Deuteronomy 25:15
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It's easy to read this as just "be honest." But the text emphasizes both a "whole" (or complete) weight and a "just" (or righteous) measure. This isn't just about avoiding fraud; it’s about actively practicing integrity in every transaction, reflecting God's own perfect standard.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In the surrounding verses, Moses is giving Israel final instructions before they enter the Promised Land, emphasizing ethical conduct and justice. He's detailing specific laws about warfare, family matters, and now, fair dealings in commerce. This particular verse is part of a series that prohibits dishonest business practices, like using false weights and measures, directly linking integrity in trade to the blessing of a long life in the land God is giving them.
God cares about how you conduct business. It's not just about big moral decisions, but the small, everyday dealings.
This verse is a command for absolute fairness in commerce. "A full and fair weight" and "a full and fair measure" speak to using honest scales and measures. This wasn't just a suggestion; it was a foundational principle for Israel's society. Using false weights or measures is a form of theft, undermining trust and stability. God demands integrity, not just in religious rituals, but in the marketplace, ensuring that everyone receives what is rightfully theirs.
What does God promise to those who live with integrity? It's more than just a vague blessing.
The promise connected to honest dealings is "that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." This is a concrete blessing within the covenant God made with Israel. It implies that living justly contributes to the stability, well-being, and longevity of their community in the promised land. It wasn't just about individual lifespan, but about the enduring health of the nation when they lived according to God's righteous standards.
Understand the original words
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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.
This passage echoes the call for honest scales and weights, emphasizing the importance of fairness and justice in dealings, which directly relates to the integrity demanded in Deuteronomy 25:15.
Proverbs 11:1This proverb warns that dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, reinforcing the divine disapproval of the very practices condemned in Deuteronomy 25:15 and highlighting the moral dimension of fair trade.
Ezekiel 45:10Here, similar instructions are given for just weights and measures for different units of trade, showing that the principle of fairness in commerce was a consistent expectation throughout Israel's history.
Psalm 55:23This psalm speaks of deceitful men not living out half their days, which connects to the promise of long life in Deuteronomy 25:15, suggesting that dishonesty can have detrimental consequences, even shortening one's time.
pooleDeuteronomy 25:15: "But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
No text from Poole on this verse.
gillDeuteronomy 25:15: "But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
But thou shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shall thou have,.... That is, full weights, and full measures; and such as are alike, and everywhere used, according to the standard of the country; See Gill on Leviticus 19:36 , that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the…
It's easy to read this as just "be honest." But the text emphasizes both a "whole" (or complete) weight and a "just" (or righteous) measure. This isn't just about avoiding fraud; it’s about actively practicing integrity in every transaction, reflecting God's own perfect standard.
In the surrounding verses, Moses is giving Israel final instructions before they enter the Promised Land, emphasizing ethical conduct and justice. He's detailing specific laws about warfare, family matters, and now, fair dealings in commerce. This particular verse is part of a series that prohibits dishonest business practices, like using false weights and measures, directly linking integrity in trade to the blessing of a long life in the land God is giving them.
In the surrounding verses, Moses is giving Israel final instructions before they enter the Promised Land, emphasizing ethical conduct and justice. He's detailing specific laws about warfare, family matters, and now, fair dealings in commerce. This particular verse is part of a series that prohibits dishonest business practices, like using false weights and measures, directly linking integrity in trade to the blessing of a long life in the land God is giving them.
"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." — It's easy to read this as just "be honest." But the text emphasizes both a "whole" (or complete) weight and a "just" (or righteous) measure. This isn't just about avoiding fraud; it’s about activ…
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Last reviewed October 2026
