers and prohibited sexual relationships, Moses now details how the Israelites must conduct honest business dealings. This prohibition against having two sets of weights is presented as a foundational principle of integrity in trade, directly preceding further instructions on just measures and long, prosperous life for the obedient.
This command about dishonest weights appears within a section of laws addressing various social injustices and moral purity. Following instructions on fair treatment of laborers and prohibited sexual relationships, Moses now details how the Israelites must conduct honest business dealings. This prohibition against having two sets of weights is presented as a foundational principle of integrity in trade, directly preceding further instructions on just measures and long, prosperous life for the obedient.
"“You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that you…" — This isn't just about avoiding two different sets of weights; it's about guarding against the very instruments of deceit. God's command to not even have the dishonest weights in your bag shows th…
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Last reviewed October 2026
