Hosea 12:7
A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands.
BSB
ASV
He is a trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
KJV
He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
"Canaan in his hand deceitful balance, he loved calumny, and Ephraim said: Nevertheless, I have become rich, I have found myself an idol, all my labors will not find me the iniquity which I have sinned." LXX: "Canaan in his hand is the weight of iniquity, he loved to oppress through power, and Ephraim said: But I have become rich, I have found rest for myself, all his labors will not find him, for the iniquities in which he sinned."
He is a merchant,.... Here is a change of person from "thou" to "he", from Judah to Ephraim, who is said to be a "merchant"; and if that was all, there is nothing worthy of dispraise in it; but he was a cheating merchant, a fraudulent dealer, as appears by what follows: or he is Canaan, or a Canaanite (y); more like a descendant of Canaan, by his manners, than a descendant of Jacob.
He is a merchant - Or, indignantly, “a merchant in whose hands are the balances of deceit!” How could they love “mercy and justice,” whose trade was “deceit,” who weighed out deceit with their goods? False in their dealings, in their weights and measures, and, by taking advantage of the necessities of others, oppressive also. Deceit is the sin of weakness oppression is the abuse of power. Wealth does not give the power to use naked violence but wealthy covetousness manifoldly grinds the poor.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
The walk8
Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.
Through
Proverbs 11:1Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.
leads to
You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light.
Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His concern.
Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.
You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume.
Differing weights and unequal measures—both are detestable to the LORD.
Through
Micah 7:2The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt one another with a net.
leads to
Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.
Through
Amos 4:1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink.”
leads to
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
