The verse’s questions aren't just rhetorical; they highlight that the real treasure of the wicked isn't just wealth, but the very act of wickedness itself, hoarding it as if it were valuable. This suggests that the "scant measure" isn't just about dishonest dealings, but about how their lives are ultimately meager and cursed because they've chosen to fill them with injustice instead of righteousness.
Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed? Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is calling out His people for their continued dishonesty, specifically their greed and fraudulent business practices even after facing His warnings and judgment. The prophet Micah asks if they still hoard ill-gotten gains and cheat others with dishonest measures, highlighting that these "treasures of wickedness" are not only hateful to God but will ultimately bring destruction upon them.
Imagine God looking at His people, shaking His head. Micah's words feel like a divine sigh, a rhetorical question loaded with divine disappointment. Why are they still doing this?
Micah 6:10 opens with a series of sharp questions, acting like a divine wake-up call. "Are there yet...?" This isn't a genuine inquiry seeking information; it's a powerful accusation. God, through the prophet, is highlighting the persistent, unrepentant sin of the people.
The Persistent 'Yet'
The word "yet" speaks volumes. It implies that despite God's warnings, His long-suffering, and perhaps even past judgments, the people continue in their wicked ways. They haven't learned; they haven't turned back.
Treasures of Wickedness
"Treasures of wickedness" refers to wealth gained through dishonest and unjust means. This wasn't just a little bit of extra cash; it was accumulated riches obtained by oppressing others, using deceitful practices. The "house of the wicked" becomes a symbol of their entire life and dealings, filled with ill-gotten gains.
It's not just about the big, flashy sins. Sometimes, the most damning evidence of a corrupt heart is found in the small, everyday deceptions.
The second part of the verse zeroes in on a specific, insidious sin: the "scant measure that is accursed." This refers to dishonest weights and measures, particularly a smaller-than-standard ephah (a dry measure).
Deceit in Daily Dealings
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This practice was rampant. People would shortchange their customers, selling less product than they were supposed to for the price charged. It was a way to cheat others in the marketplace, profiting subtly at the expense of the poor and honest.
The "Accursed" Measure
The measure isn't just "scant" (small or deficient); it's "accursed" or "abominable." This tells us that God sees these seemingly small acts of dishonesty not just as unfair business practices, but as deeply offensive to Him, provoking His wrath and judgment.
Understand the original words
otserot resha' · Hebrew Noun phrase
Wealth, resources, or lifestyle gained through unjust, exploitative, or dishonest means, which stand under God's judgment.
zakah · Hebrew Verb
To declare righteous or innocent; in a legal context, it signifies a formal pronouncement of not guilty or the release from a charge.
resha' · Hebrew Noun
Refers to moral perversion, injustice, or the active practice of evil that deviates from God’s standards; it often implies an active opposition to His holiness.
mirmah · Hebrew Noun
The practice of misrepresenting the truth; it is frequently associated with fraud, falsehood, and betrayal of trust, standing in direct opposition to God, who is Truth.
chamas · Hebrew Noun
A broad term for acts of physical force, oppression, or lawlessness; it describes a violation of the sanctity of human life and social order, especially against the vulnerable.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
To intentionally utter falsehoods; it is a fundamental violation of God’s character and His command to bear true witness, often leading to social and spiritual ruin.
Micah's words are a powerful indictment not of abstract sin, but of tangible economic exploitation—dishonest weights and measures, and hoarded wealth gained through oppression—that directly led to the downfall of the northern kingdom and threatened Judah's very existence.
Late 8th century BC
Prophetic Warnings Against Injustice
Prophets like Amos and Hosea, preceding Micah, directly condemned the widespread social injustice, economic exploitation, and dishonest business practices prevalent in the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Judah.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its people. This event served as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of continued sin and injustice.
Early 7th century BC— this verse
Micah's Ministry in Judah
Micah, prophesying during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah, confronts the people and leaders with God's judgment for their corruption, idolatry, and oppression of the poor.
701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many fortified cities and besieging Jerusalem. This military crisis was a direct consequence of Judah's political and spiritual unfaithfulness.
This passage directly instructs not to misuse measures and weights in trade, highlighting the sin of dishonesty in commerce that Micah is addressing.
Deuteronomy 25:13-16This section of the Law explicitly forbids having 'divers weights, a great and a small' and commands 'a perfect and just weight' and 'a perfect and just ephah,' directly paralleling Micah's accusation.
Amos 8:4-6Amos, another prophet to the Northern Kingdom, uses nearly identical language, condemning those who 'trample on the needy' and 'make the ephah small,' showing this was a pervasive issue.
James 5:1-3James echoes Micah's condemnation of accumulated wealth gained through injustice, warning that the 'treasures you have accumulated' will 'rot' and 'consume your flesh like fire.'
Proverbs 11:1This proverb states, 'A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight,' underscoring the deep offense to God that dishonest trade practices like the scant measure represent.
clarkeMicah 6:10: "Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?"
Are there yet the treasures of wickedness - Such as false balances and deceitful weights. See on Hosea 12:7 (note). This shows that they were not Doing Justly. They did not give to each his due.
jfbMicah 6:10: "Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?"
- Are there yet—notwithstanding all My warnings. Is there to be no end of acquiring treasures by wickedness? Jehovah is speaking (Mic 6:9).scant measure … abominable—(Pr 11:1; Am 8:5).
The verse’s questions aren't just rhetorical; they highlight that the real treasure of the wicked isn't just wealth, but the very act of wickedness itself, hoarding it as if it were valuable. This suggests that the "scant measure" isn't just about dishonest dealings, but about how their lives are ultimately meager and cursed because they've chosen to fill them with injustice instead of righteousness.
God is calling out His people for their continued dishonesty, specifically their greed and fraudulent business practices even after facing His warnings and judgment. The prophet Micah asks if they still hoard ill-gotten gains and cheat others with dishonest measures, highlighting that these "treasures of wickedness" are not only hateful to God but will ultimately bring destruction upon them.
God is calling out His people for their continued dishonesty, specifically their greed and fraudulent business practices even after facing His warnings and judgment. The prophet Micah asks if they still hoard ill-gotten gains and cheat others with dishonest measures, highlighting that these "treasures of wickedness" are not only hateful to God but will ultimately bring destruction upon them.
"Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed? Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? Your rich men are full o…" — The verse’s questions aren't just rhetorical; they highlight that the real treasure of the wicked isn't just wealth, but the very act of wickedness itself, hoarding it as if it were valuable. This…
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Last reviewed October 2026
