Leviticus 19:36
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The repeated emphasis on "just" measures, including common dry and liquid units like the ephah and hin, points to a foundational principle: God expects His people to conduct their daily business with unwavering integrity, mirroring His own perfect character and righteous deliverance. This isn't just about fair trade; it's a divine mandate woven into the fabric of their identity, established by the very God who rescued them from slavery.
You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse concludes a long section in Leviticus 19 that lays out ethical and social laws for the Israelites. It's a direct command about honest business dealings, specifically calling for accurate weights and measures. This instruction is tied back to their identity as God's people, reminding them that their deliverance from Egypt obligates them to live by His standards, not those of their former oppressors.
In ancient Israel, commerce wasn't just about profit – it was about reflecting God's character. How did everyday transactions become a spiritual act?
The commands for "just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin" weren't just about preventing cheating in the marketplace. They were a fundamental expression of holiness and obedience to God.
Beyond the Scale
The command for honest scales is immediately followed by a reminder of Egypt. What does liberation from slavery have to do with fair weights?
The final phrase, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt," is not just a concluding remark; it’s the behind the command for fairness.
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Remembering Deliverance
Understand the original words
tzedeq · Hebrew Adjective
A state of fairness, righteousness, and integrity. In a legal or commercial context, it refers to standards that are accurate, honest, and free from deceit, reflecting God's own character.
mozenayim · Hebrew Noun
An instrument for weighing, often symbolizing divine judgment or the requirement for integrity in human dealings. Biblically, it emphasizes the importance of honesty in all business and social transactions as a reflection of holiness.
eben · Hebrew Noun
Stones or metal pieces used as standards for measurement. In Scripture, using inaccurate weights is condemned as an abomination, while accurate weights represent moral uprightness and fairness before God.
ephah · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew unit of dry measure, roughly equivalent to a bushel. It served as a standard container for grain and other commodities; the command to have a 'just' ephah requires economic transparency and honesty.
hin · Hebrew Noun
A liquid measure used primarily for oil or wine. Like the ephah, it functioned as a standard of trade, and the requirement for a 'just' hin reinforces the biblical mandate for integrity in all aspects of life.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The covenant name of God (Yahweh), the personal, self-existent, and redeeming God of Israel. It denotes His authority as the one who establishes the Law and His relational commitment to His people.
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Noun
The state of bondage in Egypt from which God delivered Israel, serving as a powerful historical reminder of God's grace and a foundational reason for Israel's obedience to His commands.
This proverb directly condemns dishonest scales and weights, echoing Leviticus 19:36's command for fairness in trade and highlighting that such dishonesty is an 'abomination' to the Lord.
Ezekiel 45:10Centuries later, Ezekiel reiterates the importance of just measures and weights in his vision of the future temple, showing that the principle of honest dealing was a core concern for God throughout Israel's history.
Deuteronomy 25:13-16This passage also addresses the need for just weights and measures, emphasizing that dishonesty is not a minor issue but a serious offense that God detests.
Matthew 7:12Jesus summarizes much of the Law, including commands like Leviticus 19:36, with the Golden Rule, teaching that we should treat others with the same fairness and integrity in our dealings that we desire for ourselves.
Colossians 4:1Paul extends the principle of justice from the marketplace to our overall conduct, urging believers to treat their servants justly and fairly, demonstrating that integrity in all relationships is a mark of genuine faith.
bensonLeviticus 19:36: "Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt."
Leviticus 19:36 . A just ephah and a just hin — These two measures are named as most common, the former for dry, the latter for moist things, but under them he manifestly comprehends all other measures.
gillLeviticus 19:36: "Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt."
Just balances, just weights,.... Which were for such sort of things as were bought and sold by weight, and these were to be according to the custom and usage which universally obtained among them, or were fixed and settled by them; they were to be neither lighter nor heavier; they were not to have one sort to buy with, and another to se…
The repeated emphasis on "just" measures, including common dry and liquid units like the ephah and hin, points to a foundational principle: God expects His people to conduct their daily business with unwavering integrity, mirroring His own perfect character and righteous deliverance. This isn't just about fair trade; it's a divine mandate woven into the fabric of their identity, established by the very God who rescued them from slavery.
This verse concludes a long section in Leviticus 19 that lays out ethical and social laws for the Israelites. It's a direct command about honest business dealings, specifically calling for accurate weights and measures. This instruction is tied back to their identity as God's people, reminding them that their deliverance from Egypt obligates them to live by His standards, not those of their former oppressors.
This verse concludes a long section in Leviticus 19 that lays out ethical and social laws for the Israelites. It's a direct command about honest business dealings, specifically calling for accurate weights and measures. This instruction is tied back to their identity as God's people, reminding them that their deliverance from Egypt obligates them to live by His standards, not those of their former oppressors.
"You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt." — The repeated emphasis on "just" measures, including common dry and liquid units like the ephah and hin, points to a foundational principle: God expects His people to conduct their daily business with…
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Last reviewed October 2026
